I checked in last Sunday with a group of 11 and was surprised to learn that the AMC had just taken over the camp. We met Amy and John on the first day of their envious job of becoming familiar with the area and the not so evious job of maintaining the place.
I had mixed feelings about the AMC purchase. Check out this link while it still exists.
Medawisla Wilderness Camps
While we were there we had pristine ponds all to ourselves. We paddled 2nd Roach Pond, Penobscot Pond, and a couple of us paddled from a remote corner of 3rd Roach, down a heavily beaver dammed Roach River back to base camp on 2nd Roach. We saw many moose, some deer, osprey, an eagle and nest, loons and the usual plethora of rabbits, ducks etc. I awoke one morning to hear what I thought for an instant was logging activity across the river until I realized it was the humming birds at the nectar feeder outside my window. Fish and crayfish jumped at the chance to hook themselves on the ends of worm baited lines tossed by a three and a six year old ... and for those of you checking licenses they were unassisted by adults.
Nearby, as nearby as possible on these gravel woods roads, are White Cap, Big Spencer, Little Spencer, and Number Four mountains. My torn meniscus kept me off these trails this time but they all rival anything else in the Northeast for rigorous hikes, great views and away from crowds.
It is a beautiful mixed use area, the logging activity opening up occasional vistas and feeding area for large game as well as providing a network of roads and trails for those who subsequently follow in pursuit of recreation.
My mixed feelings were these:
AMC will do a great job maintaining the place and I wouldn't be surprised if the generator that operates a few hours each evening were to be replaced by more photovoltaics and some hydropower. AMC will probably facilitate the maintenance and marking of some nearby trails. It will assure, hopefully, the perpetual use of this facility for public use ... unless its taken over by people who view this spot as a trespass upon wilderness. And I expect it will organize a lot of good educational opportunities here.
On the other hand, AMC has tremendous market power and will create a market that is different from the traditional guests of the place. Costs of stays will be sure to rise due to this market power and to the fact that the sweat equity of owners will be replaced by labor that will generally command market wages, except for some volunteer work for parts of the operation. What regimentation and restrictions will follow? .. though only 30 acres are controlled under this purchase.
These are housekeeping cabins but already AMC has apparently proposed, according to a reliable source, to provide a modified American plan and raise rates dramatically.
I think some of what many think should be preserved may be unwittingly lost under AMC operation. I hope not.
