RANGELEY — The banter among the group gathered in a Rangeley parking lot early Tuesday morning was friendly and jovial.

Gathered in groups, 14 people greeted one another before greeting those in the next group. One person offered freshly baked cookies. Another checked to make sure everyone had equipment for the adventure on which they were about to embark.

From the outside, the gathering was reminiscent of a reunion: a group of old friends who had not seen one another in years.

Actually, it had only been days since Trails for Rangeley Area Coalition participants last met.

The coalition is a volunteer-organized group that connects outdoor enthusiasts to trails and waterways of the region. There are no fees or dues for participation.

Fred Dubay of West Virginia lives in Rangeley during the summer and has participated in the coalition activities for 20 years.

“I enjoy these outings for the physical activity and seeing the outside world. But, for me, a lot of it is social. These are my friends,” Dubay said.

It was a sentiment repeated by the participants as they readied to hike to the summit of Saddleback Mountain via the Rock Pond Trail.

At 80, Dubay said he was the oldest participant on Tuesday’s outing. Participants typically include a variety of ages, especially in the summer when seasonal residents move in and children are out of school.

When it came time to depart for the trailhead, Scott Schoenthaler, one of two leaders for the excursion, explained the day’s plan.

The 7.3-mile, roundtrip hike would take about four and a half hours, including a stop for lunch. Carpooling arrangements were quickly made and the group departed.

30 YEARS OF TRAC

The Trails for Rangeley Area Coalition formed in 1995, a product of the Lakes Alliance for Vision and Action Convention.

David McMillan, one of several Lakes Alliance for Vision and Action organizers, said the convention was a way to bring Rangeley and Rangeley, Sandy River and Dallas plantations together.

“Back then, there was a lot of disagreement between the town and the plantations,” he said.

McMillian said the convention separated each specific area of concern, such as natural resources, fishing quality and trails, into individual “planks.” Over the course of several months, meetings were held on each of the planks until all parties could agree on the vision and action for each one.

At the Feb. 22, 1995, convention, each plank was voted on by secret ballot. According to an article in the March 3, 1995, edition of The Rangeley Highlander, about 125 people gathered to consider 19 planks “that organizers feel can provide a cohesive vision for the future of the Rangeley Region.”

“With all the divisions that were going on then, this was a demonstration of how much we had in common and how we could come together,” McMillian said.

A survey was included in the convention materials so people could sign up to participate in specific areas of interest. The coalition was formed by those showing interest in maintaining and hiking trails, and the first coalition meeting was held in March 1995.

The group and the goals have evolved over the past three decades, McMillan said. In the early years, participants identified, cleared and maintained trails, in addition to hiking them. Now, the group is more focused on hiking the trails.

The task of planning outdoor recreation opportunities has been passed to new organizers, each adding their own twist.

TODAY’S TRAC

Jeff Zapolsky has been organizing the group’s activities for the past eight years. As a new Rangeley resident in 2013, Zapolsky participated in the outings as a way to get to know people. At that time, Victor Borko was the organizer. When Borko needed to travel to Alaska for an extended time, he asked Zapolsky to take over.

“When I first started, we would average five to 10 participants, Zapolsky said. “Now, it is unusual to have participation that low. We usually only see that if we have an extremely challenging outing. We average about 20 participants and have seen as many as 43.”

The increase in participation is due, in part, to changes Zapolsky has made during his tenure. Twice weekly summer hiking, biking or paddling outings are planned starting with the easiest outings scheduled early in the season. The outings gradually increase in difficulty, with the more strenuous hikes saved for the end of the season. This gives participants the opportunity to build stamina so they can take part in the more challenging outings.

A dedicated departure schedule and location was also part of his plan. Summer outings are scheduled for 8 a.m. twice a week, with departure on Tuesdays from the Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce and on Fridays from the Oquossoc Lot, on the corner of Routes 4 and 17. From there, participants travel to the destination trailhead or launch site. Zapolosky schedules outings based on the proximity to each of the departure locations.

“Sure, it might make sense to leave earlier on some outings, but by making it consistent, there is no confusion about when we meet. It doesn’t make sense to meet in Oquossoc to hike Saddleback and we won’t meet in Rangeley to go to Aziscohos,” he said.

He also plans outings based on what is happening in the natural world.

“We hike Piazza Rock when the trillium are in bloom and Mingo Springs when lupine are in bloom,” he said. “It adds a bit more to the outing.”

He began distributing schedules to the chamber, lodging establishments, WRGY radio, and print media. Coalition representatives are present at community events, such as the Trail Town Festival, and has a strong presence on Facebook. Zapolsky has partnered the coalition with High Peaks Alliance. The group has hosted several hikes to High Peaks Alliance Scenic 7 destinations.

These changes have added to the continued success of the group. In turn, the success has added a social aspect to the group. Recently, post-outing gatherings at participants’ homes have become part of the culture, he said.

It is that social aspect that keeps participants returning.

“If you want to have a healthy life, you need social interaction and you need to spend time outdoors,” Dubay said as he adjusted his backpack and hiked into the woods with his friends.

The final outing of the summer, an easy kayak along the Magalloway River, will be held Friday, Oct 3. The group will depart from the Oquossoc parking lot at 8 a.m.

Weekly winter snowshoe outings will begin once there is enough snow cover.

For more information, find Trails for Rangeley Area Coalition on Facebook.