Aroostook-born hiker sets time on international trail in Maine

By Paula Brewer, The Star-Herald Staff

An Aroostook County native is working to put Maine’s portion of the International Appalachian Trail in more people’s sights.

Robert Greenier was born in Fort Kent and lived near Presque Isle as a child. Now a Colorado resident, he hiked all 138 miles of the Maine leg in just under 67 hours, finishing in the wee hours of July 21 in Fort Fairfield. 

Greenier, 33, is the first male hiker to set a time for that part of the trail, a feat that will be documented on Fastest Known Time, a website of worldwide hiking records. His trek will give other competitive hikers something to beat. But more than that, he aims to draw attention to this route that traverses parts of the U.S., Canada and Europe and could potentially bring more tourists to Aroostook County. 

“Even though I grew up here, I didn’t know the International Appalachian Trail even existed,” Greenier said while visiting his parents, Peter and Jeannie Wilcox, in West Chapman. “I figured if I didn’t know about it, and I was an avid hiker, then other people didn’t know about it, so I decided to set a time.”

A committed long-distance hiker since 2019, Greenier has completed the Long Trail, the country’s oldest trail, which follows Vermont’s Green Mountains to Canada. He’s also hiked the Colorado Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada and about 40 percent of the Appalachian Trail, he said.

The International Appalachian Trail originates at the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and goes north. 

Dick Anderson, Maine’s former commissioner of conservation, helped develop the trail 21 years ago, according to the trail’s website. The path is inspired by the ancient Appalachian-Caledonian Mountains, formed millions of years ago, and besides the U.S. and Canada has portions in Greenland, Iceland, France, Portugal and Morocco.

The Maine leg heads north from Katahdin Woods and Waters, by the Penobscot River through Houlton and Mars Hill, and crosses into Canada at Fort Fairfield, which has a trailhead on the Sam Everett Road.  

Greenier started out on his birthday, July 18, and reached Fort Fairfield at 12:34 a.m. July 21, he said. Minus occasional breaks and around 8 hours of sleep over the three days, he finished in 2 days, 18 hours and 56 minutes. 

Last July, Ella Bredthauer became the first woman to qualify on the Maine portion, completing the hike in 3 days, 1 hour and 51 minutes.   

Greenier hiked for speed because to do less would be disrespectful of the sport — and he wanted those who come after him to work for the attempt, he said. The trip was more grueling than he imagined. 

“I’ve [hiked] almost 5,000 miles since 2019, and these three days were the highest mileage days I’ve ever hiked in my life,” he said. “When I took a break it felt like I’d just gotten through a boxing match with Rocky Balboa.”   

There are three ways to hike for time qualification, according to Fastest Known Time. Supported hikers have teams to meet them with supplies. Self-supported hikers can leave supplies for themselves along the route. Those who go unsupported carry everything with them from the start. 

Greenier chose to hike unsupported. To clock his journey he carried two tracking devices, in case one malfunctioned — which it did, he said. Fastest Known Time officials will evaluate the data and his trail records, including photographs, and once approved his attempt will be recorded.

Hikers can only use existing elements as they pass through, so no one has an unfair advantage, he said. 

Battery consumption was an issue. He traveled at night, so had to make sure he had lights to see the trail. He stopped in Smyrna to recharge batteries. He had to obtain water from natural sources and filter it. He spent one night at a campground that had a screened-in table, and the other night camped near Houlton.

The smoothest portion was from Houlton to Mars Hill, where the trail follows old railbeds with minimal elevation change, he said.  

The most challenging part was from Mars Hill Mountain into Fort Fairfield. The path winds through slash — paths cut through the forest, used mainly by law enforcement who patrol the border — and is not easy to hike. 

At one point it becomes a Canadian road and there’s a 50-foot dropoff to get back to the American side, he said. He saw a few Border Patrol officers, who were supportive, but didn’t meet a single hiker.

That’s why Greenier wants to call attention to Maine’s International Appalachian Trail. He hopes to see it become a national trail that attracts a different kind of tourism to northern Maine.

Besides enjoying beautiful spots along the way, hiking provides a chance to unplug from a busy world, he said. The trail is perfect for those looking for solitude or reflection.

“Part of my goal in setting the record is also to draw more people to try and do the same,” he said. “If you could get 25 percent of people who do Katahdin to come north, that’s more tourism The County otherwise wouldn’t see.”