Appalachian Mountain Club – Maine Chapter

Come join us on Monday, March 16, 2009 as Gust and Jan Stringos present on their circum-navigation of the Atlantic Ocean by sail! In 2005, Gust and Jan set out to sail around the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, looping from Maine to the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Caribbean, and home to Maine. They made this incredible journey on their 36 foot sloop, Bluebird, and more details of their experience can be found at www.bluebirdsail.com. This event will be of interest to anyone who enjoys stories of great adventures and would like to experience the Atlantic vicariously from the safety of a chair. This event is free and open to the public.

Gust and Jan Stringos are active members of the AMC Maine Chapter including participating in hiking and winter hiking activities.

The Waterville Public Library is located on 73 Elm Street, Waterville, ME. A potluck dinner will begin at 6 pm followed by the presentation at 7 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring a potluck item and their own dinnerware (plate, utensils etc.). Drinks will be provided and plastic-ware will be available.

Please click on around-the-atlantic-by-sail to download a pdf flyer for this event.

Attentional all Maine high school sophomore and juniors! The Friends of Baxter State Park is currently seeking applications to the first Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program. This ALL EXPENSE paid week is scheduled for August 9-16, 2009 is designed to introduce participants to the importance of wilderness preservation. This will include activities such as introduction to backcountry camping, safety, map reading, hiking, and paddling- all in the beauty of Baxter State Park! In addition, students will become familiar with outdoor resource occupations and work directly with a geologist, naturalist, wildlife biologist, photographer, journalist, and painter. To learn more and download an application, visit the Friends of Baxter State Park web site!

Be sure to join us for Carey Kish’s presentation on his recent long distance trek across Ireland! This event will be a potluck dinner and presentation on Tuesday, February 24, 2008 at the South Portland Library.

For more information, please click here or click Across Ireland By Foot to download a pdf flyer for this event.

Are you a three-season hiker? Ever wonder what it would be like to be at the summit of a mountain with some of the world’s worst winter weather? Journalist Keith Mulvihill was a winter hiking rookie and recently summited Mount Washington via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail with a guide. He shared his experiences in this article in the New York Times including discussing the gear, weather, and efforts necessary to winter hike. Also, be sure to check out this slideshow of his first-hand account!

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is coming to the South Portland Auditorium on Tuesday, February 17th, 2009. The film festival will feature 2 hours of magnificent cinematography of skiing, climbing, kayaking, mountain culture, the environment, and more and is produced by some of the world’s best outdoor cinematographers. The show starts at 7:30PM. Tickets are available after 1/10/2009 at EMS and Nomads. $16 in advance, or $19 at the door.

Trevor Thomas of Charlotte, NC successfully completed a Thu-Hike of the AT this fall. While that’s commendable, Trevor deserves special recognition for being blind and successfully hiking the 2,172 miles. His trail name, Zero/Zero, refers to his visual acuity, which is the result of a degenerative condition which began about 5 years ago.

“I started just to prove to me that my world was not getting smaller,” said Trevor. “My goal when I started was just to see if I could make two days, then three. The greatest thing is, I turned into an ambassador for the blind.”

Trevor hiked in the footsteps of Bill Irwin, who famously was the first blind hiker to complete the AT. The story of he and his guide dog Orient is told in the book Blind Courage. Since the Appalachain Trail opened in 1937, there is no complete record on Thru-Hikers who complete the AT, much less those for hikers with a disability. It is understood that four other hikers who are blind have previously completed the trail.

Please click here for a recent article in the Portland Press Herald.

AMC members can again enjoy discounts to ski Mt. Abram this winter. This family-friendly Greenwood, Maine resort is offering a “corporate rate” for AMC members. So, wax up those ‘boards’, gather up some fellow Appies, and get out to enjoy the 44 trails Mt. Abram has to offer! Contact Carolyn Welch for more information.

February’s potluck presentation will take you to the lush green shores of Ireland! Join Carey Kish on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 as he recounts stories of his recent long distance hike across the Emerald Isle, his sixth major European trek. The Irish Coast to Coast Walk is a 387-mile, 23-day route that extends from the city centre of Dublin on the Irish Sea all the way south and then west, to Bray Head on Valentia Island on the Atlantic Ocean. The trek connects five national walking paths or ways: the Wicklow Way, South Leinster Way, East Munster Way, Blackwater Way and Kerry Way. En route Carey encountered superb scenery and battled challenging weather as the walk crossed windswept hills and craggy mountains, meandered along lush river valleys, padded quietly through dark forests, and passed through lovely villages where there may just be a friendly pub or two that pours a fine pint of Guinness! Tar amach agus bain sult as radharc gen í seo álainn téigh!

The location is at the South Portland Library, 482 Broadway, South Portland, ME: parking is available off Highland Avenue. Dinner at 6 pm, presentation at 7 pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring a potluck item and their own dinnerware (plate, utensils etc.). Drinks will be provided and plastic-ware will be available. Come join us!

Please click Across Ireland By Foot to download a pdf flyer for this event.

Don’t let winter freeze your activities- get out and embrace it at the 16th Annual Mount Washington Valley Ice Festival from February 5-8 in North Conway, New Hampshire. This 3-day event is sponsored by International Climbing School and Mammut and will feature gear demonstrations, evening entertainment, as well as a skills clinic. There will also be a Denali prep course offered at AMC’s Joe Dodge Lodge. For more information, check out the Ice Fest blog.