Appalachian Mountain Club – Maine Chapter

This year’s Maine Chapter AMC Annual Meeting will be held Friday, October 2nd to Sunday, October 4th at Camp Kawanhee in Weld, Maine. Camp Kawanhee is on Webb Lake and is very close to Tumbledown Mountain and Mt. Blue State Park, where many of the weekend activities will take place. Continue Reading »

Looking for a short hike close to home? Freeport may be known for being a shopping destination, but there are plenty of opportunities for an outdoor adventure away from the bustling downtown area. There is a substantial system of hiking trails at several locations in Freeport that are convenient, relatively easy, and appropriate for families and pets.

The Freeport Conservation Trust works to preserve the town’s rural character by creating and maintaining public access to preservation lands in the Freeport area. This recent article in the Portland Press Herald discusses the holdings of the FCT including listing several of the available trail systems.

Hikers interested in becoming backpackers won’t want to miss the Introduction to Backpacking workshop on Monday, June 8, 2009. This workshop is designed for beginner and experienced hikers ready to move into overnights on the trail or backpackers looking for new ideas. The event will be held from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the South Portland Library 482 Broadway South Portland.

For more information, contact Wayne Newton, hike...@myfairpoint.net, 207-897-3072, or Lew Dow, lws...@yahoo.com, 207-890-8512.

The Appalachian Mountain Club has developed a ski touring experience that travels “lodge to lodge” through Maine’s famed 100-Mile Wilderness. This trip takes skiers to three lodges (Medawisla Wilderness Lodge, West Branch Pond Camps, and Little Lyford Pond Camps) and includes all meals, lodging and gear shuttling between the lodges. The trip is feasible for skiers of any experience level and offers a terrific winter adventure right here in Maine.

Outdoor writer and enthusiast Carey Kish writes of his first-hand experience with the lodge-to-lodge trek, including the route, weather, gear, and, the food and drink (always a priority with Carey!).

Be sure to join us on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 as Jesse Cottingham gives a presentation on his Vermont Semester with Kroka Expeditions. Jesse spent six months living outside with 9 other teens and learning to live in nature by making the things they needed to get by. This event is a potluck presentation with a potluck dinner at 6 pm and the presentation at 7 pm.

For more information, please click here to download a pdf flyer; KROKA for this event.

Come join the AMC Maine Chapter on Monday, June 8, 2009 for an Introduction to Backpacking workshop. Learn what you need for safe overnight travel for one night to six months on the trail.backpacks,food,stoves,water purification,clothes,trip planning,and a variety of outdoor hints.This workshop is designed for beginner and experienced hikers ready to move into overnights on the trail or backpackers looking for new ideas. The event will be held from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the South Portland Library 482 Broadway South Portland. Parking is available off Highland Ave.

For more information, contact Wayne Newton, hike...@myfairpoint.net, 207-897-3072, or Lew Dow, lws...@yahoo.com, 207-890-8512.

Imagine… 300 hundred miles of snow covered mountains and evergreen forests ahead of you, a backpack on your back, skis on your feet, and a winter to experience traditional wilderness living. As the snow melts, you switch to a hand crafted canoe, paddling downriver, sleeping on the bank each night. Six months, six hundred miles by ski and canoe, and an experience of living in nature that changes your life forever. From January through June 2008, Jesse Logan Cottingham was a student on the Vermont Semester with Kroka Expeditions. Along with nine other high school students, he lived outside for six months, hand crafting tools and equipment, and following the footsteps of travelers from a time gone by. Come join us on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 as Jesse shares his perspective on what it means to have an impact on this earth and what it is like to be a young person striving to live closer to the land in this time of technology.

The event will be in the Morrell Room of the Curtis Memorial Library at 23 Pleasant Street in Brunswick; parking is available on the street and off Union Street. A potluck dinner will be held at 6 p.m. and the presentation will begin 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 here to download a pdf flyer; KROKA for this event.

Out of all the outdoor pursuits in Maine, paddling is an example of an activity where’s there’s no such thing as a “simple” or “easy” day on the water. The inherent hazards of the ocean, rivers, and other waterways demand that a paddler take along all of the right gear, all the time, as the unlikely can occur anywhere and any time.

Here’s a good gear list for paddling day trips prepared by staff writer Dierdre Fleming of the Portland Press Herald.

A reminder that the April 2009 potluck event will include a presentation by AMC Maine Chapter leader Spencer Meyer on winter hiking in Baxter State Park. Please join us on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in Hampden, ME for this special event intended to be of interest to all members. This event is free and open to the public

Please click Baxter Winter to download a pdf flyer for this event.

A proper gear list for a difficult day trip or an extended expedition can be an important part of its success, fun, and/or comfort level. On a day-to-day basis, however, It’s far more likely that you’ll participate in a more casual outdoor activity with little or no planning that could also benefit from short and basic collection of gear. A general gear pack that’s ready and handy for spontaneous adventures would be a good idea for any outdoor enthusiast.

Staff writer Dierdre Fleming put together a well thought-out list for a general gear pack in a recent article in the Portland Press Herald that would very useful to keep handy in the car, boat, or by the door on a daily basis.