Another Canoe the Wild 5 day canoe trip, this one for the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation YOTA, Youth On The Allagash program. The outing involved paddling over 40 miles, setting up and taking down camp, hearing from a park ranger about his seasonal job, exploring the logging museum at Churchill Dam, reading from the AWWF Explorer booklet, learning to be good stewards of the environment, taking on leadership roles, meal preparation, cooking over an open fire, canoe poling, whitewater canoeing, Students also learned about career opportunities as a Maine guide and had fun with a moose calling contest! and more. See our schedule here
Canoe the Wild
Moose and Wildlife Photography Outing, June 24-28, 2024
We recently returned from a 5 day and 4 night wildlife photography outing in the North Maine Woods at a remote lake known for excellent moose sightings. We spotted over 20 moose and the area was teaming with birds and other wildlife. We used Old Town Canoe solo Loon Angler 126 kayaks and paddled in small groups both early morning and late afternoon into the evenings. Several Large bull moose were photographed up close but I was no able to get those shots. Accommodations include staying in one of the 2 cabins or tenting out. Physical requirements involve getting in and out of a kayak and paddling your kayak around the small lake up to 1.5 miles and back. This outing is scheduled for June of 2025
Allagash Canoe Trip, June 16-20 with the East Grand School
Ten students from the East Grand school took part in their first Allagash canoe trip with funding provided by the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative Grant.
AWWF Youth on the Allagash Program, May 28- June 1, 2024
The first of two trips this season with the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation Youth on the Allagash Program. provided free of charge for St John River Valley students. Five days and four nights. Students interviewed park rangers, learned how to handle a canoe in whitewater, explored the artifacts of the logging history, took part in camp chores including starting a fire with a spark, fire wood gathering, cooking, dishes, baking over an open fire and took on leadership roles. Students learned to leave the campsite better then they found it. We’ll be doing a 2nd trip in July.
St Croix River Day Trip with East Grand School, May 17, 2024
Day trip on the St Croix River with 8th graders from East Grand School, 4 outdoor education high school student leaders, teachers and adult volunteers. The trip was made possible by the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant. The outing also included a visit to an off grid home in Vanceboro were students learned about how to live off grid including raised beds gardening, capturing water for domestic and use in gardens, the process of making organic soil and a peak at an in progress, in ground green house for growing vegetables year around. We do have room on 3 day and 2 night trips on the St Croix River this summer. See our summer schedule here
St John River, One of Maine’s Best Canoe Trips
Here is a trip that has a small window of opportunity to paddle, typically early to late May (sometimes earlier) then the water is gone. One of Maine’s finest remote canoe trips, our trip begins at the outlet of Baker Lake. Later in the trip, we’ll take on Big Black Rapids (class III) and on the last day Big Rapids (class III). No previous experience is required just good camping skills and being teachable on how to handle a canoe in moving water. We’ll be sure to help those that need it, brush up on canoeing skills and commands on the calmer parts of the trip to get you ready for these rapids. The trip from Baker Lake to the Town of Dickey is 105 miles and can be done in six days. Pictures of our 2021 trip
For more information and to sign up online for this trip. See our 2024 Schedule.
We’ll be sure to stop and visit the old Steam Shovel (BELOW) at 9 Mile. The steam shovel was instrumental in building Churchill Dam and the road into the Allagash Region from Quebec. It was over this road, then across frozen Churchill and Eagle Lakes, trains (in parts) and rails were hauled in along with supplies to erect a working village on the shores of Eagle Lake to build the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad for the purpose of moving logs from the Allagash watershed to the West Branch of the Penobscot River watershed to feed the hungry mills in Millinocket.