Outdoors

Published
December 23, 2012

Hidden Valley in Jefferson for all to see

A veritable outdoor museum largely run by volunteers shows that Maine's woods are also lovely, dark and deep – and more.
Published
December 22, 2012

Best Bets

THURSDAY Winter Celebration / 10 a.m. to noon in Jefferson Hidden Valley Nature Center is hosting a snowshoe and cross-country ski clinic. Bring your own equipment or call ahead to use HVNC’s snowshoes. That same evening from 4 to 6 p.m., there will be a guided snowshoe or hiking tour of some of the trails. […]
Published
December 22, 2012

Birding: Bird lovers, count yourselves into the annual Christmas census

Around the turn of the 20th century, a popular activity in New England towns on Christmas Day was the “side hunt.” The men of the town would divide up into two sides and then comb the countryside and shore, shooting every bird (and mammal as well) they could. At the end of the day, each […]
Published
December 22, 2012

Allen Afield: For good measure, be precise when weighing game

Back in my early 20s, Maine’s official state-record brook trout allegedly came from Pierce Pond — an 8-pound, 5-ounce brookie. That weight gave me plenty of pause for thought in life, though, and here’s why. Around the time of the Civil War, an angler visiting the Rangeley region caught a 12-pound brook trout and traced […]
Published
December 22, 2012

Hunting: Want to try a guided hunt? Do your homework

Another hunting season is over, at least for big game, but you’re already looking forward to the next one. And you’ve made up your mind, this is the year you’re finally going on that out-of-state guided hunt. It could represent a significant financial investment and you want to make sure that money is well spent. […]

Published
December 22, 2012

Skiing in Maine: At 91, Benoit will still take a powder

On Oct. 26, at Lost Valley Ski Resort in Auburn, eight amazing skiers and visionaries were inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame at its 10th annual induction ceremonies. In the 2012 class were two whose contributions were in the early days of lift and ski area development, two long-time and notable instructors, a […]
Published
December 22, 2012

North Cairn: As a storm gives way to sunrise

All through the days and days of storms of one sort or another, the winds murmured and the trees uttered their various languages and fleeting moods. The clamor — if silence can be said to have something audible to say — started with the barely distinguishable sound of snowfall, a sound like the surf under […]
Published
December 15, 2012

Family friendly hikes

Youth programs are a priority for the coastal group, and kids can take their parents on this one.
Published
December 15, 2012

Carey Kish: Note to day hikers: Take it up a notch with an overnight

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to spend more time outside exploring Maine’s winter wilds, well, I’ve got a few suggestions for you. Day hikes are fine, but how about extending your snowy trekking into an overnight, a weekend, or even a week-long adventure? Options abound, so take your pick, make some plans, […]
Published
December 15, 2012

North Cairn: Rays of light, phragmites, then bliss

An exquisite moment of peace struck me at an odd hour, in a strange place, overrun with invasives. I was embarked on a routine household task, retrieving laundry from the basement and climbing back up the steep bulk-head stairs, preoccupied mostly with the effort of not pitching backward down into the cellar. My head and […]

Sign In:

Outdoors