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The only people possibly more excited about this summer’s Chewonki Wilderness Trips than the trippers themselves are the trip leaders. A gang of them arrived this week to begin preparing and their energy’s rocking the Neck.

Most are equally fanatic about backpacking and paddling, but a few just can’t get enough time on the water. Karen Blakelock, Conor Burke, and Eric Nathanson are a part of this elite category. Something about being on the water holds a special allure for them, and they can’t wait to share that passion with their trippers.

Here’s what they had to say on recent afternoon:

Karen Blakelock

Q. Street cred? 
A. Outdoor Classroom staff ‘17-18;  Maine Coast Kayak trip leader ‘17; Boys Camp staff ‘12-’15. Studied in Tanzania during college. Holder of a Junior Master Lunch Lady certificate awarded by Chewonki Kitchen Manager Bill Edgerton.

Q. What’re you doing at Chewonki this summer?
A. I’m leading Maine Coast Kayak in Session I and working in the Wilderness Trips office in Session II. I’ll also help with Boys Camp wilderness trips.

Q. What have you been up to over the past year?
A. I’ve been a Chewonki Outdoor Classroom instructor, leading students from Maine and other parts of New England on outdoor learning adventures.

Q. How did your love affair with water begin?
A. I started rowing crew at Miss Porter’s School when I was growing up in Connecticut and discovered that I loved being on the water. I rowed in college, too, on the St. Lawrence River. After graduation, I worked on the schooner Roseway for six months as part of the World Ocean School.  

Q. Favorite part of paddling trips?
A. On ocean trips, living with the tides is fascinating. It’s cool to have everyone looking at a nautical chart alongside a tide chart, figuring out the best timing for arrivals and departures, having the kids add that little piece to the puzzle of the ecosystem. And I love getting to swim in the ocean, seeing seals and porpoises and eagles…the islands in Maine are truly a world-class experience.

I really like that the kids learn that they can make it through bad weather and hours of paddling and then feel rewarded at the end of the day. Maybe they’re cold and wet, but when we get to our destination, the first thing we do is set up our tents, change into the clothes at the bottom of their dry bags, and get some food. And suddenly they realize they’re sitting on a beautiful shoreline or island with their group and everything is fine.

Conor Burke

Q. Street Cred?
A. Boys Camp ‘07,’08; Wilderness Trips ‘09,’10,’12; Boys Camp staff ‘13-’16; Outdoor Classroom staff ‘17,’18. Redhead. Can dance a mean Irish jig.

Q. What are you doing at Chewonki this summer?
A. Leading the Gaspe Expedition; whitewater kayaking and backpacking trip for counselors-in-training; and the backpacking training trip.

Q. What have you been up to over the past year?
A. I was an instructor for the Chewonki Outdoor Classroom in fall 2017 and this spring. During the winter,  I worked for Maine Huts and Trails.

Q. How did your love affair with water begin?
A. I grew up in Maryland and my dad and I did a lot of sea kayaking on the Chesapeake Bay. Being on the water was very much part of growing up for me; I always feel a little nostalgia when I’m paddling.

Q. Favorite part of paddling trips?
A. I love both kayaking and canoeing, and they’re really quite different. Coastal trips are almost “front country”–as you travel, you’re often seeing other people, sailboats, fishing boats, waterfront houses–the human life that the ocean supports. Canoeing inland on rivers and lakes makes you feel more removed from society. With that sense of remoteness, you feel very close to the wilderness. Whether you’re in a canoe or a kayak, you are moving yourself through the water,  living close to it–but the ocean and inland waters are different worlds.

Eric Nathanson

Q. Street Cred?
A. Maine Coast Semester 45; Maine Coast Kayak leader ‘16,’17; Outdoor Classroom instructor ‘17-’18. Rowed the Mississippi River from source to sea in 2016.

Q. What are you doing at Chewonki this summer?
A. Leading Maine Coast Kayak and Thoreau-Wabanaki Canoe Trail trips, so I’ll go from Penobscot Bay (the ocean) to the Penobscot River.

Q. What have you been up to over the past year?
A. I was an Outdoor Classroom instructor last fall and this spring. In between, I travelled, did some substitute teaching, and taught and took care of young children at a school in Portland.

Q. How did your love affair with water begin?
A. I grew up in coastal Maine between Scarborough Marsh and Pine Point Beach, and I also spent a lot of time near an inland lake. I was always in, on, and around a wide variety of waters, although I didn’t do any technical paddling until high school. While I was at Maine Coast Semester, I did a lot of canoeing and sea kayaking. I love the connectivity of water, the way it flows from mountains through communities to the sea.

Q. Favorite part of paddling trips?
A. On canoe trips, a lot depends on your communication with the other person in your canoe and building a team with them. Sea kayaking is a little different; it’s more about individual effort, although still within a group context.

As far as teaching goes, you can really pepper things in on a paddling trip. You’re moving at a good pace to weave natural history and human history into the experience.

Greg Shute’s Must-have Items for Wilderness Adventure Trips

Chewonki Vice President Greg Shute is a Maine Guide, lifelong naturalist, and the veteran leader of too many wilderness trips to count. We rely on him to know what to do in any backcountry situation, and he always comes through.

Looking ahead to the summer season at Chewonki and dozen-plus unique wilderness adventures his staff has planned, we asked Shute what items he considers “indispensable” for any expedition into remote territory.

“I have a little waterproof bag,” says Shute. “It goes with me everywhere. It’s got matches; a spare compass; a space blanket; a couple of granola bars; and an emergency windproof lighter.”

The lighter would often languish untouched in the bottom of Shute’s bag for years. Then last month, as he was leading a group of Maine Coast Semester 60 students out of the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument on skis, messy, frigid weather blew in. During a brief break in the skiing, one of his co-leaders found that her ski binding was coated in hard ice, making it impossible to snap on.

Shute reached for his bag of tricks. “A windproof lighter is like a tiny blowtorch,” he says. “It melted the ice right away.”

Shute always carries one other item with him in the wild, something even more precious, for personal reasons, than his bag of tricks: a crooked knife. This versatile tool has been a favorite of Maine’s native people for generations.

Alfred Matoush, a Cree guide who co-led two Mistassini Canoe Trips with Shute in the 1980s, and who was an important influence on him, made the traditional knife for Shute using a file he heated and shaped over their campfire. Matoush, who passed away  in 2004, was wise about weather, wildlife, plants, paddles, canoes–and knives. Shute says his crooked knife allows him to shave dry wood from the inside of trees even after a week of rain, to start a fire on a wet night.

How long does it take to earn your cred as a seasoned outdoor veteran? Shute says every mistake is an education. Two of his own stand out in his memory.

As a junior high school student, Shute and a gang of pals decided to climb Mount Katahdin. They camped overnight outside Baxter State Park and got up early the next day to begin the hike. The only liquid they brought along to drink? A 64-ounce bottle of Pepsi to share. (*Editor’s note: Okay, remember this was the 1970s. And you’ve got to admire Shute’s transparency.) “I got so dehydrated,” Shute chuckles ruefully. “I had terrible cramps all the way down.” Lesson: always carry plenty of water.

But the most common lesson of outdoorsmanship in New England–be prepared for the weather to change–occurred on a beautiful 70-degree May day in New Hampshire. Shute and his wife set forth in T-shirts with their new baby, Kyle, strapped to his mother’s back. After summiting Mount Whiteface, they were starting their descent when dark clouds rolled in and pelted them with sleet. Lesson: always tuck a raincoat into your backpack.

“It didn’t seem to bother Kyle at the time,” says Shute, “but he still likes remind us of it now and then.” Lesson learned.

Learn more about Chewonki’s Wilderness Trips

Chewonki Foundation has announced the start of a new 5-part series of “Animal Adventures,” providing hands-on learning for kids and adults of all ages. The monthly program features live animals, fossils, skeletons and a wide collection of touchable natural history exhibits.

“I’m really excited to be offering some of our wildlife presentations here at Chewonki,” says Emma Balazs, program coordinator for Chewonki’s Traveling Natural History program. “One of my favorite aspects of this job is to see the spark of wonder on someone’s face when they see a Great Horned Owl, touch a Milk Snake or hold Spotted Salamander for the first time. It never gets old!”

The one-hour programs change each month, and are open to the public at the Chewonki campus in Wiscasset Maine.

Animal Adventures Program Schedule:

• Sunday February 18th – “Owls of Maine” 1pm – 2pm
• Sunday March 18th – “Scales & Tails” 1pm – 2pm
• Sunday April 15th – “Animal Adaptations” 1pm – 2pm
• Sunday May 20th – “The Bugmobile” 1pm – 2pm
• Sunday June 17th – “Predators” 1pm – 2pm

“This program is a wonderful introduction to science and nature,” says Cullen McGough, director of communications. “Part of our mission at Chewonki is to teach appreciation and stewardship for the natural world – kids have a natural interest in animals, and I can’t think of a better way to engage that passion than to give them the opportunity to see and feel these amazing creatures up close.”

The Animal Adventures program is held in Chewonki’s Center for Environmental Education, noted for the full size finback whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling.

Individuals interested in attending one of these programs are asked to reserve tickets online.

New Partnership with Maine Huts & Trails Brings Benefits to Both Teams

Chewonki is proud to announce a new partnership with Maine Huts & Trails,  a Maine-based nonprofit with four backcountry lodges connected by an 80-mile trail network suitable for hiking, snowshoeing or skiing in Maine’s Western Mountains region. 

Four of our Outdoor Classroom instructors, including Jen Adams, Conor Burke, Emmy Held, and Hannah Marshall will be joining the MH&T staff through the winter months, providing nature-based lessons to hut visitors and participate in trail maintenance, food preparation, and generally keeping skiers and snowshoers happy in three of the huts, which are modeled after Europe’s alpine trail huts but enhanced with creature comforts and state-of-the art, off-the-grid architectural design.

Each member of the Outdoor Classroom crew chose a topic that particularly interests them, developed a lesson around it, and then practiced with Jessica Woodend and other Traveling Natural History Program staff. “They did great!” says Woodend, “They got really excited.” Hannah Marshall’s presentation focuses on snow science. As a Nordic ski-racing stand-out, she has a lifelong passion for snowflakes and speed. Connor Burke, who will work in the Flagstaff Lake hut, developed a presentation about the lake’s history, including the environmental and social impacts of creating it in 1949 by damming the Dead River. Jen Adams, a Registered Maine Guide, created a lesson about the first female Maine Guide, Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby, and the evolution of women’s presence in the guides’ ranks. And Emmy Held, who has extensive tracking experience, designed a presentation about how to detect animals and their activities in the wild.

Keith Crowley, Chewonki’s director of educational partnerships, and  Johnson Whippie, the Outdoor Classroom field coordinator, are unabashedly thrilled by the new collaboration with Maine Huts & Trails. Crowley had for years tried to solve the riddle of how to keep great Outdoor Classroom staff when Chewonki needs them only in spring, summer, and fall. He proposed the partnership last winter and was was delighted when the Maine Huts & Trails representatives “didn’t laugh us out of the room,” he says. In fact, adding more know-how to its staff will help the relatively young organization meet its educational goals.

For these four Outdoor Classroom staff members, the wintertime jobs mean “sustainable, full-time employment…with a phenomenal partner organization,” says Whippie. They will return to Chewonki in the spring for the next Outdoor Classroom season with more professional experience to draw from as they start the new season. It seems like a match made in heaven.

We encourage you to visit the Maine Huts & Trails website to learn about all the cool things you can do in the Western Mountains this winter. When you get out there, give Hannah, Emmy, Conor, and Jen a big hello from Chewonki!

Can You Feel Your Fingers?

Our friends from Maine Huts & Trails have some excellent advice about staying warm while engaging in winter sports:

Dressing for cold temperatures may seem a bit intimidating, but fear not adventurers, with a little preparation, you can make your trip enjoyable (and warm).

The key to keeping warm on the trails is movement and staying as dry as possible. Whatever clothing you choose, layering helps regulate body temperatures and keeps clothing dry. When choosing your base (core) layer, think thin and lightweight (wool/poly). Your next layer could be a lightweight fleece/poly shirt or jacket. Next, add a lightweight vest or jacket. Top everything off with a waterproof or water/wind resistant layer. This system makes it easy to peel and adjust layers as you go.

When getting ready to make your way to the hut, you may feel a bit chilled at the trailhead. Resist starting out wearing too many layers. Start out cold. Once you begin snowshoeing, skiing or biking, your bodies engine will heat you up quick. If you begin to sweat too much, then it is time to peel off another layer. Layering also applies to your hands, face, and feet. Keeping you and your layers as dry as possible is always a top priority.

If adventuring in the cold is new for you, taking time to practice your layering system is valuable. Everyone tolerates temperatures differently. For instance, women tend to have colder fingers and toes. Figuring out what works ahead of time to keep your digits toasty can make all the difference.

Other key ingredients when temps dip low:

Hand or Toe Warmers: These single-use packs activate when exposed to air. They slip into your gloves or boots and last for hours. (gear nerd alert – here is a great article on how these little guys work)

Extra clothes: Having a backup base-layer or mid-layer can help if you get too sweaty. Changing into dry clothes can mean the difference between staying comfortable in the elements or becoming hypothermic.

Cover your face: Face masks, Balaklava or a scarf. If the wind is blowing hard, covering all exposed skin is important. Frost-nip or frostbite can happen when skin is exposed to cold wind. Luckily, an easy remedy is making sure skin stays covered.

Water: Staying hydrated keeps your body warmer – promise. Water freezes, but gear companies have thought of everything. Insulated water bottle holders or Insulated water bladders & hoses will help to keep water from freezing. A cool tip- keep your water bottle turned upside down. This helps keep the cap from freezing so it can still open to take a sip.

Huts are heated: Warm wood stoves, radiant floor heat, gear drying rooms and hot chocolate. Once you arrive at the hut, you are able to quickly warm up and reflect on what you have accomplished.

Enjoy the winter & we will see you on the trails.

For more information on what items you will need at the huts, be sure to check the packing list.

If you live anywhere on the east coast of the United States, you’ve probably noticed a wee bit of weather outside today… 

We’re experiencing a “rapidly deepening extratropical cyclonic low-pressure area,” also referred to as “Nor’easter” by folks up here in Maine. 

Ace reporter (and Chewonki Vice President) Greg Shute is on the scene to tell us more:

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

Today’s storm is only the latest event in a string of tough winter days. 

Mainers have spent the past week in a deep freeze, watching the sluggish thermometer ooze between 10℉ and -10℉ and celebrating the turn of the year with cold toes, hot woodstoves, and skiing and snowshoeing under a full moon. Chewonki’s waterfront would be a great place to play arctic explorer right now. The tide’s ebb and flow under the ice has pushed chunks of it into weird piles that look like the remains of a fancy dessert.

Animals are using a variety of strategies for dealing with the extreme cold. Assistant Farm Manager Hilary Crowell says the young pigs “snuggle and squeak,” using their natural comradery to stay cozy, although the farmers have to thaw their water spigot each day with an electric hair dryer. The barn doors stay closed, although workhorse Sal spends part of every day outside. “She’s pretty hearty and likes to move around,” says Crowell, but she gets an extra snack to help her keep warm.

How about Chewonki Neck’s wild animals? Tracks in the snow show that some small critters shelter under cabins. Elderly or otherwise vulnerable Traveling Natural History Program birds move into a garage near the aviary. For example, Byron, the barred owl, is 25+ years old and missing a wing, which leaves one side of her body unnaturally exposed. When the temperature dips to zero, staff bring her inside. “She gets a little restless,” says educator Matt Weeks, noting that some humans have the same reaction to a cold spell and the best antidote is to get moving outside.

The stunning cold has brought uncommon beauty as well as challenges. Sunny  days and starry nights have had crystalline clarity. The chill, however, is another reminder of how fragile we human beings, lacking fur and feathers, are when facing nature’s force.

Yesterday brought an intermission: the temperature climbed to 25℉ ahead of today’s blizzard. Sub-zero temperatures return tomorrow. Happy New Year!

As we count down to the last day of the year, here’s 12 of our favorite memories from 2017:

Did you have an amazing Chewonki moment we missed? Let us know! Email alumni@chewonki.org or visit our Facebook page. We might include your tale in next year’s Chronicle!

Would you be able to respond to a medical emergency without access to a hospital or ambulance —be it on a remote wilderness trip, backcountry skiing, a city in crisis, or in an airplane?

Wilderness medicine training enables individuals to deal with medical emergencies when dialing 911 is not an option. Traditional training assumes that an ambulance will arrive on scene very quickly, with highly trained personnel and their equipment. But in the wilderness, your own actions may be the only medical care the patient receives for several hours or longer. Knowing what to do, and how to improvise with the items you have at hand is critical.

Chewonki, located in Wiscasset, is sponsoring a Wilderness Advanced First Aid Course January 3-6 and a Wilderness First Responder Bridge Course January 7-10. Students may enroll in both courses to become certified as a Wilderness First Responder. 

Wilderness Medical Associates® is the leader in medical training for outdoor educators, guides, SAR team members, and others who work or play in remote areas. The curriculum is comprehensive and practical, including all of the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical problems in isolated and extreme environments.
 
Graduates will receive WAFA or WFR certification by Wilderness Medical Associates®, valid for three years, as well as Basic Life Support/ CPR and anaphylaxis certification.
 
Professional instructors from Wilderness Medical Associates®, the leader in wilderness and rescue medical training, will address these issues and more.  The instructors are practicing medical professionals with substantial backcountry resumes.
 
Classes are fast-paced with an emphasis on practical skills. Mornings are devoted to lectures while afternoons are spent outside doing hands-on learning exercises. Realistic simulations, complete with fake wounds and stage blood, will be conducted. All simulations will be video taped and debriefed for enhanced learning.

Graduates from this course will have the knowledge and skills to understand what to do in a medical emergency and the confidence to do it.

Each  course costs  $430 and includes all course materials, room and board is also availble for an additional cost.  For more information or to register for this course please contact: Greg Shute, Vice President at Chewonki Foundation (207) 882-7323 and trips@chewonki.org.
 
Call toll-free, 888/WILDMED or log on to www.wildmed.com for detailed course description and information about wilderness medicine.