This past week saw several interesting developments for me as my sphere of influence has seemingly broadened. Yes, the tv show for which I’m part of the cast debuted it’s second season. It’s called Dude You’re Screwed and I’ll be in an episode on Christmas eve. More on that later. This isn’t about that. For [...]

Guide Shack At Sunset

I was a boy when I received my first pair of snowshoes, a wood-framed, rawhide-laced (the rawhide was traditionally made from moose hide and known as babiche, pronounced “bab-eesh”) pair made in Maine that took me on countless boyhood journeys through the winter woods. Since then, I’ve snowshoed all over Maine, New Hampshire, New Brunswick, [...]

Empty parking lot: our 28th long-term immersion program is officially completed.

Pounding A Huge Piece Of Ash  

Morning on the Aroostook River. Prettiest river in Maine.  

Basketry final project, various styles.  

First snow flurries of the year this morning. Beautiful cool afternoon.  

Flint and steel fire lighting today. Last week of the semester.  

Smoking hides to finish the braintanning process.  

Calling in the mother ship? Too much time in the woods? Both?  

Roast hog, dutch oven cakes, sourdough bread: living like kings!  

Roasting a pig in camp today. Going to be an epic supper.  

Morning project: finishing a pack basket mold.  

Finished hand axe from a leaf spring. No forge used, heated in rocket stove.  

On the Moose Throne, wielding the Sceptre Of Power, meteing out wisdom.  

Putting a rim on a newly made pack basket.  

Lucky the wonder dog taking a break from her busy camp schedule to nap in the sun.  

Making a simple axe head with the big rocket stove as a heat source. Forge is still drying out.  

Lynx near camp just now. Grainy photo because its cropped and zoomed in.  

Hard frost overnight. Everything is coated in ice this AM; my daughter would say it looks like fairyland.  

Sanding a new canoe paddle made with simple hand tools.  

Pulling hides this Saturday morning. Making braintan for mukluks.  

Still eating greens but getting the rest of the garden ready for winter.  

Pounding brown ash for baskets this morning. Not an intellectual exercise.  

Pack baskets progressing nicely. Hides in the background also coming along.  

New handmade axe sheath with adjustable cord lock tensioner. Innovation in the field.  

Scraping deer hides to start the braintanning process.  

Chicken breast grilled directly on the coals. A great way to cook meat using no implements. Great campfire lunch.  

Grilled chicken in a raquette on the fire.  

Pin cherry homemade wine. Sampling a bit of the recent vintage. Fantastic.  

Rebuilding the field school forge: packing clay mix around tuyere.  

Weaving half-round baskets out of willow, red osier dogwood and spruce roots.  

Harvesting wild apples today. A fruit picker is an amazing piece of kit for getting the high ones.  

Check out our group winter shelter complete with vestibule, raised bed and wood stove, and learn the four things that every shelter needs to accomplish. Group Dome Shelter Fall 2014

People are coming back from solos. Just heard from one guy who had a hugely positive experience.  

Looking east toward New Brunswick from the field school on a beautiful fall afternoon.  

Wall tents in late afternoon sunlight.  

Carving A Pack Basket Mold  

Instructors hanging out. Everyone out on solos, quiet camp, beautiful fall day.  

Artisan sourdough bread, reflector oven style.  

Smoke house security guard, keeping the meat safe.  

The Fat Of The Land. Ruffed grouse and wild apples.  

Snow Walkers' Rendezvous – new web site and registration form. Registration is open. Snow Walkers’ Rendezvous 2014 | Wilderness Canoe Symposium 2014 Snow Walkers’ Rendezvous November 7-9, 2014, Hulbert Outdoor Center, Fairlee, Vermont, USA. 1995 found a group of Traditional Northern Winter Travelers gathering at the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vermont. Their idea was [...]

Opening day of ruffed grouse season. First bird of the year.