We’ve added a new weeklong program coming in August with a focus on becoming more resilient in a changing world. The focus of the week is to pass along the systems and skills we’ve developed over the past 21 years that deal with living without infrastructure, as well as to spend a few hours of [...]

For episode 83 I was joined by Christopher Russell for a discussion of upcoming programs, changes to the way students can receive college credit for their time with us, and how short shorts are making a comeback. PHOTO: Pack and axe hanging in an axe. Kid-Friendly? Yes, no profanity. Links: Jack Mountain credit through UMPI [...]

Our alumni are awesome. The latest public example of this will be airing on the Discovery Channel this Sunday. Ryan Holt, who often goes by his Appalachian Trail thru-hiker nickname Yukon (pictured above) will be on Naked & Afraid for the fourth time, where he’ll be spending 21 days alone, naked, but not afraid in [...]

For episode 82 of the podcast I spoke with Ron Waline. Ron runs the Wilderness And Wellness Podcast and the Coyote’s Path website. We have a rambling discussion about education, the importance of experience, and how life is busy. Ron will be releasing this episode on his podcast as well. If you’re interested in the [...]

With the launch of our online network and moving some of our courses online, we’ve had to rethink what the pieces of the curriculum puzzle are and how they fit together. Step one was designing a course catalog framework to put our programs into. Step two was redesigning our curriculum and website so that it [...]

One of my winter projects this year is to study for my tidewater fishing guide license. Currently, I am a registered Master Maine Guide licensed in the hunting, fishing, recreation and sea kayak categories. Each category has its own corresponding exam, and the master status is awarded after 10 years, with a minimum number of [...]

If you’re interested in wilderness canoe trips, traditional gear, remote travel, and spending a weekend around others who share your interests, you should attend the Wilderness Paddlers Gathering in Fairlee, Vermont. The 28th annual gathering is happing March 13-15. There are formal presentations and workshops, as well as a lot of informal discussions of trips, [...]

Episode 81, the legend of the Iron Spoon. A true story about the legendary heros of the Iron Spoon challenge and how they helped a country get its mojo back. The Quick Stop 2 in Ashland, Maine, has some big ice creams. So large that people on Jack Mountain courses have made it a contest [...]

Episode 80 is an interview I did with a student at the end of the fall semester as part of her independent study for college credit. The audio levels are low so you’ll have to turn it up, but I think we covered some interesting topics that make it worthwhile. We discuss the origin of [...]

We’re going to start our weather observation and prediction course on BushcraftSchool.com soon. It will be our first course there, with many more to come. Here’s what you’ll need: A copy of Eric Sloane’s Weather Book. It’s a required text for our semester courses. A barometer of some sort. We recommend a watch with a barometer [...]

Video of JMB Podcast episode 79. Audio is the same as the podcast, but I decided to turn on the video camera just for fun.

In episode 79, we celebrate our friend and mentor Mors Kochanski who recently passed away. We also get caught up with current events then talk about how our business plan is with a niche audience, not a mass audience. We’re looking to make a deep connection with a handful of people, not a superficial connection [...]

This has been a tough winter for scheduling and planning. With our family’s impending move, family commitments, parental responsibilities, etc., monkey wrenches keep being thrown into my efforts at scheduling. But while we can’t control what happens to us in this life, we can control how we respond. I’m responding by offering a variety of [...]