The Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast

Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast Image

On Bushcraft, Guiding, Leadership & The Woods Life.
With Tim Smith, M.Ed., Registered Master Maine Guide.

 
Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn and many other services.


 

lining canoes on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester

Recorded on November 20, 2023. We just wrapped up the field school season, and in this episode I look back and reflect on the experiments we ran during 2023. I discuss the Expedition Instructor (XI) as a continuous 6-month, residential program, moving the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester back to May and the high waters of [...]

Open Fire Cooking

Recorded on June 3rd, 2023 at the headquarters of Full Tang Outfitters in Tracy, New Brunswick, Canada. Tim and returning guest Blake Towsley discuss scheming for winter trips, dishonesty in marketing knives from people who have been on the tv show “Solo, By Myself, Without Clothes”, and the currently trending topic of Wild Pooping, or [...]

Canoeing in the North Maine Woods

Recorded on May 25th, 2023 in the Guide Shack, with an outside temperature of 43 degrees F, Tessa and Tim talk about the spring, 2023 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester and making hard decisions. It has been a long month and we were both tired while recording this, and we’re still looking forward to the weather [...]

photo of the Aroostook River Guide Grill Basket

We’re back on the grid for two days in the middle of the spring, 2023 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester. In this episode we discuss our recent canoe expedition and the challenges we have been facing on the course. We also discuss not believing the hype about rankings and which school or outfit belongs on the [...]

Otter in the pond

Spring finally showed up at the field school at the end of week 1 of the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester. We had a day of sun and made it our first day on the water. On this episode of the podcast, we discuss the arrival of spring and the skills necessary to get our people [...]

Tessa and Tim in the Guide Shack, recording this podcast.

It’s been a long break, but we’re back. Introducing instructor Tessa Storey and recorded in the Guide Shack, we discuss current events, our upcoming programs and the best beer of 2022. Here are two photos of that beer on the East Branch of the Penobscot that we talked about on the podcast. PHOTOS:Tessa and Tim [...]

Matthew Rhode just successfully completed the Journeyman Certification on the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We welcomed him into the studio to discuss the course, his approach to time management, the usefulness of a table, and how to be successful on our program. PHOTO: Early morning during solos, looking east. Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 110 [...]

We’re nearing the end of the fall, 2021 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We just finished a 48 hour primitive living experience and are headed out on solos tomorrow. In this episode of the JMB Podcast we discuss these experiences, as for listener input on the next step for our online network at BushcraftSchool.com and ask for [...]

Otter in the pond

We’re back after a long hiatus to talk about resiliency, the need to balance stress with recovery, sleeping out in the cold with no sleeping bag in front of a fire, and the need to prepare your hands for a robust outdoor life. We just finished week 6 (of 9) on the fall Wilderness Bushcraft [...]

End of the spring semester. Back from our final trip, the spring 2021 Wilderness Guide Training Semester is finished. In this episode of the podcast Christopher and I discuss two aspects of coaching people and how they differ. First is nurturing them to build their confidence, and second is focusing on accountability and what needs [...]

The fourth and final installment in our multi-episode reading of On The Trail; Selected Canoe And Snowshoe Trip Journals. This time I read the journal of a 2001 trip on the wilderness waterway through Everglades National Park in Florida. You can download a free copy of On The Trail from the downloads section of BushcraftSchool.com. [...]

“Fly fishing is beautifully regional.” – Paul Sveum Christoper and I welcomed our old friend and Registered Master Maine Guide Paul Sveum into the studio to discuss spring fly fishing in northern Maine. We discuss flies, fly fishing, temperatures that trout like, and a wide variety of other topics. Paul is teaching our Introduction To [...]

The four main jobs of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School semester instructor are teacher, guide, mentor and coach. Christopher and I discuss this, and how the relationship changes and grows during a long course, in this episode of the podcast. You’ll also hear about the new bird neighbors who have built their nest in a [...]

The second installment in our multi-episode reading of On The Trail; Selected Canoe And Snowshoe Trip Journals. This time I read the journals from a 1999 Allagash Wilderness Waterway canoe trip and a 2001 St. John River canoe trip, both in Maine. I’ve run a lot of trips on these rivers in the 20+ years [...]

Recorded at the beginning of week 2 of the spring 2021 semester, we discuss the value of a tangible approach to education as contrasted with an abstract approach. Also we discuss a variety of current events and the genuine surprise felt at making it to 100 episodes. PHOTO: Building a hoop house shelter. Show Notes: [...]

Welcome back to the JMB Podcast. After a winter break, we’re back at the field school and beginning the spring 2021 Wilderness Guide Training semester today. For episode 99, we discuss what we did over the winter, which includes catching Covid 19, working to get healthy, working with birds at a museum, and a few [...]

It’s near the end of the fall semester, so we invited some of the current Wilderness Bushcraft Semester students into the Guide Shack so you could hear directly from them about their thoughts about the course. Listen in as they describe their experience and answer a few questions about it. PHOTO: Spring semester students at [...]

Minimalism in the wild. In episode 95 of the JMB Podcast Christopher and I discuss the idea of minimalism as compared and contrasted with ultralight in the backcountry. We often discuss our traditional approach to camping, characterized by heavy gear and lots of it. But we also enjoy going light with improvised gear. Going light [...]

In episode 94 of the JMB Podcast Christopher and I discuss the concept of transference; where lessons learned in one space are applied in a different space, in a different way. Sometimes called lateral thinking, it’s about developing deep knowledge. It’s also about developing deep knowledge of problems to be solved. PHOTO: Frost on the [...]

We welcomed Ryan Holt into the studio for episode 92. Ryan is a Jack Mountain Bushcraft School alum and has completed 4 challenges on the television show Naked & Afraid. He is the owner of the Human-Nature Hostel in Roxbury, Maine. We talk about his time on tv, his work running a hostel for Appalachian [...]

Recorded on September 8th at the new Jack Mountain Bushcraft School hq studio, episode 90 features Tim Smith and Colin Clifford talking about Colin’s recent 10-day Allagash solo canoe trip. PHOTO: Tim Cole coming into Round Pond on the Allagash from a few years back. Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 91 | 10-Day Allagash Solo [...]

Recorded on July 2nd by a very tired Tim Smith and Christopher Russell, episode 90 is about the challenges faced in participating in, as well as running, our semester courses. It was hot and buggy and we were tired from a long semester, but we talked about events that were current and prognosticated on some [...]

In episode 89 Christopher and I discuss the philosophy of friluftsliv, a traditional Scandinavian approach to the natural world. Loosely translated, it means “open air life”. It’s different than how most people see nature in the USA, and is the basis for the part-time, yearlong immersion program we’re currently developing, to be run in southern [...]

In episode 87 we discuss the new part-time, yearlong immersion program we’re currently developing, to be run in southern Vermont. We also catch up with current events at the field school. PHOTO: Turtle on the Aroostook River. Kid-Friendly? Kid-friendly, no profanity. Links: The Friluftsliv Forest Program JMBS Master Calendar   iTunes Link | Play, Download [...]

In episode 86 of the JMB podcast Christopher and I discuss the effect the coronavirus has had on each of our lives, I rant about national canoe certifications and how they’re meaningless to me after getting burned by them a few times, I explain how we’re creating our own standalone canoe certifications, and then we [...]

Back from a long hiatus, for episode 85 Christopher and I discuss his new project: The School Of The Forest Podcast. He’s interviewing people who are not directly in the bushcraft business, but their work can help us learn more about our world. Want to learn more? Listen to the episode. PHOTO: SOTF Podcast Page. [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Feet Up

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 [...]

In a world that values comfort, embracing challenge and doing hard things is rare. In this episode of the podcast we discuss the challenges inherent in the spring, 2020 Wilderness Guide Training Semester. We also discuss current events and upcoming programs. PHOTO: Loading canoes at a remote camp on the fall, 2019 semester. Kid-Friendly? There [...]

Tracking mammals is the topic for episode 76 of the JMB Podcast. We discuss how we approach teaching tracking, the three types of tracking (clear print, pattern, sign), the three tasks of the tracker (locate, identify, interpret), and why jumping to conclusions is bad, but jumping to exclusions is good. Also covered is why bother [...]

Episode 75 starts with a government conspiracy (to us, anyway) regarding whether the whoopie pie is the official state dessert or just the state treat of Maine, then we discuss how a hornet’s nest has stopped us from being able to print anything at the field school for a few days. Next we discuss the [...]

pots on the fire

There are three jobs that go with running a school: presenting information, having students do something useful with that information, and assessing the student to see where they are on the continuum of experience. However, most outdoor schools are simply venues for information to be presented. Information is not the same as education. In fact, [...]

crossing headwater lakes in a canoe

Episode 73 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft podcast was recorded in the Guide Shack on Saturday, July 27th immediately following the Riverman canoe expedition skills course. I was joined by Brian Manning, Darrin Baird and Blake Towsley, and we discussed the course, learning traditional canoe skills and why they matter in the modern world. PHOTO: [...]

Very few people who play sports will become professional athletes. But in addition to the obvious physical benefits of playing sports, we learn other things that are applicable and valuable off the field. It’s the same with bushcraft and survival training. As this field continues to grow exponentially, it’s important to remember that not everyone [...]

Christopher in his EM White canoe.

Episode 65 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast, recorded on Halfway Day on the spring, 2019 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course. We catch up with the students and get some of their insights, discuss Christopher’s love affair with his new (to him) canoe, and talk about possibly differentiating the spring and fall semesters in 2020, with [...]

Episode 64 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is about how all outdoor knowledge is local knowledge, and how the idea of a global expert is a myth. For the episode I was joined by old friend and frequent podcast guest Blake Towsley. PHOTO: Allagash falls from the canoe, taken summer 2018. Kid-Friendly? Profanity In [...]

Episode 62 is about how to know a place. Part of what we teach on our immersion programs is how to be at home in the forest. This includes both academic and experiential components, which we discuss. We also talk about the Masardis glacier and give an update about our articulation agreement with the University [...]

In episode 60 Christopher and I get caught up with current events, talk about carving canoe paddles and discuss the winter and how the snow is still hanging around. PHOTO: Shot from a fire tower in the North Maine Woods. Links: JMBS Calendar. iTunes Link | Play, Download Or Subscribe In iTunes Stitcher Link | [...]

Scott Oeth is the owner of Bull Moose Patrol, a Registered Maine Guide, a Jack Mountain Bushcraft School alumnus, a featured speaker at Canoecopia and the Outdoor Adventure Expo and a father of 3. Raised in Madison, Wisconsin and active in scouts, Scott lives with his family in the twin cities of Minnesota. In episode [...]

Jeff Hatch is the owner of Raven Wilderness School in western Massachusetts, an ambassador for Fjallraven, has more instagram followers than we can count, and is an all-around great guy. Ed Butler and I sat down with Jeff on a breezy day to discuss his school, the role of social media in promoting small business, [...]

Donovan Burgess is the founder of Liquid Sessions Surf, a surfing school and full-service travel company in Pavones, Costa Rica, as well as a Jack Mountain Yearlong Immersion Program alumnus. Through Liquid Sessions Surf, Donovan offers a variety of learn to surf programs, including a month-long immersion into the skills and lifestyle of surfing that includes [...]

In episode 51 of the podcast Christopher and I recap the 2018 season with our youth program, the School Of The Forest, and talk about the Teen Wilderness Living Semester coming in 2019. As part of the discussion, we discuss the difference between wilderness living skills and actually living in the wilderness. It is something [...]

Episode 49 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is all about expedition behavior and leadership. Expedition behavior is outdoor education-speak for working as a team. On a chilly Saturday morning in the Guide Shack Tim, Christopher and Colin were joined by Blake Towsley for a discussion on good and bad leadership and how leadership skills [...]

Episode 47 is about women and gender in bushcraft. Christopher and I were joined by Allison Figueroa and Regina Beach, both of whom are participants on the fall semester. They share their insight into the role that gender plays on women getting into the outdoor industry, gear, and the “pink tax” women often pay for [...]

Episode 46 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is about the path to becoming a reputable instructor. We discuss the necessary steps, finding your voice as an instructor, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the role of being an assistant instructor or teaching assistant as part of a long-term development plan. PHOTO: Poling practice on the river. [...]

On episode 44 of the podcast I’m joined by Christopher and Colin, recorded during our morning instructors meeting on Wednesday, August 22nd. We cover four topics: welcome to the fall semester, our systems-based approach to outdoor living at the field school and on the trail, some points about our educational philosophy, and the wild bounty [...]

We’ve been out on the land and off the grid for a month and a half, so this is the first podcast in a while. In it I talk with Christoper and Ed about what we’ve all been up to. For me, it’s been the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, from which I just returned. We [...]

We just returned from an epic canoe trip on Quebec’s Bonaventure River. For episode 42 of the podcast, Colin Clifford, Christopher Russell and I discussed the trip over coffee in the Guide Shack. We talked about what they got out of the trip, the impact of the hit song Party In The USA on the [...]

Episode 40 of the JMB Podcast is about current and upcoming events. Christopher and I discuss what we’re working on to upgrade the field school, upcoming trips and programs, stocking our pond with brook trout, and our new team resiliency training. Links: Team Resiliency Training At Jack Mountain Autumn Woodsman Course Family Bushcraft Week, School [...]

Episode 39 of the JMB Podcast begins with Ed’s review of the New England Bushcraft Show, moves to a discussion about appropriate gear for specific situations, then a discussion of minimum versus displaced impact, and lastly a cross-cultural view of different approaches to ecology, specifically regarding the Cree idea of continued use for sustainability of [...]

wood canvas canoe on a maine river

Traditional Maine Guide Canoeing: Episode 38 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast. On a blustery Saturday morning, Christopher and I discussed the role of the canoe in northern Maine. Along the way we covered the history and materials of canoes (birch bark, wood canvas, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic),why canoeing still matters, the JMB traditional skills approach, [...]

Studying the natural world adds depth and richness to life. In this episode Ben, Christopher and I discuss our nature study curriculum as set forth in First Person Ecology. Our method is a blend of academic study and personal experience, with the goal being to create a series of field guides that you carry around [...]

How much land does a man need, and what should he do with that land when he gets it? In episode 34 of the JMB Podcast Ed Butler, Christopher Russell and I discuss a simple, low-tech life on the land. I recount a story by Leo Tolstoy titled “How Much Land Does A Man Need” [...]

We recorded episode 32 the morning after returning from the Boreal Snowshoe Expedition. I was joined by Dragan Uzelac, Blake Towsley and Colin Clifford, and we discussed the expedition as well as the need for a recreational options for veterans. Upon returning home, I purchased the domain FieldOpsInternational.com, and hope to have some sort of [...]

Episode 31 of the podcast is about the Primitive Wilderness Living Practicum, a program we facilitate. It’s a 21-day wilderness experience with limited gear, limited food, and a whole lot of learning and personal growth. We’ve had a lot of questions about it recently, so this episode is an attempt to answer them. This is [...]

In this episode I talk with Sam Larson. He’s the founder and owner of Woodsong Wilderness Outfitters, was the runner-up of season 1 of the TV show Alone, and is a Jack Mountain Bushcraft School alumnus. This is the first podcast we’ve also recorded as a video. You can see it at: http://blog.jackmtn.com/sam-larson-video-from-podcast-episode-30/ Links: Woodsong [...]

Our new college partnership with the University of Maine at Presque Isle, also known as UMPI, is the focus for episode 29. Christopher Russell and I discuss what this means for students and the school. We’re putting together a new website that will explain academic options for college and gap year students at BushcraftCollege.com. Links: [...]

Winter bushcraft gear and the knowledge to make it work is the topic for episode 28 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft podcast. Ed Butler, Christopher Russell and I discuss sleeping bags, pads, dressing in layers, and how to carry heavy wool clothing. We also discuss the difference between Merino wool and Dan Marino wool, amongst [...]

Canadian guide, musher and old friend Jeff Butler (of Northwoods Survival) and I discuss how depth of knowledge is being replaced by shallow understanding and rant about a variety of aspects of the outdoor industry. We also talk about dispelling myths of survival and what he’s working on next; a cultural tourism business. Recorded at [...]

Mist On The Bonaventure

The Registered Maine Guide podcast episode. Tim, Christopher and Ed Butler (aka WorkingClassWoodsman) talk about the history of guiding in Maine, the test to become a registered guide, and prognosticate about the future of guiding. If you want to learn about Maine Guides past, present and future, give it a listen. Recorded in the Guide [...]

For episode 22 I spoke with professional forager Jenna Rozelle Darcy about wild food, foraging as a business, and using wild plants as part of a daily lifestyle. Jenna has been a professional forager for 5 years, selling what she gathers at farmers markets, to chefs, and direct to clients. She also teaches foraging classes [...]

Shelling Acorns

On episode 21 I speak with my old friend Chris Knapp of the Koviashuvik Local Living School in Temple, Maine. Chris has two decades of experience homesteading, teaching, guiding, and living close to the land. During our talk we discuss their Simple Life Internship, which is coming in 2018. At the end of our discussion [...]

Episode 20 of the podcast is all about the reboot of the School Of The Forest, the JMBS youth and teen program. Christopher Russell and I discuss the educational philosophy of the program and what to expect as the program launches this spring and summer. Links: School Of The Forest SOTF Calendar Friluftsliv Article Book: [...]

Recorded right after we got back from our trip to northern Quebec where we spent a week immersed in Cree Culture. Living in a traditional shelter on the side of a lake, we learned about hunting, trapping, snaring, fishing with gill nets as part of learning about traditional northern life ways. In the podcast we [...]

Big group photo

PHOTO: Self Reliance Workshop on wild foods from summer, 2016. For episode 17 I spoke with Josh Arnold, the director of Global Awareness Local Action (GALA). GALA is a local non-profit we partner with for our self reliance workshop series, among other things. We were also joined by Christopher Russell. We talked about the history [...]

Episode 16 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is all about the role of crafting in bushcraft and education. Making things with your hands is a big part of our educational programs. I’m joined by Christopher Russell for a discussion about crafting as an educational tool, our experience with crafting during semester courses, and some [...]

Just before they left on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, I sat down with Raife Bowman, Dylan Robinson and Jeremy Yates to talk about their recent hike across Quebec and New Brunswick on the International Appalachian Trail. They used their homemade pack baskets to do the hike, and had some adventures along the way. Listen [...]

At the end of week 6 of the spring semester I recorded the second podcast with Christopher Russell. We talked about the progression of the course, the instructor and guide’s dilemma, the 2 journeys (outward and inward) that everyone is on, and told a few stories along the way. You can read more about Christopher, [...]

registered maine guide patch

After a lengthy hiatus the JMB podcast is back. In this episode I talk with Derek Faria and Shawn Donnely from The Woodsman School. We’re friends and neighbors and discuss what they’ve been up to, their new website, becoming a Registered Maine Guide, and have a few cheap laughs. a Links from this episode: The [...]

Join Tim and instructor Tom Belluscio as they discuss how Jack Mountain got it’s name (the Jack Mountain origin story) and the summer, 2015 Teen Bushcraft And Wilderness Canoe Expedition. Recorded in the truck on the way back to the folk school after picking up three toboggan blanks and two paddle blanks. iTunes Link | [...]

The second podcast from the 2014 Boreal Snowshoe Expedition, recorded on our last night of the trip. Listen as participants reflect on the two weeks and what they’ve learned, have a few laughs and discuss their favorite bannock of the trip. iTunes Link | Play, Download Or Subscribe In iTunes Stitcher Link | Play, Download [...]

Recorded in the warmth of a tent on a bitter cold night during the 2014 Boreal Snowshoe Expedition, join us as we discuss the trip and the biggest lessons learned while on it. We recorded part 1 (this) in the middle of our 14-day snowshoe expedition. We also recorded a part 2 on our final [...]

Recorded in the Guide Shack at the field school, join Tim Smith, Paul Sveum and Shawn Sprague as they talk about the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School certifications. Learn what they are, why they exist, where they came from and what they can do for you. iTunes Link | Play, Download Or Subscribe In iTunes Stitcher [...]

In this podcast I’m joined by Robbie and Yukon to talk about our upcoming Boreal Snowshoe Expedition, their plans to continue on to Minnesota for another snowshoe expedition, trip preparations, whether we’ll have cable tv in the bush, and if so, what size tv we’ll have. During the podcast we mention the video these two [...]

Nature has become wallpaper in outdoor education; a backdrop for human-focused activities. But it doesn’t need to be. When it’s only scenery, it’s not easy to get people to engage. From personal experience I know that the natural world is a different place to someone who is seeking food, raw materials for crafts, materials for [...]

Wilderness survival; what is it and how do you go about preparing for it? We’ve been teaching survival for 20 years and in that time have learned a few things about it. This is our standard survival lecture, broken down into what you need to know, what you need to do and what you need [...]

The inaugural episode of the new Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast.  I talk about how bushcraft is changing from a community to an industry in North America.  Is it a good thing?   iTunes Link | Play, Download Or Subscribe In iTunes

I’m adding a new section to our resource page of articles and downloads; podcasts.  I’m regularly sharing podcasts on learning, the natural world, ecology, and more with our students, and now I’ll be sharing them with anyone who is interested.  This is not the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast.  We’re not responsible for recording or anything [...]

Paul Sveum wrote and recorded this song a few years ago.  It’s our unoffical theme song, and we’ve used it in a bunch of our videos.  In addition to being a talented musician and good friend, Paul is a first-class bushcraft instructor who has spent several years working with the students at Northland College in [...]

Our new podcast is coming together, and the first episode is live on the web.  There is a bit of work left to do getting everything set up and integrated. Note: In December, 2013 we moved our podcast to it’s current place on our own site.

BushcraftSchool.com
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Home to our blog, videos, podcast and photos, going back to 2006.

JMBS Calendar
All of our upcoming events.

Typos, Etc.
Anything that appears to be an error in spelling or grammar is actually the author’s clever use of the vernacular, and as such is not an error, but rather a carefully placed literary device demonstrating prodigious artistic prowess.

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Maine Wilderness Guides Organization Quality Endorsement Award
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Life Member – Maine Professional Guides Association
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Life Member – Maine Wilderness Guides Organization
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