As spring turns to summer and snow turns to runoff it's time to put away your skis and boards and get out on Maine's whitewater rivers and benefit a good cause.
Northern Outdoors, based in The Forks, Maine is offering all New England skiers and riders a chance to directly support disabled veterans and active service personnel via spring rafting vacations. New England Ski Area season pass holders will save $15 off all Northern Outdoors May & June rafting trips with their current Season Pass. For every season pass rafter, Northern Outdoors will donate $5 to the
Maine Handicapped Skiing's Veterans / No Boundaries Program.
Maine Handicapped Skiing's Veterans/No Boundaries, provides veterans and active duty personnel with disabilities summer and winter adaptive sports activities, free of charge. Veterans/No Boundaries is funded by Bath Iron Works, Disabled Sports USA, veterans groups, local businesses and individuals who are passionate about supporting Maine’s service men and women.
Spring white water rafting typically has higher water flows thanks to winter snow melt and offers exciting early season adventure. The Ski Pass Special is valid on all three of
Maine’s whitewater rivers- the Kennebec, the Penobscot, and the Dead River. Each unique river offers a vacation experience of thrilling fun and adventure for first-time rafters, families, and high adventure enthusiasts.
For more information on the
New England Ski Resort Season Pass Holders Special call 800-765-7238 or visit
www.NorthernOutdoors.com.
Snowmobile adventures make for great
Maine family vacations, and for folks who don't have their own sled, we rent them. We even have guides available to show you all the best trails and most spectacular winter, northwoods views.
At the end of a long day on the trail, there's nothing like
a great meal and a steaming hot tub. The only thing to make it better is good friends to share the evening with. So we're looking forward to a super snowy winter, with lots of roaring fires in the lodge and fresh beer in the bar taps to welcome all our winter buddies back for the season. And in anticipation of a great snowmobling season, our new Northern Outdoors Maine snowmobile information is
ready to download or if you'd prefer you can follow the link to request a copy in the mail.
Cruising north out of
Skowhegan on U.S. Route 201, you top a hill and a view opens up before you - mountains roll to the horizon and the sky doubles in size. On your left, in a grassy area, is a sign announcing you are now driving on the
Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway. A few hundred feet past the sign is an unmarked turn onto a gravel road that twists up to a picnic pavilion and another spectacular view. Everything is new and this is obviously the beginnings of a larger project - below the picnic area you can see signs of work in the woods. where walking trails are in the process of being cut. Hmmm...a place to return to and explore some more on future trips. Informational plaques on stands offer information about the mountains before you and the history of the area, it's clear they are the first of many you can stop and read along 201 north.
Breath in the view for a while, then continue north, into history, into wilderness and into adventure. A National Scenic ByWay has to be more that a pretty drive - it has to be a route with history significant to the region and offer much to see and do. The Old Canada Road is a prime example, with historical markers, spectacular scenery, and endless opportunities for outdoor adventure from
Kennebec River rafting,
ATV trails and resorts, and
Hut to Hut Hiking trips to wintertime
Maine snowmobile vacations. The houses and towns along the way are small and hardy, the people tough and friendly, the journey worth taking!
Driving up 201 toward Northern Outdoors on a
New England vacation adventure, Wyman Lake and the Kennebec River hug the right side of the road for long stretches. There are several unmarked turnouts, and one vaguely marked 'Historic Site'. A small brown sign points the way to a narrow gravelled pullout with room for maybe two cars. The historic marker there is simple, a plaque mounted on a small boulder on a bluff overlooking the Kennebec. The view of the river is more impressive than the marker, but once you take a few moments to read, surprise takes hold.
Who crossed the Kennebec River at this lovely spot, and marched up the very route you are driving on the way to your
Dead River rafting trip?
Benedict Arnold - on his way to fight the British in Quebec! What is this? A moment not only in Maine history, but the history of our country? A surprise find in an area of Maine known more for
Maine ATV trails and resorts designed for outdoor adventure. So when you're driving up see us at
Northern Outdoors - take a moment to stop at this site and feel the history!
It was a rainy summer here in Maine, but all that rain has an upside folks planning a fall New England Vacation. We're not at peak yet, but give us a few weeks. We'll keep an eye on the trees and let you know what's happening.
Bill Ostrofsky, a forest pathologist with the Maine Forest Service was asked by
mainefoliage.com what we can expect for fall color this year: "Good foliage development is a prerequisite for good fall color. The plentiful summer rain allowed the foliage to develop vigorously, and most crowns now appear full, dense, and very lush. All regions appear to be on track for another spectacular season."
Now that's what we like to hear! There's nothing like
whitewater rafting New England style to the backdrop of orange and red maples, bright yellow birch, deep green balsam. And when we're playing on land not water, the
ATV trails and
hiking trails just glow gold when we travel them.
We expect the first weekend of October to be peak color here in The Forks and that heppens to coincide with Octoberfest and the season's final dam release on The Dead River! A perfect time for a long weekend
Maine family vacation!
This fall we're going to take the Kennebec River Brewery on-the-road to a number of Brewers Festivals in Maine and New Hampshire.
First up is the Maine Lakes Region BrewFest on September 26, at Point Sebago Resort, Casco, Maine.
On October 3rd, we'll be at The Redhook Brewery, in Portsmouth, for the New Hampshire BrewFest.
The following weekend we'll be on the Maine coast at the Fourteenth Annual Acadia Oktoberfest at Smuggler's Den Campground, Southwest Harbor.
We round out the fall events with the Maine Brewers Festival, November 6th & 7th at The Portland Expo.
Come on out and check-out fine craft brews from many New England brewers. We'll have trip getaway drawings and your favorite KRB beers on tap.
Last week we hosted our first guests doing a Hut-to-Hut hiking trip on the new Maine Huts and Trails system. The huts and trails are located between the Carrabassett Valley and the Kennebec Valley.
Our guests came all the way from the Caribbean to Maine last week! Erik and Ada, originally from the Netherlands, are currently living in St. Maarten. They told me they wanted to escape the summer heat of the Caribbean and experience a classic New England vacation. They planned their trip to include the weekend in Boston, exploring the coast of Maine and, authentic backcountry hiking in Maine’s North Woods.
Erik and Ada are enthusiastic European hikers it seems. They are both avid adventurers who have hiked in many locations including Scotland, Wales, France, Nepal and Dominica. They liked the Hut-to-Hut trip for its simplicity. After a night at Northern Outdoors, they were shuttled 90-minutes to the Poplar Stream Trailhead for the start of their 25-mile, three-day hiking journey, with their first overnight at The Poplar Stream hut and the second night at the new Flagstaff Lake Hut. From the Flagstaff hut they hiked back to the Kennebec Valley. Erik celebrated their hiking success and being the first to navigate the new Valley to Valley route this summer, with a couple of KBR pints, and Ada with two cups of green tea!
Ps. Erik and Ada definitely got their wish to escape the heat of the Caribbean. It rained solidly the first two days of their hike, but they were well fed and well cared for by Maine Huts & Trails staff. We are pretty excited about this new way to explore the western mountains of Maine. Guided and Self Guided Trips are offered from July to October for individuals and small groups. Custom programs can be developed for colleges, organizations and corporate groups – call 800-765-7238 for details
It's impressive how many people have NEVER been rafting. It's even more impressive how many people come rafting for the first time and CAN'T BELIEVE how much fun they had and how easy it was.
Hah! Therein lies the magic of whitewater rafting. Anywhere. In the world. But I'll talk about whitewater rafting in New England, and specifically in our beloved state of Maine.
There are many many awesome rivers in Maine to paddle, float, swim, and fish in. For actual white water rafting, there are three rivers that are, quite simply, the best: the
Kennebec, the
Penobscot, and the
Dead River. (Not quite an apt name cause the river it's way alive with exceptional whitewater action, to be sure!)
All three rivers are dam-controlled rivers, that means that the water levels are consistent all summer long. With lots of rain (like we had all spring!) the water gets higher, obviously. For experienced rafters and adrenaline junkies, this is WAY FUN. For everyone else, my years of experience as guide, mom, and friend says its better to do your first rafting trip at regular levels. Work up to bigger and bigger water if you love the thrill. You don't have to be on big water tho to get the most out of river rafting. Fun, playful rapids, warm sunshine, great riverside grilled lunches, being outdoors all day with friends and family in FRESH AIR, is absoltuely fantastic.
Watch a video of one family's experience on the Kennebec.
Rafting is mother nature's rollercoaster, with nice pauses in between rapids for catching your breath and looking at the incredible scenery in Maine's wilderness as you float by. It's bouncy, absolutely, with great big waves that will drench you and leave you laughing so hard you might cry. Sit in the front if you want to be soaked all day. Sit in the back on the guide's side if you want to stay dryest (they tend to keep themselves the driest!). If your kids are younger, put them in the middle seats (on either side of the boat), and sit right behind them so you can grab them to make yourself feel protective in the rapids. They won't likely need it but it'll make you feel nicely useful!
With modern equipment and gear, you really don't have to be a strong swimmer to go rafting. Heck, you don't even have to know how to swim because the Type V PFDs (lifejackets) are so buoyant and well-designed, if you decide to go for a swim, planned or unplanned. (The majority of people rafting never fall out, but it's mother nature so you have to be prepared. If you're deathly afraid of water tho, why go? Send your friends and keep a seat at the bar for them at the lodge.)
For value-packed July family and friends specials at Northern Outdoors, check out our specials page. I'll talk about the personality of each of these rivers in depth in my next blogs. The Kennebec is first up, stay tuned!
If you live in New England, there is little doubt that you’re wondering when the rain is going to cease. Rain or shine, the group that joined me on the Penobscot River were not going to be detoured by weather. The 9 gentlemen in my raft were on a collective 40th birthday Maine adventure vacation. Or as we like to call it, a “Mancation.”
Despite a bit of overcast, the day could not have been better. A great run through the gorge & crib had the boat cheering for more, and Nesowadnehunk Falls was happy to oblige. On the lower river, I came to find out that for some this was their 4th trip down the Penobscot River. It was an awesome day and great crew. I hope to see them again when they return to The Forks Resort with their kids for a Maine family vacation.
With nothing but rain the past month here in New England, at some point you have to just say, “Enough-is-enough,” and get out and enjoy yourself regardless of the weather forecast.
Denis Fortin and his hardy crew of twenty or so motorcyclists from the Quebec, HOG Chapter did just that and braved the rain today on their annual ride south to The Forks.
Denis is no fair weather rider; last year he rode over 18,000 miles throughout eastern Canada and the U.S. This year he’s already traveled to Arizona and California with his wife and as the founder and president of the Can-Am Bike Festival he is hoping to attract over 10,000 motorcyclists to St.Agapit, Quebec for his inaugural bike festival aimed at bringing riders from Canada and the U.S.A together for three days of riding and festivities in August.
Northern Outdoors will be a destination for a daily ride for Festival goers and is designated as a lunchtime stop and meeting place for U.S. riders heading north to the event. For more details check out the motorcycle touring section of our website and www.CanAmBikeFest.com /us
Maine is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. We enjoy four very different seasons to fish, hike, ski, snowmobile, raft and generally revel in the great North Woods. As president of an outdoor company I get to play outdoors all year-long and when I’m not working I can often be found hiking, biking or exploring with my family and friends – it’s all good - summer, fall, winter there’s never a dull moment. There’s just one season I’m not so keen on – bug season, it generally starts around Memorial Day and lasts through until the first week of July. It’s not that you can’t go out in June, it’ just that you’ve got to make extra preparations to cover up, lather on the bugspray and prepare to get chewed.
So when I heard about Insect Shield clothing I had to try it. I ordered a couple of bandannas to start and they seemed to work, my neck didn’t get munched, so I ordered more; some socks, a shirt, a tee-shirt – the works, I bought clothing for my two young sons and it does the job. Insect Shield clothing is treated with a man-made version of a natural repellent found in chrysanthemum flowers. The treatment lasts for up to 70-washes and protects against mosquitoes, ticks, flies and no-see-ums. Now I’m not for a moment suggesting that Insect Shield clothing will save the world (although if you check out their Global Health Efforts you'll see they are doing their bit!), but anything that makes bug season bearable and enables more people to enjoy their outdoor adventures has my support.
Give it a try for yourself, you can find it locally in Maine at LL Bean’s or for a list of national retailers go to www.InsectShield.com, it just might make your next Maine family vacation that little bit more comfortable.
A couple of weeks back, I wrote about the launch of the new Maine Beer Trail, an initiative designed to recognize the vibrant craft brewing industry here in Maine.
This week Jim and Mike are preparing to hit the trail themselves - not the Beer Trail, but instead they are making plans to attend three upcoming New England Craft Beer Festivals. This is your chance to sample the Kennebec River Brewery (and up to 300 other craft brews) close to home.
On the weekend of June 19 / 20th, we will be attending the
American Craft Beer Fest at the Seaport World Trade Center, in Boston and the
Maine Grapes & Grains Festival at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, in Lewiston.
The following weekend, June 27th, we will be attending the
Nashua River Brewers Festival at Riverfront Park, in Fitchburg.
If your a fan of good beer and good times, come support your local craft brewers and join
Northern Outdoors and the
Kennebec River Brewery at one of these local events.
Last weekend my family and I took advantage of the fantastic spring weather to check out
Maine Huts & Trails new Flagstaff Hut.
My two boys, Harry & Cam and their friend Jackson met up with Jamie Corriveau, the Operations Manager for Huts & Trails, (pictured) to explore the beach and the trails leading down to the lake. The boys declared their wish to spend a family vacation at the new Flagstaff Hut this summer - and I suspect this is one wish that will come true!
Within the next couple of weeks I am looking forward to completing a "shake down" hike of the trail from Caratunk to the Flagstaff hut as a prelude to our new guided
Hut-to-hut hiking program we'll be offerring this summer.
Looks like we have about 6" of new from the latest storm (Thursday afternoon). Still snowing off and on. We will groom the entire 70 mile trail system Thursday night, as well as on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights. The base is generally flat and hard, and this fresh snow will help touch up the corners and other spots that were getting worn. Should come out nice in time for New Hampshire vacation week.
• ITS 86 FROM BERRY'S STORE IN WEST FORKS, HEADING EAST TOWARD GREENVILLE. Overall this section is in good shape. As mentioned, this fresh snow will help us fix up some of the corners that were getting choppy on the Brochu Road section, . The snow will also help out on the intown trails that have been seeing very heavy traffic this week. There is a logging operation along a short section of the intown trail. Skidders can be crossing the trail in a couple of places, so be careful through there.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL. This trail was in great shape before the snow, so it'll only be better! Primo riding all the way through from ITS 86 to ITS 87.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL. Closed for the season due to heavy logging and plowed roads on the Blanchard end.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM. Generally in very good condition. Again, the snow will help with the couple of short wooded sections near Pleasant Pond and Moores Bog that were getting bumpy. This trail winds around the base of Moxie Mountain for several miles, with spectacular views of the rocky summit. There is also fine off trail riding in the basin on the west side of the mountain, with expansive views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Bigelow Range.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL. Excellent shape all the way through from ITS 87 to the Bald Mountain Trail. This trail and ITS 87 make a great mountain loop, with outstanding scenery of Bald Mountain, Pleasant Pond Mountain and Moxie Mountain.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL. Good shape all the way through from Northern Outdoors to Berry's Store in West Forks. Very scenic riding along the Kennebec River.
Theres plenty of enjoyable riding and outstanding scenery to be had in the area! With the increased traffic due to school vacation weeks, we ask that you RIDE WITH EXTRA CARE.
For day trippers, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT at Northern Outdoors Resort on Route 201. Gas, trail maps, food, restrooms and trail info are available right at the Lodge. Call 888-770-SLED for details.
Jim Yearwood, Trailmaster
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club
Last Thursdays warm temperatures and rain knocked our snowpack down a little, but there is still plenty to work with. We were able to groom out the entire trail system while it was still soft, and it hardened up nice and flat in most places. There are thin and icy spots, especially on corners, so be careful. We still have 24" to 30" of snow on the ground. Looks like a decent storm coming through on Wednesday night.
Generally speaking the trails are in good to very good shape. Because of the thaw then hard freeze up, the base is hard and fast. We have had an inch or so of snow showers the past 2 days, so lubrication is not a problem. Again, because of icing, RIDE WITH CAUTION AT ALL TIMES. For the remainder of this week, all 70 miles of The Forks Trail System will be groomed on each of Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• ITS 86 FROM BERRY'S STORE IN WEST FORKS, HEADING EAST TOWARD GREENVILLE. Overall, this section is in good shape. Little bit of ice on the trail around Mosquito Mountain. Corners on the Brochu Road section are choppy, and need some fresh snow to fix. The short Power Line section near Moxie Lake is still flat, but the tops of some rocks are poking through in a few spots. Intown trails are a little bumpy because of heavy traffic . . . need some fresh snow there. There is a logging operation along a short section of the intown trail. Skidders can be crossing the trail in a couple places, so be careful through there.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL. This trail is in A+ condition and provides outstanding riding. Flat and fast all the way through from ITS 86 to ITS 87.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL. Closed for the season due to heavy logging and plowed roads on the Blanchard end.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM. Generally in very good shape. A little bumped up in the 1 mile wooded section near Pleasant Pond, and again in the short wooded section near Moores Bog. This trail winds around the base of Moxie Mountain for several miles, with spectacular views of the rocky summit. There is also fine off trail riding in the basin on the west side of the mountain, with expansive views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Bigelow Range.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL. Excellent shape all the way through from ITS 87 to the Bald Mountain Trail. This trail and ITS 87 make a great mountain loop, with outstanding scenery of Moxie Mountain, Pleasant Pond Mountain and Bald Mountain.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL. Good shape all the way through from Northern Outdoors to Berry's Store in West Forks. Very scenic riding along the Kennebec River. The big hill off the Flood Road is icy in the middle. Stay off to the sides and you'll be fine.
All in all, things look pretty good out there with enjoyable riding and outstanding scenery to be had! With the extra traffic this week due to school vacation, and the occassional icy patch, we ask that you ride extra carefully.
For day trippers, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT at Northern Outdoors Resort on Route 201. Gas, trail maps, food, restrooms and trail info are available right at the Lodge. Call 888-770-SLED for details.
Jim Yearwood, Trailmaster
Northern Outdooors Snowmobile Club
With school vacation week coming up, this weeks Recommened Ride, is a short 20-mile circuit up to The Forks and back along The new Kennebec River Trail:
THE KENNEBEC RIVER LOOP (20 miles)
Ride the rear trail out of Northern Outdoors to the junction of ITS 87. Take ITS 87 north to the ITS 86 junction on the Boise Road (Trail Junction ST 9). Follow ITS 86 west/ITS 87 north back toward The Forks. Just before town, take the Kennebec River Trail back to Northern Outdoors.
Scenic views: Mosquito Mountain, Kennebec River.
When I pulled out my snowmobile gear in December, I found a receipt in my snow pants for gas that shocked me for a couple of reasons. First, the date on the receipt said April 5th, 2008.
In all the excitement of getting ready for winter it had escaped me that it was only 8 months since I was last riding. And the riding at the end of the season was really good.
The second point that took me aback, was that the receipt was for over $30 and my sled only holds 7 1/2 gallons! If you're like me I'm sure you will recall how last summer's spike in gas prices made you rethink road trips, vacations, and days off from work which normally would be no-brainers. That's why I am looking at today's $2 bucks a gallon at the pumps as a personal invitation to take as many trips north to snowmobile this winter as I can.
For those of you who know me, you're aware I'm prone to dishing out advice on how to have fun, but it isn't very often I can do that AND save you money at the same time…..So, here's my advice for winter 2009.
Compared to other winter activities, I've found snowmobiling to be an affordable and exciting weekend adventure. Sure, you could stay home next weekend, go out for dinner and a movie Friday, shopping on Saturday, bar-hopping Saturday night and spend Sunday running errands. I can almost guarantee by the time you've factored in, dinner, drinks that new pair of shoes that were a steal at $200 and other incidentals, you'll be spending just as much in one weekend at home as I'll be spending enjoying myself exploring Maine's magnificent snowmobile trail system. If you look at it my way, how can you afford not to head north and experience a weekend of riding The Forks Area Snowmobile Trails.
See you on the trails
Mark Schaub (yep that's me above, riding the powdah on Feb 7th, 2009.)
Warm temperatures and rain on Thursday knocked down the snowpack some, but we still have plenty on the ground (24" to 30" in most places). We were able to groom all 70 miles of The Forks Snowmobile Trail System on Thursday night before the big freeze up. Our groomer operators report that they were able to get the trail nice and flat, and they have hardened up that way. Generally speaking the trails are still in very good to excellent shape. Because of the rain then hard freeze, the base is very hard and very fast. There are a few corners where ice is a problem on the inside of the corner. RIDE WITH CAUTION AT ALL TIMES. For the next few days, the entire trail system will be groomed on each of Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights.
• ITS 86 FROM BERRY'S STORE HEADING EAST TOWARD GREENVILLE. Very good shape all the way. Little bit of ice on the trail around Mosquito Mountain. The short Power Line section near Moxie Lake is still flat, but there are a few spots where the tops of rocks are poking through. There is a logging operation along a short section of the intown trail. Skidders can be crossing the trail in a couple spots, so be careful through there.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL. This is the former ITS 87 on the east side of Moxie Lake. Flat and fast all the way through from ITS 86 to ITS 87.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL. Closed for the season due to heavy logging and plowed roads on the Blanchard end.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM. Great shape all the way. This trail winds around the base of Moxie Mountain for several miles, with spectacular views of the rocky summit. There is also fine off trail riding in the basin on the west side of the mountain, with expansive views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Bigelow Range.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL. Excellent shape all the way through from ITS 87 to the Bald Mountain Trail. This trail and ITS 87 make a great mountain loop, with outstanding scenery of Moxie Mountain, Pleasant Pond Mountain and Bald Mountain.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL. Great shape all the way through from Northern Outdoors to Berry's Store in West Forks. Very scenic riding along the Kennebec River. The big hill off the Flood Road is icy in the middle. Just stay off to the sides.
All in all, things look pretty good out there! Again, the warm temperatures and rain didn't impact us badly. Trails have hardened up very flat and very fast. With the extra traffic out there for school vacation week, as well as the occassional ice patch, we ask that you ride cautiously.
For day trippers, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT at Northern Outdoors Resort on Route 201. Gas, trail maps, food, restrooms and trail info are available right at the Lodge. Call 888-770-SLED for details.
Jim Yearwood, Trailmaster
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club
Working as a whitewater raft guide on Maine's Kennebec, Penobscot and Dead rivers, I take great pride in guiding adventures from around the world down the best whitewater the northeast has to offer. Over the course of a day the questions can range from routine to bizarre. A question I hear as often as "how deep is the river?" is "what do you do for vacation?" and my standard answer is "Visit other rivers of course!"
Since my first year working in the adventure tourism industry I've heard rumors of a river comparable in volume to the Grand Canyon with the color of the Caribbean Ocean, framed by the snow capped Andes mountains. I've finally made the trip to visit this magnificent river the locals know as Futaleufu and it is everything I'd heard and more.
I'm here for a relatively short period of time - just over a month to train with Earth River Expeditions as a safety cataraft guide accompanying commercial trips to pick up any rafters who should fall overboard in the big rapids and would otherwise be swept away down stream. My multiple week training although never truly over was formally just finished after running Inferno Canyon, a two mile stretch of river with five class-five rapids, several of which need to be run back-to-back without scouting. I was especially on edge knowing our group would be the first to run the canyon this season and that like all the rapids on the Futaleufu the winter flooding has a tendency to change the rapids from year to year, sometimes for the better ...sometimes for the worse. All this was running through my mind as the head trainer explained last years lines to multiple class-five rapids I wouldn't see until I was dropping into them. I ran second, behind the guide with the most experience among us, trying to focus on his angle, position and speed as we rowed steadily into the misty entrance of the rapids. Being positioned on a metal frame between two large tubes allows the massive waves to crash through the frame and threatened to rip me from the cat, pulling hard on the oars to keep from being tossed into the water, huge boulders slide past our small cats and waves seem to crash everywhere as I tried not to stare too long at some of the biggest holes I'd ever seen. As we emerged from the dark canyon into welcome sunlight I smiled as I looked ahead to the coming trips on this amazing river - a trip that has already been one of the best vacations I've ever had and I'll surely never forget the mighty Futaleufu.
Submitted by Nick Atwood
Northern Outdoors Adventure Program Director
I'm often reminded of how fortunate we are to live, work and help guests enjoy a memorable Maine Family Vacation as they explore the regions magnificent rivers, lakes and trails. 
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