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Winter Trips
Monthly Day Trek º 1 Day Winter Skills Workshop º Intro Winter Camping º Winter Expedition
Winter Camping
 Winter camping allows us to extend our love of the outdoors through the winter months. Maine winters offer ample opportunity for exciting winter adventures. Whether we are snuggly warm in a remote cabin or 2-days out in a snow shelter, the winter camping experience offers our clients a winter vacation experience that is unique and exciting.
These outings will introduce you to the winter camping experience. Preparation and gear become vitally important. We will teach you how to prepare for these challenges. Including how to prepare for cold weather and extreme conditions.
Several of our trips will be to remote cabins or yurts which provide excellent winter shelter, they have wood stoves and kitchens. These are ideal destination for folks that want an introduction to winter camping but are not quite sure they want to brave the elements on their first trip out.
Winter trips begin with a planning way before you arrive for the trip. We make sure you have the gear you will need to stay warm and dry. The planning continues when you arrive for your trip. We are happy to supplement your gear to ensure that you are well prepared for the elements.
 Join us as we explore destinations ranging from the White Mts. of New Hampshire to the Baxter State Park area of northern Maine. We have access to several remote cabins and yurts. These make a wonderful destination in the middle of the winter.
Our Winter Camping Philosophy
Winter camping is all about equipment and mental attitude. Without a good selection of either, cold weather camping is nothing more than cold. But with the proper attitude and the right gear winter camping can offer solitude and wilderness beauty unmatched throughout the seasons.
Our Trips
Our trips will introduce you to the techniques and equipment required. We offer small group trips for one to three nights throughout the winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing into remote sites. These trips are designed to provide instruction on winter safety, hypothermia, proper clothing, layering, food and menu selection, and attitude preparedness. Snow shelter construction, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing skills will also be emphasized.
These are great trips for college or high school outing clubs on winter and early spring breaks.
2010 Winter Schedule
Second or Third Saturday of the Month Winter Trek
Day Hike Snowshoe / X-country Ski
Destination TBD depending on weather and conditions
Saturday January 9th
Saturday February 20th
Saturday
March 13th
Winter day treks into the wonderland of snow and ice that provide guidance and special considerations for maximizing the fun and safety of wintertime exploration. Topics include:
- Planning – extra caution
for extreme conditions
- Clothing – layers, activity
time vs. rest time
- Gear, Food, & Water –
Keeping your engine fueled
- Winter Safety
- Hypothermia and Frostbite
- Winter Travel – snow shoe, cross country skiing
Cost: $50 per person
 Times: 2nd or 3rd Saturday of the winter months - Transportation arrangements will be made in advance, trips will leave the trail head by 9 a.m. Plan on returning to the vehicles by sundown.
Destinations: We will choose the destinations based on interest, current snow conditions, and weather forecasts. If you have a favorite winter day hike we'd love to learn about new places to go. Our favorite snow shoeing area is over in the White’s and some nice mountain day hikes around Sebago Lake; Douglas Mountain, Rattlesnake Mountain, Cutler Mountain, Sabattus Mountain.
There are also many back country cross ski trails around the greater Portland that are fun to explore. Of particular interest is the Portland Water District lands in Standish.
We have some gear for your use. And can connect you with rental gear if necessary.
Winter Camping Skills Workshop 1-day
Date/Time : Saturday Feb 6th, 2010 8am - 4:30pm
Class Size : Min 3 - Max 8
Destinatioin :Hidden Valley Nature Center, Egypt Road, Jefferson, Maine
HVNC is a non-profit community supported organization with over 800 acres of diverse habitat, terrain, 3 shelters, and over 20 miles of trails. HVNC is dedicated to
providing nature-based educational and recreational opportunities to the community throughout the year.
Fee :$50 per person / HVNC supporters $40
Pre-registration required. Please register by February 1st.
Course Description
Learn how to enjoy all that winter has to offer while staying comfortable in the outdoors. Participants should plan on being outside for the entire course. (Instructor can help with clothing and footwear if requested)
The course will begin at the HVNC gate with a review of the plan and a brief review(shakedown) of each participants gear. The workshop will be interactive and participants can expect to be active throughout the day.
A suggested gear list will be provided to all participants.
Topics Covered Include
- Winter Trip Planning - destinations, weather, group dynamics, special considerations
- Winter Clothing - layering, staying dry, staying warm
- Winter Safety - hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, winter hygiene, winter wise
- Winter Travel - snow shoeing, x-country skiing, sleds, gear, route planning
- Winter Shelter - tents, Quinzees (snow shelters), thermal shelters, cabins
- Winter Food - food preparation, food, water, and energy requirements for winter
Participants should pack their own winter lunch.
We will build Quinzees if snow conditions permit.
Introduction to Winter Camping - 3 days / 2 nights
Date/Time : Friday March 12th - Sunday March 14th, 2010 (start time Friday noon; End 1:00pm Sunday)
Class Size : Min 3 - Max 8
Destination : Hidden Valley NatureCenterEgypt Road, Jefferson, Maine
HVNC is a non-profit community supported organization with over 800 acres of diverse habitat, terrain, three shelters, and over 20 miles of trails. HVNC is dedicated to providing nature-based educational and recreational
opportunities to the community throughout the year.
Fee : $150 per person / HVNC supporters $125
Pre-registration required. Please register by February 26th.
Course DescriptionWinter camping can be a fun filled adventure. The solitude and silence of a moon lit night on a crisp clear February
night can provide beauty and awareness about the outdoors during the season that seems least appreciated to outdoor enthusiasts. Of course, without proper preparation and respect for what a Maine
winter might deliver, it could turn into a not so happy experience. This course will provide information about the skills to maximize your winter camping experience.
Prior to the start of the course you will receive a detailed gear list. Maine Path & Paddle Guides will supplement you gear if requested. Upon arrival, we will review all your gear to ensure that everyone has proper gear.
We will snow shoe or ski into the HVNC yurt and spend Friday afternoon and evening learning winter skills and then spend Friday night in the yurt. The yurt has a
woodstove and is a very comfortable, warm winter shelter. Saturday we will spend the majority of the day outside. You will build a snow shelter and have the
opportunity to spend the night out if you choose.
Topics Covered include:
- Winter Trip Planning - destinations, weather, group dynamics, special considerations
- Winter Clothing - layering, staying dry, staying warm
- Winter Safety - hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, winter hygiene, winter wise
- Winter Travel - snow shoeing, x-country skiing, sleds, gear, route planning
- Winter Shelter - tents, Quinzees (snow shelters), thermal shelters, cabins
- Winter Food - food preparation, food, water, and energy requirements for winter
Meals Provided:Fri Dinner / Sat Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner / Sun Breakfast
Winter Expedition – Debsconeag Four Nighter
March 26-30th – Thursday – Monday - Extended winter trek
This is a 40 mile trip through some of the most scenic and remote areas of the North Maine Woods. It is likely that there will be very minimal snow machine activity, and with this in mind it is also likely that we will be breaking trail for the majority of this trek. Mostly cross-country skiing with some snowshoeing where appropriate.
We will want to go light for this trip. If we pull sleds, they will be lightly loaded, if we backpack, we’d like to keep those light too.
Contact us for more information.
Learn skills that will emphasize:
Proper clothes layering
techniques
High energy, low effort
foods
Building snow shelters
Snow travel techniques
Snow Games
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We will:
Supplement the clothing
and equipment you may have
Plan and provide all
meals
Provide snowshoes, sleds
and/or toboggans
Hold one informational
pre-meeting (optional)
Hold one planning, prep, learning, & gear shakedown meeting
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Gear
Winter outings require that you have a minimum of the following equipment:
- Polypropylene long underwear
tops & bottoms
- Wool or fleece sweaters
- Hooded parka
- Mittens, gloves & hats
Gear you should have, but if you don't we can outfit you:
- At least a 0 degree rated
sleeping bag & sleeping pad
- Felt lined Pac Boots
- Cross-country skis, snowshoes
- Ice-fishing gear (license)
Click here to download our suggested Winter gear list
Destinations
Some of the destinations for our winter camping adventures:
- Sebago Lake Area
- Bigelow Mountains
- White Mountain National
Forest (Carter Notch Hut, Zealand Hut, Black Mountain
Cabin)
- Baxter State Park (Roaring
Brook, Chimney Pond) Must book 2 months in advance
- East Grand Lake
- Dundee Pond
- Custom trips to suit your ability and desire. Introductory trips fully outfitted.
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