Outdoors

Published
February 13, 2011

Hiking: Answering the call of the trail

Hiking the entire 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trail is considered by many to be the journey of a lifetime. The AT is the most famous footpath in the world, after all, attracting millions of visitors each year, for a few hours, a day, a week, and sometimes many months. Conceived in 1921 and […]
Published
February 13, 2011

Skiing in Maine: Black Mountain makes skier want to return more often

Three of my greatest pleasures during the winter are skiing on my home mountain, “where everybody knows your name,” exploring new destinations and revisiting long-forgotten ski areas to reawaken memories and check out the changes and improvements since my last visit. Son Josh, his friend Ryan and I spent such a day recently at one […]
Published
February 13, 2011

Kid Tracks: Bridge adds to allure of Sunday River trails

When you combine nicely groomed trails with a picturesque covered bridge, you have the makings for a great winter adventure. Sunday River’s Outdoor Center has just that combination and 35 kilometers of ski and snowshoe trails to explore. Although Sunday River is best known for its downhill skiing, the trail system at the newly acquired […]
Published
February 13, 2011

Feeding deer: What’s right?

As hunters defend the custom and wildlife biologists point out the problems with it, a lawmaker is about to introduce a plan to help ensure it's done correctly.
Published
February 13, 2011

Deirdre Fleming: Hikes, relay kick up fun in the city

With the state’s largest ice fishing derby on Sebago Lake coming up, and festivals taking place across Maine, winter fun is definitely under way. And in Portland more is being done to change the stay-inside mentality in a winter of constant snowfall. After being canceled last year, the second Snowman Adventure Race next Saturday will […]

Published
February 13, 2011

Outdoors Calendar

Peterson Canal hike, noon today, 6-mile scenic hike in Bath takes about 2 1/2 hours. Meet across from the boat launch to the New Meadows Lake on Old Brunswick Road. Snowshoes are required. For more information and to confirm conditions, go online to www.kennebecestuary.org or call Ed Benedikt at 442-0445. Sponsored by the New Meadows […]
Published
February 6, 2011

Allen Afield: Serious hunter well served by two rifles

William Clunie of Dixfield ranks as one of the most serious whitetail hunters in my circle of acquaintances. It’s an opinion, but my case for Clunie’s dedication to the sport proves difficult to refute after hearing the particulars. My main argument revolves around a pair of Clunie’s closely related rifle models — a big-bore centerfire […]
Published
February 6, 2011

Snowmobiling: ‘Tons of fun’ in Naples does a lot of good

Lack of snow will not be a problem for this year’s Naples Winter Carnival, kicking off Friday. “Naples literally goes to sleep during the winter months, but during the weekend of the carnival the town comes alive with thousands of people,” said Dan Allen, an organizer of the carnival and member of the Muddy River […]
Published
February 6, 2011

Home run

A do-it-yourself snow chute makes winter ups and downs a fun part of daily life for a Damariscotta family.
Published
February 6, 2011

Birding: Inland counters spot some surprises amid regulars

Volunteers carried out the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5. As is my custom, I will devote a couple of columns to highlights of the counts in Maine. Today we will consider some representative inland counts. Let’s start with the Misery Township count, held in the vicinity of […]

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Outdoors