MOOSE MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES PRESENTS
2 GUIDED EXCURSIONS INTO THE WILD
#1
Kayak across Pond-in-the-River to Forest Lodge, a remote area in the Rangeley Chain of Lakes made famous by Louise Dickinson Rich in her classic work of non-fiction, "We Took to the Woods".
Kayaking $175 per person, 5 hours, lunch, kayaks/paddles/PFDs provided
As a Registered Maine Guide, this has become one of my favorite lakes to kayak. I've spent the last 28 years exploring Western Maine; many of the lakes are remote and can only be accessed by remote dirt roads and hidden footpaths leading to the water's edge. This is one of those lakes. Nowadays, the Carry Road, where Louise Dickinson Rich wrote about her secluded life in the book "We Took to the Woods", can only be accessed by boat, or a long hike.
What we’ll do
First, we'll meet at our mountain top off-grid log home, view maps and review kayaking safety, pack a lunch, load in the kayaks and gear. We'll drive westerly out of town, to the Brown Company logging roads, deep into the Maine Woods. We may spot a moose or a deer along the way. We'll park at the footpath leading to Pond-in-the-River, unload the boats and carry them down to the water. Paddling halfway around the lake, we'll pass the outlet of the Rapid River, where world class fly fishing is popular. Then we'll pass the remains of the "Alligator", a steam barge used on the lake in the early 20th century. We'll beach our kayaks above where the pond empties back into the Rapid River. We'll hike through the woods to our picnic spot, the historic site of "Pondy" or Lower Dam, dismantled several years ago. After lunch, we'll stroll down the Carry Road (really a trail) and view the houses where Louise Dickinson Rich lived in while she wrote her famous book, "We Took to the Woods". Depending on group consensus and time constraints, we may also hike to Middle Dam on Lower Richardson Lake, a mile down the Carry Road.
Please read Louise Dickinson Rich's book, "We Took to the Woods", for historical background of this area. The site where it all took place will mean much more to you after you read the book.
We'll be driving remote logging roads, kayaking remote Pond-in-the-River and hiking the Carry Road in Upton, Maine. We'll visit Forest Lodge, a complex of remote structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If we are lucky, we can also peek inside!
Guests should be at least 18 years of age, bring water shoes, sun screen, sun glasses, hats and water.
EMAIL US TO BOOK THIS TRIP
We offer optional lodging: choose from our two popular off-grid cabins with AMAZING mountain views OR a quaint Village Tiny House. If you need a place to stay, click on the "RENTALS" tab on this website!
#2
Gear up and follow me into the woods to find the moose! Or more accurately, where the moose were, when their antlers fell off!
Antler Hunting $125 pp, 5 hours, lunch provided
About your guide, Brenda
Living in moose country, I have hiked in and studied the habitat and behavior of these very interesting ungulates. Stumbling upon moose antler sheds high on a mountain one day, I became addicted to hunting for these treasures of the Maine Mountains. I have found many dozens of sheds; of all different shapes and sizes, in all different places, in all different conditions. When we meet, I will show you some of the sheds I have found over the past 18 years as a Registered Maine Guide.
What we’ll do
We'll meet at our off grid log home. Reviewing local maps, we'll plan our trip based upon prior scouting, road & trail accessibility, weather conditions. We'll pack our gear, lunch and supplies. Driving remote dirt roads high up into the mountains, we'll go to where the moose "hung out" during shedding season. We will drive to the moose habitat in my truck. Driving as close as we can get to a "hot" area, we'll park, strapping on our fanny packs and heading out together into the wild. The hike can include steep and rough terrain, thick brush and blow downs; deep snow in winter. (snowshoes provided when needed) This is not a hike for the faint of heart; moose do not live in state parks.... getting to where they are, or have been, requires bushwhacking! We will stay within visual contact, so no one becomes lost. I will show you how to use a compass and recognize the signs of moose activity during the correct time of antler shedding. Looking in the right area vastly improves your chances of finding a shed antler... Otherwise, it is a needle in a haystack! If we don't find an antler that day, you will have acquired some knowledge of how to hunt for moose antlers on your own. Bring a compass, I will teach you to use it. If you find an antler, it is yours!
We have several favorite (and secret - no, we don't blindfold you on the ride!) moose antler shed hunting places; many remote high elevations provide the perfect place for moose to exist. Places that had been logged several years ago are ideal. This changes from year to year, as new feeding areas are created by recent cutting, older cut areas become over-browsed by the moose, and the vegetation they prefer to eat gradually dies off.
Guests should be at least 18 years of age, able to hike in adverse conditions, wear rugged waterproof hiking boots, warm layered clothing.
EMAIL US TO BOOK THIS TRIP
We offer optional lodging! Choose from two amazing off grid mountain view cabins; Also, a Village Tiny House... Please click on the "RENTALS" tab on this website!