Visit our first hut in beautiful Carrabassett Valley and enjoy Maine's western mountains this summer and fall.  Overnight package includes a soft bed, a hot shower and two home-cooked meals, plus an event of your choice:

Upcoming Events

June 28th Evening Performance by Jackson Gilman, Humorist
“NATURE IN ACTION, STORY, AND SONG”

Show will take place at the hut shortly after dinner.

Mime, song and stories for the young and the young-at-heart – airborne exploits and other flights of fancy. Sparkling with energy, wit and whimsy, Jackson Gillman draws on his many talents as storyteller, songsmith, comic and movement artist to engage audiences of all ages in his unique style of personal theater. Jackson’s customized presentations never fail to delight and enlighten his listeners, whether they be schoolchildren or business professionals.

“All in all, the incredible scope of Gillman’s talents, his love of the natural world and the warmth of his relationship with the audience make an event with Jackson well worth while.” 
- Bar Harbor Times

“People of all ages were totally mesmerized and entertained by your show.  You provided a perfect blend of education, ecological sensitivity, and humor on the topic of bugs, not an easy feat!” 
-New England Wildflower Society

July 12th Volunteer Trail Day
Another exciting opportunity! We invite seasoned and unseasoned volunteers to help with a myriad of trail projects. Bring lunch, snacks and plenty of water. Depart CarrabassettGauge Rd. Trailhead at 9:00 a.m.

July 12th and 13 th Artist in Residence Workshop
Renowned Book Maker, Rebecca Goodale, is offering two half-day workshops 1-4 p.m. on the 12 th and 9 a.m. to noon on the 13 th.

Rebecca is a creator of unique and limited edition artist’s books. Her current project is a series about the Maine State lists of endangered and threatened animals and plants. Discover the joy of creating handmade books by creating a set of 3 blank paperback books that could be used for journals or sketchbooks. On Saturday after dinner hear Rebecca give a talk on her Threatened and Endangered Artist’s Books. The 2 nd workshop will take place after breakfast on Sunday and will give you a chance to explore the use of the book as a vehicle for creative expression.

Workshop (includes materials), over-night lodging sat night, and two meals for just $140.00

• Supplies you need to bring:
• Small self-healing cutting mat
• X-acto knife and a pack of blades
• Needle with sharp point and an eye that will hold dental floss
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Markers and or Pens/Pencils to mark with

Registration required by July 7 th and includes Artist Instruction, book materials, dinner on the 12 th an over-night stay at our premier, back-country lodge, and a full American breakfast on the 13 th.

July 19th Mountain Biking Workshop & Tour
Join mountain biking enthusiast, Andrew Hodgins, for a day on the trail! Meet at the hut on Saturday at 12p.m. for a bike maintenance workshop, followed by a group bike outing.

Andrew Hodgins:

-Came to Carrabassett Valley from Burlington, VT  in 1995

-In Burlington was head mechanic in the bike dept for Climb High Retail Store.

-Started working in the Sugarloaf Bike Shop in the summer of 1996

-Organized and maintained repair and rental programs at both the Sugarloaf Shop and Sports Outlet in Kingfield from 1996 to 1999

-Competed in the American Ski Co. Sponsored “Trail 66” race series for 3 years.

-Still riding and working on bikes, but more for fun nowadays.

Topics for Presentation include: A clean bike is a happy bike, Lubrications, Tire pressure and the quick release whees, No Loose nuts and bolts, Minor gear and brake adjustments, carrying a basic tool kit, The bounce test”.

Following the presentation there will be a group ride around the Maine Huts trails area. We may need to break into smaller groups to accommodate multiple ability levels. Local riders are welcome to stop by for the workshop and to meet up with others.

August 23rd Archaeology Program
Retired Forest Ranger, Kenny Wing will give a talk on Native American Indians from the Stone Age forward. He will also demonstrate how stone tools like knives and arrowheads are made. An interesting topic for all ages.

Kenny Wing is a native born Eustis resident and grew up fighting forest fires and collecting Native American Indian stone tools. After graduating from Univ of Maine at Orono with a forestry degree he joined the Maine Forest Service and enjoyed a 27 year career as a forest ranger.  His duty stations included a fire tower in Canaan, a ranger in Norridgewock, a supervisor in Greenville and a transfer over to the Rangeley District which brought him back to his Eustis home.  Kenny retired on his 53 rd birthday in 2005 and has enjoyed pursuing two passions ever since; motorcycling and archaeology.  "I've always collected stone tools and of course that leads one to study Indians, and then geology and then how stone tools like knives and arrowheads are made.  One thing leads to another and before you know it you’re giving talks and knapping demonstrations to schools and a hundred different other organizations. I really enjoy meeting people and swapping arrowhead stories and seeing them get excited about knapping. Everyone likes to learn how prehistoric people from all over the world made their stone tools, the very same tools which helped old civilizations survive. And ironically those very same stone tools have survived for thousands and thousands of years, in many instances they are as sharp as the day they were made.” One of Kenny's demonstrations is to make an arrowhead in just minutes and a knife in just seconds. For the last three years Kenny has worked for several different institutions and companies doing archaeological surveys and excavating prehistoric sites in Maine. “I’ve been very fortunate to work on three different Paleo sites in two years, sites that are around nine to ten thousand years old.” Kenny is also a long time board member of The Maine Archaeological Society and considers himself to be very fortunate to be able to pursue this life long hobby into the professional arena.

October 17th & 18th Two day Wilderness First Aid Course
Wilderness Medical Associates will hold a 2 day Wilderness First Aid course at the Hut. The fee for course participants will be $250 which includes 2 nights lodging, 2 dinners & 2 breakfasts. For more information, see http://www.wildmed.com/.

Past Events

June 7th National Trails Day
A great chance to be part of the volunteer force that is integral to the success of the Maine Huts & Trails Project. National Trails Day will find a group of volunteers working with staff to build a foot bridge at Lower Poplar Falls. Tools provided. Bring lunch, snacks and plenty of water. Depart Carrabassett/Gauge Rd. Trailhead at 9:00 a.m. Rain date June 14 th.

June 7th & 8th Birding Program
Bill Hancock, Maine Audubon Society will lead an extensive birding program. Meet at 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the hut for a “bird walk” then enjoy an after dinner slide presentation as well as possibly a “night owling” tour. Sunday will start with a 5:30 a.m. walk from the hut, breakfast and a second walk at 9:00 a.m. if there is interest.

An extension of the boreal forest that spans much of Canada, the spruce-fir woods of the Bigelow Mountain area provide ideal breeding habitat for a group of northern birds that can be hard to find elsewhere in this country. These include Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Yellow-bellied flycatcher, and host of wood warblers. This weekend at Poplar Stream Hut provides an opportunity to look for and enjoy the birds of Maine’s Northern Forest at a time of year when they are most active, vocal and visible. Led by Bill Hancock. Bill is the Environmental Center’s Director at Maine Audubon and has been an avid birder in Maine for the past 30 years.