Here are the latest tips for fishing the Dead River in May written by guest blogger and local fishing guide Todd Towle. Remember, the Grand Falls Hut is an excellent and convenient place to stay for anglers fishing the Dead River :

It’s May. That means mayflies. Those upright winged bugs are the glamour hatches that everyone dreams and reads about.  Whether you nymph, swing wets or fish the dry, you’re in a pretty good position to get in the game.

A list of nymphs to have on hand would be Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ears, A.P. Nymphs and Zug Bugs. Sizes 10-18.

Wets to carry would include Hare’s Ear wet, Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle, Adams wet and Blue Wing wet.

Dry fly patterns should include Adams and Blue Wing parachutes, Hendrickson Compara Duns, Hare’s Ear HiVis Parachute and March Brown Sparkle Duns.

Leaders should be nine to ten feet in length and tapered down to 4X.

Start your day with nymphing with one or two nymph patterns and keep an eye out for the emergence of adults (midday at this time of season). If your lucky enough to fish over rising fish, get the best dead drift you can. Try swinging some wets after the hatch also. Don’t  forget the spinner pattern towards evening and mornings.

Enjoy your time on the water, good luck and be a good steward to the area by picking up any and all trash, not crowding others and practicing careful release methods.

To see more on Todd Towle, click here.

WINTER 2012 / 2013 FULL SERVICE RATES
Full-Service Season: Friday, December 21st – Sunday, March 31st 2013. Hot lunch available for purchase at all three huts Friday through Sunday 11:30am – 1:30pm. Trail lunches available for purchase daily for overnight guests. Gear shuttles also available during the winter full-service season at $20 per bag. Advanced reservations for bag shuttles are recommended.

The 2012 winter MH&T crews. Back row L to R: Tim Zlotkoski, Matt Didisheim, Kevin Ross. Middle row L to R: Jakob Wyder & Jenny Baxter. Bottom L to R: Mike Dowling, Lindsay Hill, Mike Joe Jones, Ellen McDevitt & Zack Bell

Hello! This is former Flagstaff Hut Master Ellen McDevitt bringing you the report on what’s next for this past winter’s hut crews.

The Poplar Hut boys have dreamed up some grand adventures: Matt will be embarking on a cross-country bike tour with friends.  Kevin will be spending the month of April as a Maine Huts and Trails caretaker, and then he’ll be returning to his regular summer gig leading sea kayaking trips on the Maine coast. Mike Joe is working and growing food on a friends homestead in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He plans to work his way across the country and back this summer, working on farms and attending a few music festivals. In the fall, Jakob will be heading out to Montana to start his freshman year at college.

After reading everything there was to read at Grand Falls Hut while caretaking this spring, Hutmasters, Mike and Lindsay are heading to Alaska (!) to work at an eco-lodge on the Kenai Peninsula – a 4 hour ride by boat from Seward.

The Flagstaff crew is excited for the warm months ahead, and has found ways to spend lots of time outside enjoying the weather. Zach will be working as a field teacher at the U Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryant Pond until November. He’ll be teaching natural history and outdoor recreation to kids ages 8-17. Tim is going home to Islesborough, to work as a lobsterman and plumber. Jenny has already started her job as Mess Mate on the Mary Day, one of the Windjammer Fleet, which anchors in Camden, Maine. (The Mess Mate isn’t in charge of making a mess, in case you were wondering…she’s responsible for helping the cook and also helping out on deck.) She’s hoping to be able to wave to Tim on some of her sailing trips!
I’m currently working at Pete’s Greens, an organic farm in Craftsbury, Vermont. I’m really looking forward to the arrival of green vegetables and the end of cabbage. I’ll be spending the summer working as a Head Chef at Hosmer Point, a summer camp in Craftsbury.

As far as I know, no one has plans past this fall…maybe you’ll see some of us next winter. Until then, you’ll just have to make do with summer hut crew! Sky, our Huts Manager, is pretty excited about the new crew. I’m sure they’ll bring some terrific new energy to the huts this summer.

The ice is out of Flagstaff Lake and the water level in the Dead River is currently running at low mid-summer levels, making for some ideal flat-water canoeing and kayaking at MH&T

Flat-water Canoeing and Kayaking at MH&T
The canoeing and flat-water kayaking options around Flagstaff and to Grand Falls suit a range of skill levels, and are uniquely scenic and peaceful. Here are a few paddle options for you to consider.

Paddling in to Flagstaff Lake: There are a couple different spots to put in for a paddle to Flagstaff Hut.
0.3 miles from the Flagstaff Trailhead on Long Falls Dam Road: 2-mile paddle, approximately ¾ to 1 ½ hours
Long Falls Dam Road boat launch: 2-mile paddle, approx.. ¾ to 1 ½ hours
Round Barn (on East Flagstaff Road) put-in: 4 mile paddle, approx. 1 to 2 hours
Bog Brook Road boat launch: 5 mile paddle, approx. 1 ½ to 3 hours
Stratton / Eustis boat launch: 21 to 28 mile paddle, approximately 7 to 14 hours
Though all of these paddle trips sound (and can be) awesome, please remember that Flagstaff Lake is very large and can get very windy. A fun afternoon paddle could quickly turn into a miserable or even dangerous evening, so please honestly consider your own abilities (and those of your weakest paddlers) before planning any ambitious, point-to-point trip.

Hut-to-hut paddling: You had already figured out you could paddle into Flagstaff Lake Hut. But did you know that you can paddle down the Dead River to get to Grand Falls Hut? This trip follows the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. If you put in below the dam and take out at our dock above the falls, you get to enjoy about six miles of pristine wilderness flat-water on the Dead River. There, you can stow your canoe, grab your packs and hike the last few miles in to the hut! Continue your paddle the next day on Spencer Stream, or paddle back up the Dead to your car.
Do not plan to paddle this section on a day they’re releasing from the dam. For release levels, call 1800-557-FLOW; select “Kennebec” and “Flagstaff” to get the flow from Long Falls Dam (Flagstaff Lake).

Paddle-and-camp trips: If you’re up for a mix of rough and luxe, plan a multi-night hut-and-camp trip. Put in at Eustis/Stratton, spend the night at Round Barn (at the base of the Safford Brook trail to the Bigelows), and paddle in to Flagstaff the next day. Or, you can follow the Northern Forest Canoe Trail: www.northernforestcanoetrail.org. This is more mileage and more adventure—the wind can really whip up on the lake and the lake itself is very large. Even though the paddling can be rigorous, Julie, Poplar’s Hut Master for summer 2011, raves about this trip.

Guided trips: We offer guided canoeing and kayaking trips in conjunction with H2Outfitters. Our standard package is three nights and four days long, and includes paddling instruction and equipment, meals, and shuttles from beginning to end. For dates and prices, click here.

Bob Peixotto, Board Chair of Maine Huts & Trails commented, “We are pleased to bring such an accomplished young leader to western Maine and Maine Huts & Trails.  Nicole has a track record of highest success in all of her endeavors, and is highly motivated by our vision of economic development through healthy outdoor recreation and nature based tourism, as well as public access and conservation of the region’s magnificent backcountry.  The entire Maine Huts & Trails community is delighted to have Nicole assuming a lead role in our efforts.”

Freedman will be only the second full-time Executive Director of Maine Huts & Trails replacing David Herring who in six years developed the organization from a vision to an award winning 45 mile trail system for people powered recreation, stretching from Carrabassett Valley to The Forks with three remote huts (full service lodges) along the way.  During his tenure the organization has built a strong state and national reputation and was recently featured in a two and one-half page lead story in the February 19^th New York Times Travel section.

Freedman will transition into her Executive Director role in April. At the same time Herring will retain a role as a part-time Special Advisor and Development Director for the organization.

Question: What’s more fun than going to a hut in on Mother’s Day Weekend?

Answer: Going to a hut with tons of nature-oriented activities going on and a special Sunday morning treat for mom!

I am SO EXCITED for our latest, greatest event— Mother’s Day Family Weekend.

This is what’s going to happen:

1. Lessons about Aquatic Insects! Vernal pools! Wildflowers! Frogs and Spring Peepers! And more!

2. Experiential energy education from the Maine Energy Education Program!

3. Campfires! And storytelling! Paddling on Flagstaff Lake!

4. Your kids (or grandkids, or nieces, etc.) will put together awesome nature journals!

5. You’ll eat awesome healthy food that you don’t have to cook or hike in!

6. Everyone in your family will be able to enjoy spring in the Maine woods! While children and the young-at-heart will embrace the mud, and play with bugs, adults can enjoy a glass of wine on the patio, yoga on the screened porch, or a good book by the fire. Then everyone can take a hot shower, hang stuff up in the drying room, and enjoy a delicious hot meal.

7. Moms will enjoy a very special treat Sunday morning. The kids will participate.

I’m not sure I used enough exclamation marks to describe how excited I am.

In case you’re wondering about the logistical details, here they are:

Who: All families are invited. The activities will be aimed at students from 3^rd through 8^th grade, accompanied by a parent.

What: It will be a really fun, really educational, and slightly muddy weekend. We’ll explore the biodiversity of Flagstaff Lake, learn about Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, and more.

When: May 11-13, 2012

Where: Flagstaff Lake Hut. (2 miles from the trailhead on Long Falls Dam road)

How Much: Member adults pay $69 per day and non-members will pay $79 per day. Kids stay free when accompanied by their parents. Meals (including snacks) and lodging are included in that price. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and space is limited.

Meals and Accommodations: We will be providing meals and snacks from Friday night to lunch on Sunday. We have running water, indoor toilets, and hot showers in the main lodge. Our sleeping accommodations are bunkrooms that sleep from three to eight people. We do not provide linens or bedding.

Recommended Packing List: Participants need to come dressed for time outdoors. This includes, but is not limited to, non-cotton clothing and extra non-cotton layers (including a complete change of clothes), weather-appropriate outdoor clothing (especially rain gear), a warm hat and gloves, sturdy waterproof boots, indoor shoes or slippers, a sleeping bag and pillowcase, and toiletries. We also recommend you carry a small first aid kit, at least 2 quarts of water per person, and a map. All these items should fit into a backpack that can be comfortably carried in to the hut.
Optional Items: Camera, reading material, shower towel.

If you dig back into the recesses of your brain, you might remember my blog post about the Three-Minute Shower Challenge. After a season of offering this energy-saving activity, I am proud to report that many of our guests have completed the challenge. We created a “Shower Challenge Wall of Fame,” and those who took a three minute shower were given the chance to add to the Wall of Fame. Sadly, the winter season is drawing to a close and it’s time to scrub that wall…so I’ve compiled a list of quotations from those posters. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to include all the artistic designs that accompanied these sayings!

3-minute shower = 3-minute bliss! (Pete and Leslie)
Conserve Water Queen! It’s good to save water! (Eva)
I took the 3 Challenge! (Sharon)
Konstantin (and pictures of various amoeba-like creatures)
YEAH! (Sue)
I did it! I completed a 3 minit shower. (Isla)
You Otter Try a 3 Min Shower! (This entry also had an adorable drawing of an otter)
We did it! How is it possible? Under 3 minutes! (Carol and Wanda)
Three minute shower challenge winner! (Jenny)
Approximate time: 2:12:03 (Joe)
I did it! The 3 minute shower! (Birken)
Too cold! Too hot! Just right! 3 minutes! What am I going to do with the other 2? Did you miss a spot? (Lauren and Josh)
G-FLO King of the 3 min. shower
tic tic tic…ding! (Melinda and Matthew)
Clean enough! (Becky)
Under 2 minutes but still stanky (Ben C)

If you took a three-minute shower at the hut, congratulations! Hopefully you got most of the stink off (poor Ben C…). And thank you for helping us save energy, especially in the winter, when the days are short and the solar power is limited. Hopefully we’ve made people a little more aware of how they can reduce their daily energy use.

Hope to see you at the hut this summer, when you can skip the shower altogether and jump in the lake instead!

That title sounds sort of like a children’s book, doesn’t it? Well, we were acting like 10-year-olds when we saw the critters today. After breakfast we saw this big guy:

And after dinner dishes were done, we saw this little guy:

He was poking around pretty slowly, so we got a good look at how his coat was changing color. I haven’t seen a moose in Maine yet this season, and I’ve never seen a snowshoe hare, so both sightings were pretty exciting for me!
Apologies for the mediocre photography. Now I’m off to start writing my best-selling picture book, Wake Up, Wake Up, It’s Spring.*

*Just kidding! I’m not exactly a budding novelist. But we are working on a Hut Cookbook which will be available for purchase, hopefully by this summer! I’ll keep you updated as work progresses.
- Ellen

The Portland Friends School Outing Club trip to Flagstaff Lake Hut in early March started off on the right foot. Or, more accurately, the trip started off on base of 2’6” of snow. With the coastal Maine region experiencing a serious lack of snow this season, the 16 students and 14 adults were especially enthusiastic for the trip. Equipped with snowshoes and skis, the group made its way into the hut, accompanied by Huts Manager Sky Purdy. Everyone settled into their bunkrooms and then enjoyed a picnic lunch in the dining room.

The afternoon program included a green energy lesson from Marianne Cataldo from the Maine Energy Education Program. Marianne guided the students through a program that included building batteries out of apples, constructing small photovoltaic cells and wind turbines, and learning about solar energy. The rest of the afternoon was spent outside. Marianne (a former Hut Crew member) compiled Winter Animal Tracking guides for a scavenger hunt, and the group put sleds and an ice drill (which they carried in) to good use.

The group—accompanied by 16 other guests—settled down for dinner at 6:30. Hut Crew served whole-wheat biscuits with turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, and chocolate cake with maple frosting. After dinner, the students took an energy tour and explored the practical applications of the energy lesson they had earlier in the day. By 9:30, the students were in bed and the night-owl adults had a chance to enjoy some quiet time by the fire.

Everyone rose for a 7:30 breakfast of pancakes with Maine blueberries, sausage, yogurt, granola, and fruit. By 9:00, the students were ready to help out with morning chores to sneak in some community service. At 10:00 the snow sculpting competition commenced, with Hut Crew as the team of judges. The students broke into groups and entered four different sculptures in the contest: Fat Albert, Atlantis in Winter, the Loch Flagstaff Monster, and Tumbledown Mountain. All of the sculptures were intricate and creative and each received a unique award. Free time—for reading, playing outside, or other activities—was then on the schedule until lunch. After lunch, the group headed back out to the trailhead, having (finally!) enjoyed some real winter hut fun!

Math is Fun!

I’m sure that a blog post about math is not quite what you’re expecting from a former history major who works at a backcountry hut…But I’m here today to tell you that math can be delicious. Of course, I’m referring to one particular number, and one particular day. Pi Day!
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this unique holiday, it celebrates the number pi—3.1415. Pi Day is celebrated on March 14^th, because March 14^th can also be written as 3.14. I think Pi Day celebrations are pretty common in middle and high school math classes, and on Pi Day last year, hut crew celebrated with a contest to see who could recite the most digits of pi.
This year, we decided to take things a step further and celebrate Pi Week! If Pi Day is good, then Pi Week must be better, right? We put together a themed menu for the celebration. So far, we’ve had chicken pot pie, pizza pie, shepherd’s pie, lemon pie, pumpkin pie, and—my favorite—chocolate peanut butter pie. Guests have suggested we expand our repertoire to include cookie pie, strawberry-rhubarb pie (mmm, summer at the hut!), and chili pie! I think we’ll need more than one week to try all these different pies…

If you need inspiration for your own Pi Day celebration, here’s our hut’s ultra-flaky pie crust recipe, and a picture of our chocolate peanut butter pie.

1 cup butter, frozen (or really, really cold)
3 cups flour
Pinch salt (if using unsalted butter)
Dash of vanilla (if making a fruit or sweet pie), or a pinch of your favorite herbs for a savory pie
4-8 T cold water

Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Grate in frozen butter. Add vanilla or herbs, if using. Add 4 tablespoons of water, gently stirring. Slowly add more water, stopping once the mixture will hold its form when pressed into a ball (some crumbling of the dough is acceptable). Separate dough into two balls. Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a bit larger than your pie pan. Add your filling of choice and bake!

YUM!!!!