Winter Season is on its way! Snowmobile Rentals Maine Winter Vacation

Well we hope....We are well into our fall/early winter season in the Moosehead Lake Region. The leaves have fallen from the trees. The wildlife of the area are starting to move to the next season as well. The Moose "Rut" mating season is well behind us and Whitetail Deer too. The woods have grown quiet but for that chattering of hte Red Squirrels scolding me while she fills her nest with food for the winter. Its just days now until The Big Lake caps over for that long winter coating of deep thick Ice. This can only mean one thing for those of us who love the next season. WINTER IS COMING!

Our staff have busy as Beavers preparing the store with new inventory like warm clothes, Skis, Snowshoes and Snowmobile Gear. The snowmobile rentals are getting a good tune up. X/C ski packages are flying out the door in anticipation of that first big snowfall of the season. Keep posted to this blog- as the next will be full of winter pictures and activity reports. It wont be long now.
Maine Moose Watching Maine Winter vacation

Paddling the West Branch

With the close of Summer, the Northwoods Outfitters team decided to take a little R & R trip. We closed the store down one dreary Monday afternoon and piled into the trusty van for our excursion: paddling the West Branch. For me personally, this was one of those moments in life that is simultaneously as terrifying as it is beautiful. I have been in a kayak before; I understand the concept of paddling; however, I had never kayaked in moving water: with rapids and rocks. I am admittedly, a novice.

And I think it showed: I departed wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. It was not until after the fact that I was advised "cotton kills".

Our trip was beautiful. Although the day was overcast and drizzly, the foilage was magnificent. There is something alluring about the peaceful quiet of nature. We ended the trip with burgers and dogs on the grill. A great afternoon for all.

Richard & Steve



Eric



Mike & Pat





Hope & Chris



Dan, Dave, & Emerson





Moosin' Around

There is a crispness in the air; a bit cool. Summer is closing in as Fall draws near. The leaves will soon start their metamorphosis: miraculous ribbons of scarlet red and burnt orange will captivate the foliage. The moose are still active. On this crisp morning we enjoyed a spectacular show of a moose eating. Moose are excellent swimmers and are known to wade into water to eat aquatic plants, like lillies and pondweed. Enjoy this video of our recent Moose Safari. 

Sunset Cruise

The Sunset Cruise is one of the many tours that Northwoods Outfitters provides. Few experiences compare to the feeling of wind blowing in your hair, out on the wide open lake, enjoying a peaceful moment gazing at the sunset. Bliss.

The pictures of this Sunset Cruise will show you that we help create special memories for families to share. We typically provide some treats; in this case, an assortment of fresh fruit, veggie platter, crackers & cheese.

A stop at the beach allowed the kiddos some great swimming. It was a beautiful night.

Unfortunately, when it was time to get back on the boat for the remainder of the cruise, the boat would not start! Our quick thinking guide started a fire as nightfall set in and while they were waiting for another boat to arrive.

Everybody still had a wonderful and memorable time!

The Berry Patch

One of our shuttle drivers, Buddy, was on his way to pick up some Penobscot canoers. He spotted a field full of berries and pulled over to take a look. Suddenly, a black bear stood up tall on her hind legs, looking at Buddy and sending out a warning signal. Then, her cub popped up in front of her belly, curiousity getting the best of her!

Allagash River Trip



Preparing for Trip



Gathering Gear

Connecticut Boy Scout Troop #41 enjoyed a trip with Northwoods Outfitters this week. Here they are preparing for their adventure!

The Allagash River Canoe Trip is just one adventure trip that Northwoods Outfitters has to offer. This Boy Scout troop traveled from Connecticut to complete their excursion. They will be putting their Boy Scout skills to the test during this 7-day canoe and camping trip. The unspoiled nature of the Allagash River has made it a popular destination for canoe trips. In the 1850s Henry David Thoreau made two journeys by canoe along this river. Much of the river is considered the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, namely because Maine citizens voted to protect the river and its natural beauty. The Boy Scouts will enjoy its alluring adventure!



Adventures with Dan: Adventure Crew 100

It was an adventurous trip for some recent customers of Northwoods Outfitters. The crew headed out for several days of camping & canoeing on the Penobscot, clad out with Northwoods' equipment. On Thursday morning Dan headed out for their 12 noon pickup. It was a nice day; a bit cloudy, with thunderstorms moving in with the evening. Dan had a several hour drive ahead of him to reach the specified pickup location. Along the way he enjoyed many wildlife sightings: deer, hawks, a cow moose, a bear and her cub, and fox. After a long but enjoyable drive to the pickup location, Dan found that the crew had not arrived. This was a bit unusual but Dan, in his laissez-faire manner, didn't panic--not yet anyway!

It was quite apparent after some time that this party wasn't going to be showing up anytime soon. With nightfall quickly approaching, Dan drove around in the northwoods wilderness tirelessly searching for our customers. He grew more and more nervous with every passing hour. To complicate things further, he was unable to maintain contact with Northwoods Outfitters because of lack of cell phone service. Dan was relying upon the Ranger Stations and using their phones. He was driving from one location to another, searching for our customers.

Back at the store, we still hadn't heard from our customers. We, too, were growing worried. The thunderstorms were setting in.

Long story short, Dan did eventually pick up our customers. The crew had missed their designated pick up location and were found at another spot. All were in good spirits when he finally found them. Fortunatley, everyone was safe. We chuckle about the mishap now. Dan drove a total of 16 hours that day!