Happy New Year!!!!!

Maine Ice Fishing Update (Dec 31, 2007)

The ice fishing enthusiasts are welcoming the start of a new ice fishing season here in Maine. Some articles in the Maine newspapers are also carrying the news of the new season. See "Anglers are anxious to get out on the ice", Kennebec Journal, Dec 31, 2007 and "Ice fishing preview: Good fishing to be had throughout region", keepMEcurrent.com, Dec 30, 2007 (by Francis Brautigam- a Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist).

Safety on the Ice

Read some common sense advice about winter sports and ice safety in the Maine Trails Tales Blog posting of 29 Dec 07 "A Little Concern Goes a Long Ways on Ice". Some of the technical information from this post came from the United States Search and Rescue Task Force's "Cold Water Survival" web page. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has issued ice safety warnings - see the Sun Journal article of December 21, 2007 entitled "Wardens issue ice safety warning". Another source of ice safety information is Outakes Winter Wonders with its posting entitled Ice Safety Tips.

Maine Ice Fishing Season Starting In Days

The Maine Ice Fishing season is starting on January 1st. This has grab the attention of the Maine press and stories abound on this traditional Maine winter sport. Read the online postings that follow: "State Ice-Fishing Season Starts Jan. 1", WMTW.com, December 28, 2007; "Catching smelts for ice fishermen is an adventure in itself", Morning Sentinel, December 29, 2007; "Plenty of hot spots for fishers", Morning Sentinel, December 29, 2007; and "Ice Fishing for Smelts", Fish Geek Blog, December 28, 2007. Click here for more information on ice fishing in Maine to include ice fishing associations, informational resources, firms offering ice fishing tours in Maine, and ice fishing events and derbies.

Skiing in Maine

With the holidays and abundant snow skiers are hitting the Maine slopes. Some recent news articles in the Maine press include "Holiday's time to ski small Maine resorts", Kennebec Journal, Dec 29, 2007 and "Rustic Overtones Kicks off the Bud Light Concert Series at Sunday River", firsttracksonline.com, Dec 29, 2007. For more information on skiing in Maine see the "Skiing in Maine" web page of Travel-Maine.Info.

Maine Snowmobile Season Looking Good

All indications are that this winter will be a good season for snowmobiling in Maine. One newspaper is reporting that snowmobile sales in Maine are up (see "Snow sells", Kennebec Journal, December 29, 2007). Some are saying that this is the best start to the season since the mid-1990s.

2007 a Safe Hunting Season

The 2007 deer hunting season has been determined to be one of Maine's safest since 1940. Mandatory hunter education programs have been cited in the recent record of safe hunting seasons here in Maine. To read more see the boston.com web page posting of December 28, 2007 - "Maine records one of its safest deer seasons".

A Maine Winter Wonderland

With the recent snowfall here in Maine this past week sports enthusiasts are delighted. Snowboarders, skiers of all types, and snowmobilers will be out in force. The picture above is my favorite cross country skiing area - my backyard! Enjoy. Visit the http://www.travel-maine.info/ website for information on skiing and snowmobiling.

Ice Fishing Update for Maine (Dec 28, 2007)

The Maine ice fishing season officially opens this Tuesday, January 1, 2008. Provided here are a series on online news articles about the upcoming ice fishing season here in Maine. MaineToday.com has published it's "2007-2008 Ice Fishing Preview". Presented is information on stocks, places to fish, new state regulations, and more - with a breakdown on ice fishing by regions of Maine. Maine State Wardens have issued an ice warning - stating that some larger lakes and ponds may not be frozen enough to support ice fishing and snowmobile activity. The Ellsworth American has published an article about how new state regulations have enhanced ice fishing in Maine - see "Ice Fishing Opportunities Abound Thanks to New Regulation" - (Dec 27, 2007). The Schoodic Lake Ice Fishing Derby will be held on February 16-17, 2007. The Third Annual Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby will be held in St. Agatha, Maine during February 2-3, 2007. Click here for more information on ice fishing in Maine provided by http://www.travel-maine.info/.

Lebanon Trail Riders Snowmobile Club (Maine)

The Lebanon Trail Riders Snowmobile Club, a part of the Maine Snowmobile Association, has been maintaining and improving the trail system in the local area of Lebanon, Maine in York County. Click here to see a map of the Lebanon Snowmobile Trail. The following extract was taken from a Dec 26, 2007 posting on the http://www.keepmecurrent.com/ website entitled Community News:

"The trail system now covers 30 miles of trails, part of which is on the power lines in Lebanon. The club had to obtain legal permits from the CMP power company to use this section. The rest of the trails are on private land, which the club receives yearly permits to be able to use. Riders can access the CMP trail from Northeast Pond (one of the Milton 3 Ponds) on the Maine side, across from MI-TE-JO campground. From the power lines trail access can be gained to ITS 89 or the Sanford trail system. Also from the power lines, riders can get over to Route 202 in Lebanon beside Rt. 202 Quick Stop/Shell gas station. There is also a parking lot to unload sleds and access the trail system from the gas station."

The address for the club is below:

Lebanon Trail Riders
PO Box 33
East Lebanon ME 04027

Click here for more information on snowmobiling in Maine.

XC Skiing at Riverside Golf Course in Portland, Maine

A trail review was done by a blogster on the Outdoors webpage on MaineToday.com of the Riverside Golf Course of Portland, Maine. See pictures and a description of this golf course offering cross country skiing. See the Riverside Golf Course website for more info. See a listing of other Maine cross-country ski areas by Outdoors of MaineToday.com.

A Maine New Year's Eve

Folks planning on spending their time in Maine during New Year's Eve will have plenty of activities to choose from. In addition to the usual assortment of outdoor winter activities such as snowmobiling, skiing, ice fishing, and more several cities and towns plan events to bring in the New Year. Bangor, Maine will be offering it's "Downtown Countdown" - described in a recent Bangor Daily News article (Dec 26, 2007) - "Bangor gears up for New Year's Eve". See the Bangor, Maine website for more info on "Downtown Countdown". MaineToday.com has an extensive listing of New Year's Eve events taking place in Maine - see their event calendar.

Smelt Fishing in Wintry Maine

Smelt fishing in the Maine winter? Maine is a state with many outdoor winter sports and activities - some well-known and others not so common. Learn how some folks pass the winter in Maine by sitting in a wooden shanty on ice and fishing for smelts. Smelts are small relatives of the salmon and are usually found in the Merrymeeting Bay area near Bath, Bowdoinham, and Brunswick, Maine. The New York Times has run a descriptive article on this unique fishing activity - "A Fishing Scene Set in Icy Maine" - (Dec 26, 2007). The Maine Department of Marine Resources has a listing of Maine's Smelt Camps that you can refer to. Other, older but relevant, news articles on smelt fishing in Maine include these by MaineToday.com called "The sense of smelt" published Feb 10, 2002; a description on how to do Smelt Fishing by inquiry.net; and "Smelt on the run" by MaineToday.com Outdoors. For more information see Ice Fishing in Maine.

Maine Alpine Racing Association (MARA)

Here is a new website about skiing in Maine that I have run across - The Maine Alpine Racing Association (MARA). MARA is a non-profit corporation active in the state of Maine and affiliated with the alpine division of the USSA program. MARA's mission is to unite various alpine skiing organizations in Maine in one association that promotes amateur alpine skiing competitions for all ages. Click here for more general information on skiing in Maine.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Travel-Maine.Info

Christmas Activities in Southern Maine

To view a listing of Christmas activities in the southern Maine area see Foster's Daily Democrat's listing provided in their posting - "Christmas services, dinners, celebrations in the area".

Whaleback Ledge Lighthouse - Kittery, Maine

The American Lighthouse Foundation and the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse will be joining together to maintain the Whaleback Ledge Lighthouse located in Kittery, Maine. It will become official once the National Parks Service makes its decision on the future of the lighthouse. The Portland Press Herald published a story on this lighthouse on December 24, 2007 entitled "Lighthouse off Kittery gains new friends".

Snowmobile Update for Maine - Dec 24, 2007

The Jackman Moose River Region Chamber of Commerce website is now posting snowmobile trail reports. These reports are designed to update snowmobilers on the region's trail conditions. See a PR release about these reports in the prleap.com posting entitled "New Jackman Maine Snowmobile Trail Report Available with Daily Updates".

The Maine Warden Service has issued a ice safety warning. Many of the lakes and ponds in Maine appear to be frozen but that is not necessarily the case. Even though we have had cold nights with freezing temperatures the recent snowfall tends to insulate the lakes and ponds, which slows the freezing process. Read more in the Sun Journal posting (Dec 21, 2007) entitled "Wardens issue ice safety warning".

Amtrak Downeaster - Popular Train in Maine

The Amtrak Downeaster runs from Boston to towns and cities along the coast of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine ending in Portland, Maine. The stops include Portland, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Wells, Dover, Durham - UNH, Exeter, Haverhill, Woburn, and Boston. Although popular with its riders and a boom to the tourism trade of Maine, it has a rough road ahead in the next few years if additional sources of funding do not materialize. Currently it operates at a loss and federal aid for the railway is due to go away. Read more in the Christian Science Monitor article of December 24, 2007 entitled "Amtrak Downeaster: Successful Train Faces Uncertain Future". View photos of the Amtrak Downeaster. Other news reports about the Downeaster include "Amtrak's Downeaster celebrates fifth-year anniversary", USA Today, Dec 15, 2006; "It's time to pay the Downeaster's ticket", Portland Press Herald editorial, Dec 22, 2007; "Who should fund Downeaster", Portland Press Herald editorial, Dec 21, 2007; and "Amtrak riders up; aid may follow", Boston.com, Dec 18, 2007.

Downhill Skiing at Hermon Mountain in Maine

Noted here is a recent news article posted on the Internet about downhill skiing at a small, family owned ski area called Hermon Mountain, in Hermon, Maine. "Small Mountains Thankful For Early Snow", WCSH6.com, Dec 21, 2007. For more information click the website for Hermon Mountain. Read other reviews of Hermon Mountain to include: "New Hermon Mountain" by Alpinezone.com; "New Hermon Mountain" by Goski.com; "New Hermon Mountain Ski Area" by New England Ski Resorts; "Herman Mountain Ski Resort" by Ski Engine; and "Snow Report & Forecast for Hermon Mountain Ski Area" by The Weather Channel. For more information about skiing in Maine see "Maine Skiing" by Travel-Maine.info.

Cross Country Skiing in Maine

Here is a place to ski if you live or are traveling to the Augusta, Maine area. Visit the Pine Tree State Arboretum in Augusta. They have a six-mile, year round trail system open to cross-country skiing on groomed winter trails.

Scenic Drives in Maine

Read an article posted by mainetoday.com on December 14, 2007 about "Most scenic routes in Maine".

Maine Nordic Ski Centers are Now Open!

Maine's Nordic Ski Centers are now open. These include Harris Farm, Pineland Farms, Carter's in Oxford, and Five Fields Farm in Bridgton. The early snowfall has benefited these skiing areas. Read more in the MaineToday.com posting of December 13, 2007 entitled "Maine nordic centers are open".

Shawnee Peak, Maine Now Open for Skiing

Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Maine opened on December 8, 2007 for skiing. Shawnee Peak, once known as Pleasant Mountain, has been offering skiing for 70 years. Read an article about this ski area posted by keepMEcurrent.com entitled "Still peaking after all these years". Click here for more information about ski areas in Maine.

Hunting Turkeys in Maine

An interesting article about the growth of turkey flocks in the Jonesboro, Maine area was posted in The Ellsworth American on 13 Dec 07. The turkeys are making a comeback and although hunting is not allowed in that region of Maine just yet it probably will be in a few years.

Freeport, Maine, L.L. Bean, and Growth

The Times Record has published an article about the growth of L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine. This year L.L. Bean rolled out several new plans for growth to include an expansion of its retail store and an outdoor sports theme park. Read the December 12, 2007 article entitled "Changes await the town and L.L. Bean".

Early Snow in Maine Good for Winter Sportsmen

The early snowfall here in Maine is good for winter sportsmen and business owners. The cold weather is helping to keep the snow on the ground encouraging skiers and snowmobilers to hit the slopes and trails. Read more in the Portland Press Herald article "Snowfall invigorates businesses", (Dec 10, 2007). Read a related story in the Kennebec Journal - "Snow helps business owners", (Dec 10, 2007).

Ice Freezing Early But Not Quite Safe for Ice Fishing Yet

The ponds and lakes of Maine are starting to ice over but they are not quite ready yet for ice fishing or snowmobiling. Read more in the Kennebec Journal news article published on December 8, 2007 entitled "Early cold helping water 'catch' - Officials warn ice still not think enough for enjoyment".

Christmas Festivals Held in Small Maine Towns

A number of small Maine towns are holding Christmas season events that have turned into a major draw for tourists. Camden, Kennebunk, and Ogunquit, Maine are among those towns that offer festival weekends. See the Portland Press Herald (Dec 8, 2007) article entitled "Small-town Christmas festivals attract big-city residents".

Snowmobiling in Northern Maine

The Bangor Daily News carried an article (Dec 6, 2007) about snowmobiling in Northern Maine. See "Early snow boon for sled riders in County".

Fairs and Festivals for Southern Maine

The Portland Press Herald has published a list of fairs, festivals and seasonal events taking place in Southern Maine this weekend (Dec 8 and 9).

Holiday Gifts and Craft Show - Brunswick, Maine

The Dried Flower House with be presenting it's "Holiday Open House 2007" in Brunswick, Maine on December 8th and 9th between the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. You will find decorations and gifts for the holidays to include Christmas wreaths, swags, candles, incense, dried flower arrangements and more. For more information click on the following link:"Holiday Open House 2007 by the Dried Flower House of Brunswick, Maine".

Snowmobile Seasons Starts Early in Maine

The abundant snow fall and cold temperatures have provided an early start to the snowmobile season in Maine. The Bangor Daily News has published a detailed report on some of the snow conditions, places to go, and some safety considerations about snowmobiling in Maine. See "Snowmobile season off to an early start".

Get in Shape for Skiing in Maine

The MaineCoastNow.com website has posted an article called "Get in shape for skiing" (6 Dec 07). The article provides info on how to get ready for your winter sports season. Suggestions include running, swimming, and going to the gym to get into better shape for winter sports.

Riding Snowmobiles Safely in Maine

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is reminding snowmobilers to ride safe. It has provided hyperlinks to safety videos for snowmobilers to view. The department also has posted information on Snowmobile Education Courses which cover safety, laws, emergencies, survival, map & compass, first aid, and other subjects. These courses are offered in all counties throughout Maine. Click here for more information on snowmobiling in Maine.

How To Survive Long Cold Maine Winter? Go Outside!

Here is an article that tells you how to survive a long, cold Maine winter. The advice by the writer is to just get outside and take part in snowshoeing,snowmobiling, ice climbing, skiing, or some other winter sport. She also provides some helpful hints on how to keep warm, spend your money wisely, and have fun. See "Take it outside" (Sun Journal, 2 Dec 07).

Ski News and Season Preparation Tips for Maine

The Times Record (Brunswick, Maine) has posted an article on 30 Nov 07 entitled "It's winter so start thinking about skiing". Some good advice for those who have not yet gotten ready for the upcoming season on how to select a ski site and prepare or buy your ski equipment.

News on Saddleback Ski Area, Maine

The Saddleback ski area in Rangley, Maine hit the news recently (Dec 2, 2007) in a Boston Globe article entitled "Ever hear of Saddleback? Let it be our secret". Saddleback is located about four 1/2 hours drive north of Boston. While not as big as Sunday River or Sugarloaf it offers some good skiing and is not quite as crowded. Visit the website for Saddleback Maine. The Ski Maine Association has a web page that provides a brief description of and lists events taking place at Saddleback. The Denver Post has rated Saddleback as one of the "Top 10 most overlooked ski destinations" (2 Dec 07).

Dog Sledding in Maine

Dog-Sledding is one of those winter activities that is usually done in Alaska or norther Canada. However, there is a firm in Newry, Maine that offers dog-sledding trips and winter camping called the Mahoosuc Guide Service. Read an article by a patron of theirs published in the The Kansas City Star about his dog-sledding trip in Northern Maine. "Going with the dogs in Northern New England" (1 Dec 07). Other Maine dog sledding opportunities are presented by Maine Dogsledding Adventures, New England Dogsledding, and the dogsledding program offered by the Outward Bound Wilderness organization (for women only). See the following link for a listing of Maine Dog Sledding Guides.

Thoreau's Maine Woods

About 150 years ago the famous author Henry David Thoreau (of Walden Pond fame) traveled on a number of trips to northern Maine and wrote of those experiences. These writings were collected and became known as a collection of essays called "The Maine Woods". A non-profit group, called "Maine Woods Forever", has produced a map detailing Thoreau's three expeditions in Northern Maine. Read more in the Kennebec Journal article (Dec 2, 2007) - "Thoreau's Maine treks still relevant". For more articles on Thoreau and his Maine travels and writings see the following links: "Mountain of the People", Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc. (1997). "Trail Pays Tribute To Thoreau's Journeys In Maine Woods", courant.com, (23 Jul 2007). To view the trail map click on "Thoreau Wabanaki Trail".

Rabbit Hunting in Central Maine

For those hunters out there - here is an interesting read on varying-hare hunting or rabbit hunting in Central Maine. This news article talks about the experience of a hunting guide who does tours for varying-hare hunters. Read the article in the Morning Sentinel news posting of 1 Dec 07 entitled "Rabbit season better with snow".

Holiday Events in Southern Maine

As the Holiday Season comes upon families are looking for events to take their children to. The Foster's Daily Democrat has published a comprehensive listing of holiday events taking place in southern Maine. The events listed are taking place in Barrington, Berwick, Dover, Durham, Eliot, Exeter, Kittery, Lee, Madbury, Miltion, New Durham, South Berwick, York, and other towns. See the December 1, 2007 article entitled "Plenty of things to do around the holidays".

Maine Ski Resort News

Now that the ski season is upon us there are more news stories about skiing in Maine. This blog will attempt to list these stories for you on a daily basis.
"New England resorts get head start on ski season", SeacoastOnline, 30 Nov 07. This article rates those ski areas that have a good reputation for opening early yet providing a good skiing experience - mentioned is Sunday River.
"8th Annual Santa Sunday at Sunday River". SkiRebel Magazine, 30 Nov 07. This article mentions the annual Santa Claus event on Sunday, December 2nd at Sunday River. Hundreds of Santa Claus's will be skiing.
"Carry a Torch for the Cure at Sugarloaf". First Tracks!! Online Ski Magazine, 30 Nov 07. On December 28, 2008 Sugarloaf will hold the fourth annual Carry the Torch for the Cure Torchlight Parade.
Click here for more information on ski areas in Maine.