The term “outdoor leadership” might be one of the most often uttered and yet least understood phrases in the outdoor space. What on earth is outdoor leadership? Is it mastering a specific set of technical skills? Are you an outdoor leader once you can successfully read a map and compass or tie a specific knot? Do you need to climb, ski, bike, fish, hunt, or paddle with a specific level of proficiency, or is it about something greater than the sum of the constituent parts?
Read MoreIn 2017 we were looking for new strategies to make equipment accessible in rural Maine. For many years we had run a statewide equipment rental program with varying degrees of success. With trailers full of canoes, kayaks, SUPS, and mountain bikes, and over 1,000 sets of cross-country skis, it was difficult to figure out how to transport, maintain, and store everything season to season.
Read MoreThe internship with OSI was a logical continuation of my interest in the question: “what do people in Maine need?” Plus, it offered opportunity for expanding the little triangle of roots I had created in the state even further north, which I hoped would offer just a little bit more perspective on Maine.
Read MoreAfter living in Millinocket for the past three months, it is apparent there is loads of potential within the community that is just waiting to be unlocked. As a team we interns have been running programs here throughout the summer. The youth seem super excited about paddling kayaks or canoes, riding mountain bikes, and just getting outside. Seeing kids and families participate week after week, enjoying themselves, it feels like we are watching a culture of human powered outdoor sports forming right in front of us.
Read MoreThe lens that studying sociology has provided me for thinking about marginalized communities has helped me recognize my privilege, not only in my everyday life but also in these outdoor spaces. This has allowed me to see how the world of outdoor sport can become exclusive to those who do not have an easy pathway—a pathway that I was privileged to have during my childhood. An awareness of inequity in the outdoor world is part of what has led me to become an intern with OSI where I can grapple with issues of inequality and opportunity with a focus on outdoor recreation.
Read MoreWe’ve only been in Millinocket for a couple weeks but I already feel like I’ve become a part of the community. We’ve met community members and explored the area doing various activities. The other day we loaded the truck with whitewater boats and made our way up to a beach below Abol Falls on the West Branch of the Penobscot River. We spent the morning practicing wet exits and partner rescues. If you haven’t done this before, it consists of a lot of flipping upside down in your boat and just hanging out underwater until someone comes to flip you back up. Sounds nice, right?
Read MoreThe renowned performance psychologist, Dr. Jim Loehr, says that the most important story we will ever tell is the story we tell ourselves about our own lives. He calls it our “private voice”, the inner narrator, the voice that turns our perception into our reality.
Read MoreAnyone who has thought about getting others outdoors in their community has likely run into the challenge of figuring out how to provide safe, functional equipment to those that don’t have it. Bikes, skis, kayaks, paddles, snowshoes, backpacks…all of this gear comes with a price. Finding the funding to acquire gear is just one of many challenges. One thing is certain, running a successful gear lending program takes more effort, time, patience, and money than you think. The rewards, though, are enormous. Our thoughts? As one of the panelists at our recent roundtable discussion advised, “Just start. Nothing happens if you don’t take the first step.” For more from a great conversation check out the recent panel interview we hosted here.
Read MoreWhen you talk with people from places like Denmark, Greece, and the Virgin Islands, not to mention every corner of our own continent and our home state of Maine, you realize how many people are working through the same types of challenges.
Read MoreThis February we are focusing on the role games can (and should) play in outdoor sport. Who doesn’t like to play games? A well-crafted game can change everything when it comes to learning something new or honing existing skills.
Read MoreFebruary deserves more credit for the role it plays in our calendar. January might show up with a new year, but when February arrives it brings with it more daylight, more snow (at least in some places), and more opportunity to be outside. Winter shifts from its dark beginnings to its prime days of outdoor fun. February is like the July of winter, full of the season’s best promises.
Read MoreEven though Dick regularly leads epic mountain experiences, his goal is to help break down the everyday challenges of getting outside. We caught up with Dick in late December to find out more about what a life spent teaching and guiding in the mountains has shown him to be most important for aspiring outdoor leaders.
Read MoreWe’ve probably all heard some version of Einstein’s famous quote “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” It’s a nice reminder that learning is a never-ending journey, and one that requires humility. Though at times I think this “knowledge paradox” can leave us feeling a bit overwhelmed. Maybe we’re trying to teach our first ski lesson, lead a winter hike to a new place, or answer an eager student’s question. In those moments it’s nice to have some confidence that we’re doing things the “right way”.
Read MoreCommunity has the power to remind us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Maybe you had a local rope tow, a town skating rink, or a gnarly sledding hill that highlighted your childhood winters. These are the types of community recreation spots that fill the need to get out into the winter air and share a space with others.
Read MorePandemics aside, this time of year creates plenty of challenges to getting outside and seeing others. I’m as compelled as the next person to hide away and wait for brighter, longer days. Each fall, however, when that urge to hibernate sets in, I consider myself profoundly lucky. The amazing people that joined me week after week through the harshest months of the year in Maine’s hinterlands gifted me an important lesson: community is an antidote to gloom.
Read MoreIn a normal year, community outdoor programming during the winter months is an important way to help folks connect with each other and nature. This year it’s essential. Winter activity doesn’t have to be limited to skiing. Snowshoeing, fat biking, running, skating, and walking are all great winter activities, not to mention building snow forts and sledding.
Read MoreThis idea that you can improve if you’re willing to put in the effort and not be deterred by failure is commonly known as having a “growth mindset”, and it’s a popular concept. I haven’t met anyone that thinks this mindset is a bad idea, but conceptually understanding it and actually developing it are two different things.
If having this powerful mindset is so helpful, why is it so hard to develop?
Read MoreMindset is a crucial part of outdoor sport. Growth depends on both physical and mental fitness. Building a better mindset not only helps you to progress in your chosen outdoor pursuits, but it also allows you to navigate the struggles, disappointments, successes, and failures that come with outdoor experiences. Although we spend significant time talking about mindset, sometimes it’s hard to get a handle on concrete ways to improve your mental fitness and build a better outlook. Here are a few takes on bettering your mindset in outdoor sports; some tips, strategies, and ideas to help get you and your outdoor community thinking about a positive and effective mental state during your outside time.
Read MoreTrail awareness is understanding what’s happening with a certain trail and how it is forming our perception of that trail. Almost all of us have had the experience of using a trail and not giving it a second thought. What follows are some questions to get you to tune in the next time you’re out on your local trails. The idea here is not to judge or rank your trails, but rather, just observe, pay attention, and see what you can learn.
Read MoreWhen doubt creeps in we all appreciate seeing the trail marker or having a heads up about the hazards we might encounter. Reassurance can help us overcome the barriers that fear presents. Right now, it’s hard to feel that reassurance as schools go back in and we enter a new season. If there’s one thing that the outdoors and outdoor sport can teach us, though, it’s how to work with discomfort, fear, and exploring the unknown.
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