THE LATEST FROM THE OSI BLOG
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This spring marks my 26th year exploring Maine’s whitewater. Every spring, I find myself with friends somewhere in Maine’s wild interior, enjoying the smell of evergreen tannins and thawing dirt, as we trudge through the woods seeking the promise of adventure. Throughout the years, I’ve learned so much from these rivers and streams. One of the most important lessons has been that it’s the experience of connection - to others, to the land, and to myself - that has sustained my passion for outdoor recreation. This connection has kept me coming back to the mud, the cold, and the high waters of spring year after year. It has taught me to embrace discomfort in service of something greater.
The Outdoor Sport Institute (OSI) has been awarded $1.25 million in grants to expand non-motorized trail systems throughout Maine's Katahdin Region, supporting the area's growing outdoor recreation economy and enhancing its position as a premier trail destination.
As the year draws down towards the winter solstice, we gather close in reflection and gratitude. 2025 was an awesome year and we are thankful for the communities, partners, and leaders we were able to support. Here’s a brief look at some of our work from the past year.
Some days I marvel at how much time I spend living inside a screen. From emails and zoom calls, to podcasts and apps, the digital world can feel all-consuming. As it grows, so too does the need for experiences that bring us into contact with something real. This is why I love our work in outdoor sport, it’s all about getting real –
Real effort bringing trails to life.
Real learning with emerging leaders.
Real partnerships to activate community.
Outdoor leadership is often defined by technical skills — climbing, paddling, wilderness medicine, navigation. Every year we deliver specific training across a variety of technical outdoor activities. It’s easy to equate outdoor leadership with technical skills because they are such an obvious part of the work, but technical skills alone rarely get the job done.
The first year of the race saw nearly 100 registrants, not bad for a new event in Maine’s already robust spring canoe race series, organized by the Maine Canoe and Kayak Race Organization (MaCKRO). A stretch of water that has always flowed through town, suddenly thanks to Chris’s determination, had filled with boats and people. Crandall Park, one of Millinocket’s charming but sleepy green spaces, looked like a packed concert venue with multi-colored watercraft lining the sidewalks (a scene that has quickly become an annual tradition).
In May OSI provided the Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) Lands staff with training in sustainable trail basics. OSI was thrilled to provide this workshop. Personally, I am beyond excited to share new thinking and approaches to trails with land managers. As a born and raised New Englander, our legacy of recreation does not always fit with what we know about sustainability. Since land managers are continually tasked with more to do and less to do it with, it is always refreshing to see an agency take a hard look at their trails with new knowledge.
Turning a well-thought-out plan into reality takes more than shovels. The first step to trail implementation is quality design and layout. This spring, OSI was asked to provide phase 1 design for Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) on their Rolfe Hill Forest property.
The OSI Katahdin Region Trail Crew (Crew) kicked off at the beginning of May and my stoke levels are high for our 2025 season! Crew Manager, Kevin Stewart, and I led a brief training to acquaint the new employees with our practices, worksites, and team. Many returning crew members bring their knowledge and skills back, helping our new hires learn and grow.
While the winter has kept me busy with prep for the upcoming season, I was excited to get some miles on the boots so early. OSI kicked off in the Katahdin region with a project in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC). While there were no big backcountry hikes, we did help facilitate a day in the region looking at trail development sites.