Stacking Up for Winter: Bowdoin College Volunteers at Poplar Stream Hut

There’s a special place in our hearts here at Maine Huts & Trails for student volunteer groups and our recent afternoon with Bowdoin College at Poplar Stream Hut reminded us exactly why.

The trip was part of Bowdoin’s community-based orientation program through the McKeen Center for the Common Good, a freshman orientation experience that gets new students out into Maine communities before classes even begin. The group itself was wonderfully diverse, with students hailing from Maine, across the U.S., and around the globe. For many, it was their first time venturing this far in the state and we were thrilled to be their introduction to this unique corner of Maine.

A Tour of Off-Grid Living

Before the work began, the crew got a full tour of Poplar Stream Hut’s off-grid systems. Students learned how the hut runs on a hydroelectric system, solar array, and lithium-ion batteries, and saw firsthand how our modern clivus composting waste system works. We also walked them through what hut operations look like in the summer season versus the winter, giving them a real sense of what it takes to keep a backcountry hut running year-round.

Putting In the Work

Then came the main event: firewood stacking. For a group of students who had never stacked Maine firewood before, they picked it up fast!. In record time, they neatly stacked multiple cords of wood in preparation for the coming winter, clearing the grounds completely. What might normally take a full day of effort was done with energy to spare. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t always get noticed, but it makes a real difference. Every cord stacked now is one less thing our hut staff have to worry about when the snow starts flying.

Thank you, Bowdoin College, for trekking up into the backcountry and donating your time and energy to help us prepare for winter. We hope it was the start of many great adventures with Maine Huts & Trail.

Fall Firewood Stacking: A Seasonal Need

Firewood stacking is a recurring need for us every fall, and we can’t do it without volunteers like the Bowdoin crew. If you’re part of a school or community group looking for a meaningful way to give back (and get outside), we’d love to hear from you.

Best of all, hut visits and stays are completely free for volunteer groups. It’s our way of saying thank you, and a chance to introduce more people to the beauty of backcountry Maine and our huts and trails system.

Ready to bring your group up to the huts? Reach out ASAP to our Program Manager Sam Shirley to get your fall firewood stacking trip on the calendar before winter arrives.