Thank You Summer 2025 Local Sponsors
Sponsorships Make Hut Visits Possible for Local Schools
Maine Huts & Trails is pleased to announce our local business partners who helped sponsor school trips during the fall. Based out of Kingfield, Maine Huts & Trails (MH&T) is a nonprofit organization operating four backcountry lodges and a 50 mile non-motorized trail network between Carrabassett Valley and West Forks. During the spring, summer, and fall seasons, MH&T opens the huts to youth and community groups for private rentals. Local residents and business partners’ generosity allows local youth to visit the huts for reduced to no cost.
A key role in MH&T’s mission is to increase backcountry access, especially for youth & community members. The huts are the perfect backcountry setting for learning and teambuilding. Students can enjoy activities such as kayaking, canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, and swimming. They can experience the comfort of modern backcountry lodges while connecting with the outdoors and unplugging from busy modern life.
Over 40 middle school students from Stratton School were sponsored by a local resident. Thanks to the local’s generosity, Stratton School is able to visit the huts at least once every school year. Eighth grade students, who have been to the huts multiple times, take the lead in running the trips. This year, during their September visit, the crew enjoyed boating, swimming, and hiking at our Flagstaff Lake Hut, as well as time around the firepit during a stretch of warm and sunny weather.
For their first ever hut trip, Spruce Mountain High School’s Outdoor Club brought 15 students to Flagstaff Lake Hut at the end of September. The club’s visit was sponsored by Main-Land Development Consultants, Ranor Mechanical, and Androscoggin Savings Bank. Students were able to paddle on Flagstaff Lake and enjoy the surrounding hiking trails and beaches. Of their visit, Outdoor Club Advisor Chris Duca says, “Our weekend was phenomenal! Not only did we luck out with standout weather, we were greeted by two exceptionally hospitable hosts, Eliza and Ben. The facility and surrounding grounds were easily accessible for all of our students, the canoes/kayaks/paddle board provided unmatched experiences, and the beach around the vista added a lot of exploratory time for our kids.”
Mt. Abram High School Outing Club’s trip was sponsored by the Franklin Savings Bank Community Development Foundation. This year, close to 30 students hiked up to the highest elevation hut in the network, Stratton Brook Hut. At the end of their hike, students were rewarded with views of the Bigelow Range from the viewpoints around the hut. Evenings saw the club gather around the outdoor firepit for marshmallow toasting.
Maine Huts and Trails would like to thank the local businesses and members of the community who donated this year to make these trips possible! Every trip leaves a lasting impact on the students and provides them with an opportunity to connect with nature and each other amongst Maine’s backcountry lakes, streams, mountains, and forests. If you are interested in supporting youth outdoor recreation and exploration, email MH&T’s Youth & Community Program Manager, Sam Shirley, at [email protected].