About Me

My Story

Ever since I can remember, I have been drawn to the outdoors. As a young boy, confined to the boundaries of our small town, I would seek refuge in whatever patch of woods I could find. It would give me pleasure to share my adventures with anyone willing to go along. 

As I grew older, having the means to escape our small town, I began to hike in the local parks of the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York. Whether it be to a unique natural feature in the Berkshires, the Catskills, Shawangunks or occasionally the Adirondack mountains. Most of these hikes were day trips. Day trips eventually turned into overnight trips. 

There was a special place that had always been on my mind but did not seem reachable for a long time. Then, prior to leaving New York, it had to be done. In 1992, I set out on an adventure with a high school buddy that was always up for somewhere new to visit. It took a while to plan our trip to Alaska. We would be gone a month living out of what we could carry on our backs. The hardest part of the planning was selecting the regions we could visit in such a short time. We were both in agreement that we needed to spend as much time in the backcountry as we could muster. During our travels, we visited Gustavus, Glacier Bay, Anchorage, Eagle River, lived as Spit Rats in Homer, backpacked in Denali National Park, and exited via Fairbanks. We even took a sea plane from Homer to Seldovia for an overnight stay. Since this was a trip I had imagined taking for a long time, my buddy let me set the itinerary. I read books on the regions, how to get from one location to the next and of course what to bring. We supplemented our meals with fish. The fishing was fantastic!

Shortly after returning from Alaska, my-soon-to-be wife decided to move to Maine. This move opened a new world of adventure for me. There was Mount Katahdin and Washington to name the well- known peaks.  My exploration would need to pause as we started our family here in Maine. My children grew up much like I did back in New York. We would plan day hikes and explore the nearby trails. Soon they were ready for overnight trips. This required baby steps but soon they were ready for weekends in Baxter State Park. By this time, they had made friends at school which led to me making friends with their parents. At least one parent shared my love for the outdoors. We hiked together, snow shoed, cross country skied and fly fished whenever we could fit it in.

Twelves years after my first adventure into Alaska I returned with my nephew. Having been there once already, my nephew let me do most of the planning. We only had two weeks for this trip so there would need to be some condensing. On this trip we kayaked into the Beardslee Islands, camping along the way. There was more time spent in Denali bushwhacking and camping in and around Polychrome Mountain. We made our way around the north side of the mountain connecting with the Toklat River. The river provided a corridor south back to the tote road for our return. 

Back in Maine we continued our love of hiking, backpacking and camping. We focused on Baxter State Park, visiting the park sometimes three to four times a year. Once everyone summitted Katahdin, the remaining peaks became our quest. Winters were a special time in the park offering solitude and beauty. We enjoyed backpacking in the lesser-known areas to visit ponds and lakes which provided hours of fishing. Not to limit ourselves to Baxter, we ventured into the White Mountains as well. We were often disappointed when we were unable to complete our quest due to weather or unexpected winter conditions lingering into late spring. 

My love of the outdoors and the desire to learn the skills to survive in the woods led me to join a search and rescue unit located in Southern Maine. I became a certified search team member in 2016 by completing the Basic Search and Rescue (BASAR) course and passing the written and field exams. Belonging to this organization has increased my knowledge of the outdoors in many aspects. Most of all, how to be safe. 

Along with my Maine Association for Search and Rescue certification, I also hold a Wilderness First Aid certification and CPR certification. I am currenting working towards my Team Leadership certification through MASAR. 

In 2021, I became a Registered Maine Guide in Recreation. I studied under a Master Maine Guide for several months, honing my skills in the backcountry and on the water. As a recreational guide, my focus is leading small groups of outdoor enthusiasts into places they would not normally venture on their own. Whether on foot, hiking for a day or backpacking for several days, or canoeing through our waterways, I would love to share this beautiful state with those who wish to discover her beauty.