Time flies during the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, and here we are at the end of semester number 68. Oz and I gathered around the old microphone to discuss the JMBS Digital Archives Project, the challenges of the spring semester (this semester in particular), how we’re running 3 semester courses this year, and a few other topics.
#FullTangLifestyle
#AroostookCounty
Photo: Deer in the field.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 137
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
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It’s been a while. This short episode is an announcement that we’re rebooting our podcast.
Photo: Boots. As this is our reboot episode.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 136
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
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Paul Sveum and I got together in our new digital studio (actually a piece of software) to talk about fly fishing opportunities for the upcoming 2025 season. We had a long list of topics to discuss and only got to a few of them. Hence the part 1 in the title. We’ll be recording another episode this week.
Photo: Paul casting below a waterfall in the North Maine Woods.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 135
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- 3-Day Fly Fishing Course.
- Advanced Fly Fishing On The West Branch
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on December 23, 2024. Rick, Oz and I got together via the internet to discuss the Maine Guide Medic wilderness first responder course that took place in November, 2024. We go over what worked well, what will be improved for next year, and some interesting things we learned. For me, the Stop The Bleed curriculum put a much finer point on how to manage excessive bleeding.
This was our first podcast using Riverside.fm to record, and while it sounds good, there were a few spots where people cut out when we were recording it, but their software adjusted for this. So I jumped in to fill the gap, but it wasn’t necessary. I’ll be adjusting for this next time. Overall it was simple to use and resulted in a great sound. We are toying with the idea of adding a video component to the podcast – stay tuned for more on this.
I hope you enjoy the episode and if you have any questions about the course be sure to get in touch.
#FullTangLifestyle
Photo: Building a bed and shelter during the overnight exercise on the Maine Guide Medic course.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 134
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- Maine Guide Medic course.
- Stop The Bleed – curriculum for stopping bleeding.
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on November 14. Sam Summers and discuss the Women’s Bushcraft & Canoe 3-Week Immersion, coming in 2025. We also discuss her experience on the 2024 Expedition Instructor program.
Photo: Sam paddling with her dog.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 133
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- Women’s Bushcraft & Canoe 3-Week Immersion.
- SW-Summers.com – Sam’s website and blog.
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on Saturday, September 21. Oz and Rick are back from the solo expedition canoe course. We discuss how it went, what worked, what didn’t, what the plan is for next time. If you’re interested, the solo canoe expedition course is on the calendar for next summer.
Photo: Lake reflecting the sky.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 132
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- Solo Expedition Canoe Course.
- The Scroll – Rick’s website featuring his survival and medical courses.
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on Saturday, September 14. Oz and Rick are in camp preparing to run the solo expedition canoe course and we decided to record our morning coffee discussion. Current events, all about the solo expedition canoe course, Rick’s survival courses in New Hampshire, Oz’s trip to Michigan’s UP, and a bit about the reworking of our outdoor leadership course we teach as part of the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. It’s great to catch up with old friends.
Photo: Shelters with open fires on an overnight exercise.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 131
Kid-Friendly?
There is some profanity in this episode.
Links:
- The Scroll – Rick’s website featuring his survival and medical courses.
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on Sunday, September 1st, we welcome Christopher Russell back to the podcast after a lenghty hiatus. We discuss the idea of adaptation and how we’re adapting to the changes in the weather, as well as discuss current events around the field school.
Photo: Christopher floating over a deep pool on the Bonaventure River in June, 2024.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 130
Kid-Friendly?
There is some profanity in this episode.
Links:
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Recorded on Tuesday, August 6th in the Guide Shack, Oz and I were joined by a bunch of the current students to talk about our recent Allagash trip, the testing process that is currently underway, the Journeyman certification and what’s left to accomplish on the current course. We’re 8.5 weeks in with 1.5 weeks to go.
Photo: Canoe scene 881.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 129
Kid-Friendly?
There is some profanity in this episode.
Links:
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On episode 128 of the JMB Podcast, Jesse and Tim discuss some big-picture ideas about why you might be interested in learning bushcraft, and what you do with it when you learn it. Ultimately it’s about being resilient and connecting with the land and our ancestors. It is a lifestyle that resonates with a deep part of us from our distant past. People alive today live much different lives than our ancestors, and much has been lost in terms of community and connection. It’s a wide-ranging discussion. I hope you enjoy it.
Photo: Cooking dinner over a fire on the side of the river.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 128
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- Puckerbrush Primitive Gathering, July 19-21, 2024 in Columbia, Maine
- Wise Oak Wilderness. Jesse’s school in Montreal
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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On episode 127 of the JMB Podcast, Tim, Oz and Jesse discuss self-care and the implications of an injury while on an expedition. They also discuss planning programs for 2025.
Photo: One of my favorite spots in the North Maine Woods.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 127
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
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On episode 126 of the JMB Podcast, Oz and Tim discuss the mental game of long-term wilderness living skills. To be successful on long-term programs, self-discipline is a prerequisite. Putting the daily work first buys you a moment here and there where you can appreciate where you are and what you’re doing. But the romantic notions of being alone with your thoughts and ruminating while sitting quietly and observing the natural world all day are not representative of the actual experience. It is a lot of daily work. Without self-discipline you start to fall behind. And the comforts of modern life, which are so common in our culture, make it harder. So the point we arrive at is that stepping into an active wilderness lifestyle is harder for modern people than it was for past generations. And our reliance on technology makes it even harder. It is an active life in the woods. And action is the antidote to anxiety. It was a wide-ranging discussion and we covered a lot of ground. I hope you enjoy it.
Photo: Poling a canoe on the lower canyons of the Rio Grande, along the Texas and Mexico border.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 126
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
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For episode 125 of the JMB Podcast I was joined by Jesse Grindler. Jesse is a JMBS alum, owner of Wise Oak Wilderness in Montreal, and recently joined us on our Bonaventure River canoe expedition. We discuss the Bonaventure trip, then we learn about the business Jesse recently started called Wise Oak Wilderness, offering a variety of instructional and guiding services in Quebec.
Photo: Jesse and Tim in the Guide Shack recording this podcast.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 125
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
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Episode 124 of the JMB Podcast is about training people for solo wilderness canoe expeditions. We discuss the skills needed to do it safely, and talk about a September 2024 course designed to give people the skills and confidence to pull it off. Read more about the course discussed on the Solo Expedition Canoe Course page.
Photo: Tessa in the canyon on the Bonaventure river, Quebec.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 124
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- The Scroll – Rick Swain’s website with information on his medical and outdoor programs.
- Solo Expedition Canoe Course
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Back from the river at the end of the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, we discuss challenges from the trip and the thought process behind a medical evacuation and getting a student from a remote trip to the hospital.
Photo: Tim in the canoe putting in the miles.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 123
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- The Scroll – Rick Swain’s website with information on his medical and outdoor programs.
- Maine Guide Medic wilderness first responder course
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
- Roorkhee Campaign Chair
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We’re halfway through the 2024 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester course. In this podcast we riff about the course, certifications, getting enough to eat, etc.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 122
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- The Scroll – Rick Swain’s website with information on his medical and outdoor programs.
- Maine Guide Medic wilderness first responder course
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
]]>
For episode 121 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast I was joined again by Rick Swain and Oz and we discussed current events on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester which we are currently teaching. We discuss the challenges as an instructor in building a student’s confidence as well as their hard skills. After a few minutes of this we get into talking about the Maine Guide Medic wilderness first responder course we’re offering this fall. Much of the discussion was around why we’re offering this course and how it will be different from a standard wilderness first responder course. In a nutshell, we’re going to spend a lot of time on the wilderness part of the wilderness first responder, through skill building as well as several overnight scenarios.
Photo: Looking upstream at Allagash Falls from a few years ago.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 121 | The Maine Guide Medic WFR Course
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- The Scroll – Rick Swain’s website with information on his medical and outdoor programs.
- Maine Guide Medic wilderness first responder course
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on May 5th, 2024. Opening day of 2024, the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester starts today. I’m joined by Rick Swain and Oz to discuss current events, the upcoming course, and how we spent our summer (winter) vacation. We discuss a few changes to the 2024 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, the idea behind the soon to be released Engagé level 3 certification, and tease a new course coming this fall; the Maine Guide Medic wilderness first responder course.
Photo: Morning in the lower canyons on the Rio Grande as seen from my canoe, straddling the line between Texas and Mexico.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 120 | Opening Day 2024
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
- The Scroll – Rick Swain’s website with information on his medical and outdoor programs.
- Maine Guide Medic wilderness first responder course
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on November 20, 2023. We just wrapped up the field school season, and in this episode I look back and reflect on the experiments we ran during 2023. I discuss the Expedition Instructor (XI) as a continuous 6-month, residential program, moving the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester back to May and the high waters of spring, and moving the spring semester to summer. Listen to find out how these things worked out. I also discuss the many seasons of biting flies of northern Maine and the upgrades we made to the field school this year.
#FullTangLifestyle
Photo: Lining canoes on the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 119 | End Of The 2023 Field School Season
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity in this episode.
Links:
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Recorded on June 26th, 2023, this is a stab at a new format for the JMB Podcast; doing it solo. The topic for the day is differentiating between professional training and personal enrichment. We embrace both styles of program, but they are definitely not the same thing. The student has to decide what they want out of a program and an experience, and the instructor has to design the approach, the goals, and the management strategies accordingly. During the podcast I make several references to episode 107 of the JMB Podcast; Nurturing Vs. Accountability As A Coach. Click the link to go back and listen to it.
This format of recording the episode solo is an experiment. Like most new things, it felt a bit awkward, but will get better and feel more comfortable the more of them I do.
PHOTO:On a solo on a winter trip.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 118 | Professional Training Vs. Personal Enrichment
Kid-Friendly?
There is a bit of profanity in this episode.
Links:
- Episode 107 of the JMB Podcast; Nurturing Vs. Accountability As A Coach
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Recorded on June 3rd, 2023 at the headquarters of Full Tang Outfitters in Tracy, New Brunswick, Canada. Tim and returning guest Blake Towsley discuss scheming for winter trips, dishonesty in marketing knives from people who have been on the tv show “Solo, By Myself, Without Clothes”, and the currently trending topic of Wild Pooping, or defecating in the woods that is growing rapidly in popularity.
PHOTO:Cooking over the fire on a recent trip.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 117 | Wild Pooping
Kid-Friendly?
There is a bit of profanity in this episode.
Links:
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Recorded on May 25th, 2023 in the Guide Shack, with an outside temperature of 43 degrees F, Tessa and Tim talk about the spring, 2023 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester and making hard decisions. It has been a long month and we were both tired while recording this, and we’re still looking forward to the weather warming up.
PHOTO:On the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 116 | Making Hard Decisions
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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We’re back on the grid for two days in the middle of the spring, 2023 Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester. In this episode we discuss our recent canoe expedition and the challenges we have been facing on the course. We also discuss not believing the hype about rankings and which school or outfit belongs on the top ten lists that internet sites loved to create. Spoiler: they don’t come out and investigate, they just use search engine and social media data.
PHOTO:The first public photo of the Aroostook River Guide Grill Basket.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 115 | Don’t Believe The Hype
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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Spring finally showed up at the field school at the end of week 1 of the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester. We had a day of sun and made it our first day on the water. On this episode of the podcast, we discuss the arrival of spring and the skills necessary to get our people ready to live on remote rivers for the month. These include the skills and systems to be able thrive while covering a few hundred miles in canoes, all off the grid.
PHOTOS:Otter swimming in the pond.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 114 | Getting Ready For Expeditions
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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It’s been a long break, but we’re back. Introducing instructor Tessa Storey and recorded in the Guide Shack, we discuss current events, our upcoming programs and the best beer of 2022. Here are two photos of that beer on the East Branch of the Penobscot that we talked about on the podcast.
PHOTOS:Tessa and Tim in the Guide Shack, recording this podcast. The bottom two are of us drinking the beer we found on the bottom of the East Branch of the Penobscot.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 113 | Long Break, We’re Back
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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Part 2 of my discussion with Paul Sveum about simplifying fly fishing. We discuss #6-10 of the top ten things Paul wishes someone would have told him when he was getting started in fly fishing.
PHOTO: A Y-stern canoe on the Bonaventure River in Quebec, headed upriver to fish for Atlantic Salmon.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 112 | Simplifying Fly Fishing with Paul Sveum, Part 2
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Paul’s blog post on this topic: Simplifying Fly Fishing for Beginners, Part 2
- Introduction To Fly Fishing Course, May 27-29, 2022
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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This episode featuring Paul Sveum began as a blog post, but we decided to have a conversation about the top ten things to keep in mind when getting into fly fishing. This is part 1, where we discuss points 1-5.
PHOTO: Paul fishing an Aroostook County stream.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 111 | Simplifying Fly Fishing For Beginners with Paul Sveum, Part 1
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Paul’s blog post on this topic: Simplifying Fly Fishing for Beginners
- Introduction To Fly Fishing Course, May 27-29, 2022
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
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Matthew Rhode just successfully completed the Journeyman Certification on the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We welcomed him into the studio to discuss the course, his approach to time management, the usefulness of a table, and how to be successful on our program.
PHOTO: Early morning during solos, looking east.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 110 | No Days Off with Matthew Rhode
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Journeyman Certification
- BushcraftSchool.com
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
- School Of The Forest Calendar
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We’re nearing the end of the fall, 2021 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We just finished a 48 hour primitive living experience and are headed out on solos tomorrow. In this episode of the JMB Podcast we discuss these experiences, as for listener input on the next step for our online network at BushcraftSchool.com and ask for great paddling destinations to break up the drive from Maine to Texas.
PHOTO: Moose by the pond at the field school.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 109 | Solos, End Of The Fall Semester
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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We’re back after a long hiatus to talk about resiliency, the need to balance stress with recovery, sleeping out in the cold with no sleeping bag in front of a fire, and the need to prepare your hands for a robust outdoor life. We just finished week 6 (of 9) on the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester and life is busy and full.
PHOTO: Otter swimming in the pond at the field school.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 108 | Training For Resiliency
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Book: The New Toughness Training For Sports by James E. Loehr
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Calendar
- School Of The Forest Calendar
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End of the spring semester. Back from our final trip, the spring 2021 Wilderness Guide Training Semester is finished. In this episode of the podcast Christopher and I discuss two aspects of coaching people and how they differ. First is nurturing them to build their confidence, and second is focusing on accountability and what needs to get done. It is difficult for a single person to do both in a short period of time. To learn more, listen to this episode.
PHOTO: Pails over the fire beside a Maine river.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 107 | Nurturing Vs. Accountability As A Coach
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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The fourth and final installment in our multi-episode reading of On The Trail; Selected Canoe And Snowshoe Trip Journals. This time I read the journal of a 2001 trip on the wilderness waterway through Everglades National Park in Florida.
You can download a free copy of On The Trail from the downloads section of BushcraftSchool.com. You can also purchase one for $0.99 from Amazon.
PHOTO: On The Trail – Canoe & Snowshoe Trip Journals.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 106 | Everglades Wilderness Waterway
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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“Fly fishing is beautifully regional.” – Paul Sveum
Christoper and I welcomed our old friend and Registered Master Maine Guide Paul Sveum into the studio to discuss spring fly fishing in northern Maine. We discuss flies, fly fishing, temperatures that trout like, and a wide variety of other topics. Paul is teaching our Introduction To Fly Fishing course later this month, although the course is sold out and no spots are available.
PHOTO: Paul fishing a remote stream in Aroostook County, Maine.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 105 | Spring Fly Fishing In Maine
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Paul’s Bio
- Introduction To Fly Fishing Course
- JMB Vlog 134 – Scouting For Trout
- Book, “That’s Not My Tractor”
- Maine Cabin Masters, Season 6, Episode 8
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The third installment in our multi-episode reading of On The Trail; Selected Canoe And Snowshoe Trip Journals. This time I read the journals from a solo canoe trip on Allagash Lake, a canoe trip on the Big Black River, and a ten-day winter camping trip on the Quebec border with no sleeping bag.
You can download a free copy of On The Trail from the downloads section of BushcraftSchool.com. You can also purchase one for $0.99 from Amazon.
PHOTO: On The Trail – Canoe & Snowshoe Trip Journals.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 104 | Winter Camping With No Sleeping Bag, Allagash Stream & Big Black
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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The four main jobs of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School semester instructor are teacher, guide, mentor and coach. Christopher and I discuss this, and how the relationship changes and grows during a long course, in this episode of the podcast. You’ll also hear about the new bird neighbors who have built their nest in a nearby white pine.
I’ll be back with a few more chapters of On The Trail in the next podcast episode.
PHOTO: Sunrise through the tent door.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 103 | Teacher, Guide, Mentor, Coach
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- The Brain Of The Raven – podcast – The Wild with Chris Morgan
- 3-Week Summer Bushcraft & Canoe Expedition Course
- JMBS Master Calendar
- School Of The Forest
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The second installment in our multi-episode reading of On The Trail; Selected Canoe And Snowshoe Trip Journals. This time I read the journals from a 1999 Allagash Wilderness Waterway canoe trip and a 2001 St. John River canoe trip, both in Maine. I’ve run a lot of trips on these rivers in the 20+ years since, but this Allagash trip stands out in my mind because of having to repair a wood canvas canoe with things gathered in the forest. I hope you enjoy this episode.
You can download a free copy of On The Trail from the downloads section of BushcraftSchool.com. You can also purchase one for $0.99 from Amazon.
PHOTO: On The Trail – Canoe & Snowshoe Trip Journals.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 102 | Allagash & St. John Trip Journals
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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I’m trying something new – creating an audiobook. For episode 101 of the JMB Podcast I read a chapter from my book On The Trail. The chapter is a journal from a June, 2000 canoe trip on the Swan Lake Canoe Route on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. The plan is to work through the book so that it is available via audio format here on the podcast. Like it? Hate it? Let us know.
You can download a free copy of On The Trail from the downloads section of BushcraftSchool.com. You can also purchase one for $0.99 from Amazon.
PHOTO: On The Trail – Canoe & Snowshoe Trip Journals.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 101 | Swan Lake Canoe Route, Alaskan Trip Journal
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- On The Trail ebook on Amazon
- Swan Lake Canoe Route Map
- 3-Week Summer Bushcraft & Canoe Expedition Course
- JMBS Master Calendar
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Recorded at the beginning of week 2 of the spring 2021 semester, we discuss the value of a tangible approach to education as contrasted with an abstract approach. Also we discuss a variety of current events and the genuine surprise felt at making it to 100 episodes.
PHOTO: Building a hoop house shelter.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 100 | Tangible Education
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Tangible Education Versus Abstract Education
- 3-Week Summer Bushcraft & Canoe Expedition Course
- JMBS Master Calendar
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Welcome back to the JMB Podcast. After a winter break, we’re back at the field school and beginning the spring 2021 Wilderness Guide Training semester today. For episode 99, we discuss what we did over the winter, which includes catching Covid 19, working to get healthy, working with birds at a museum, and a few other things we discuss. It’s good to be back.
PHOTO: Gravel bar on the upper Aroostook.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 99 | Spring 2021 Semester Begins
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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For episode 98 of the JMB podcast, we discuss the process of developing wilderness instructors and guides. We outline the following steps to the process:
- Take a course and get the Journeyman certification
- Take a medical class, first aid or wilderness first responder
- Take and pass the test to become a Registered Maine Guide
- Go on a bunch of trips to learn the waterways and fine-tune your systems
- Do a practicum, where you live with a certain level of (low) technology for 2-3 weeks to lock it in and make it part of you
PHOTO: Poling on the St. Croix, the border between New Brunswick, Canada and downeast Maine.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 98 | Wilderness Instructor Development Process
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Autumn Woodsman Course | Cold-Weather Wilderness Skills With Minimal Snow
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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It’s near the end of the fall semester, so we invited some of the current Wilderness Bushcraft Semester students into the Guide Shack so you could hear directly from them about their thoughts about the course. Listen in as they describe their experience and answer a few questions about it.
PHOTO: Spring semester students at sunset on the Allagash.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 97 | The Student’s Perspective
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Autumn Woodsman Course | Cold-Weather Wilderness Skills With Minimal Snow
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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We offer several different types of programs, and in this episode of the podcast we describe and define what they are and who they’re for. Two weeks to go in the fall, 2020 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester.
PHOTO: Big breakfast in camp.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 96 | Differentiating Professional Training Programs
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Book: Knife-Only Survival by Tony Nester
- Autumn Woodsman Course | Cold-Weather Wilderness Skills With Minimal Snow
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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Minimalism in the wild. In episode 95 of the JMB Podcast Christopher and I discuss the idea of minimalism as compared and contrasted with ultralight in the backcountry.
We often discuss our traditional approach to camping, characterized by heavy gear and lots of it. But we also enjoy going light with improvised gear. Going light with homemade gear will recalibrate your baseline. Too much stuff gets in the way and becomes the focus. It hinders, rather than helps, to build your relationship with the land. Our discussion is about the benefits of going minimalist from time to time.
PHOTO: First light on a lake in the North Maine Woods, photo by Christopher Russell and his fancy new camera.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 95 | Minimalism In The Wild
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Autumn Woodsman Course | Cold-Weather Wilderness Skills With Minimal Snow
- Poem: The Joy Of Being Poor by Robert Service
- ICI Musique – our awesome (wacky) French radio station in Masardis, available on the web from Canada
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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In episode 94 of the JMB Podcast Christopher and I discuss the concept of transference; where lessons learned in one space are applied in a different space, in a different way. Sometimes called lateral thinking, it’s about developing deep knowledge. It’s also about developing deep knowledge of problems to be solved.
PHOTO: Frost on the red clover
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 94 | Transference Or Lateral Thinking
Kid-Friendly?
Kid friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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In episode 93 we get listeners caught up with current events, then discuss how in bushcraft (and many other aspects of life), the advanced skills are the basics mastered; there is not a separate set of skills for advanced practitioners. It’s all about depth of knowledge.
PHOTO: Canoeing on a northern Maine lake
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 93 | Advanced Skills Are The Basics Mastered
Kid-Friendly?
Not kid friendly, a bit of profanity.
Links:
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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We welcomed Ryan Holt into the studio for episode 92. Ryan is a Jack Mountain Bushcraft School alum and has completed 4 challenges on the television show Naked & Afraid. He is the owner of the Human-Nature Hostel in Roxbury, Maine. We talk about his time on tv, his work running a hostel for Appalachian Trail hikers, and the new direction he’s heading in as a result of the Covid.
PHOTO: Ryan Holt on Naked & Afraid
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 92 | Ryan Holt
Kid-Friendly?
Not kid friendly, a bit of profanity.
Links:
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Recorded on September 8th at the new Jack Mountain Bushcraft School hq studio, episode 90 features Tim Smith and Colin Clifford talking about Colin’s recent 10-day Allagash solo canoe trip.
PHOTO: Tim Cole coming into Round Pond on the Allagash from a few years back.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 91 | 10-Day Allagash Solo
Kid-Friendly?
Kid-friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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Recorded on July 2nd by a very tired Tim Smith and Christopher Russell, episode 90 is about the challenges faced in participating in, as well as running, our semester courses. It was hot and buggy and we were tired from a long semester, but we talked about events that were current and prognosticated on some things that have since come to pass. After a summer off the grid we’re back, with a new office that’s on the grid. More coming soon.
PHOTO: Paradise cove from the fall of 2019. Headed back there tomorrow.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 90 | 2020 Spring Semester Wrap-Up
Kid-Friendly?
Kid-friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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In episode 89 Christopher and I discuss the philosophy of friluftsliv, a traditional Scandinavian approach to the natural world. Loosely translated, it means “open air life”. It’s different than how most people see nature in the USA, and is the basis for the part-time, yearlong immersion program we’re currently developing, to be run in southern Vermont, as well as our field school programs in northern Maine.
In a nutshell, it’s all about the experience of being out on the land, and developing a personal relationship with it. My apologies to our friends in Scandinavia if we’ve missed the mark on some of the aspects; we’re still learning.
PHOTO: Snowshoe bindings drying by the fire after a warm, wet day.
Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 89 | Friluftsliv Philosophy & Bushcraft
Kid-Friendly?
Kid-friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Book: Simple Life Friluftsliv by Roger Isberg
- Book: Nature First: Outdoor Life the Friluftsliv Way by Bob Henderson
- Book: Wisdom In The Open Air: The Norwegian Roots of Deep Ecology
- The Friluftsliv Forest Program – Yearlong Immersion Program In Vermont, 1 Weekend Per Month
- JMBS Master Calendar
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We just wrapped up week 7 of the Wilderness Guide Training Semester. Weeks 6 and 7 were spent on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, and it’s appropriate that during a guide training semester we had to do some guide stuff. Specifically, we had to medically evacuate a participant on the trip. For the story, listen to the episode.
PHOTO: Participants of the spring, 2020 Wilderness Guide Training Semester enjoying the sunset from a beach on Chamberlain Lake, Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
Kid-Friendly?
Not kid-friendly, a bit of profanity is used.
Links:
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In episode 87 we discuss the new part-time, yearlong immersion program we’re currently developing, to be run in southern Vermont. We also catch up with current events at the field school.
PHOTO: Turtle on the Aroostook River.
Kid-Friendly?
Kid-friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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In episode 86 of the JMB podcast Christopher and I discuss the effect the coronavirus has had on each of our lives, I rant about national canoe certifications and how they’re meaningless to me after getting burned by them a few times, I explain how we’re creating our own standalone canoe certifications, and then we get into a discussion about The YouTube Effect. The Youtube Effect is a term we came up with after listening to a podcast and reading the underlying research which found that watching an expert do something greatly increases our confidence, but has no effect on increasing our skill. We break that down into how it’s useful for designing online video courses, something we’re actively engaged in right now at BushcraftSchool.com.
PHOTO: Lining some ledges on the Bonaventure River, Quebec.
Kid-Friendly?
Kid-friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- The YouTube Effect (JMB Blog)
- Information Vs. Education (JMB Podcast Episode 74)
- School Of The Forest Podcast
- JMBS Master Calendar
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Back from a long hiatus, for episode 85 Christopher and I discuss his new project: The School Of The Forest Podcast. He’s interviewing people who are not directly in the bushcraft business, but their work can help us learn more about our world. Want to learn more? Listen to the episode.
PHOTO: SOTF Podcast Page.
Kid-Friendly?
Kid-friendly, no profanity.
Links:
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For episode 84 of the JMB Podcast I sat down with Seth Walton from the Mid-Coast School Of Technology’s Outdoor Leadership Program in Rockland, Maine. We talked about his work with the program, which is currently in year one.
We discuss the challenges of logistics in outdoor programming, how the realities of the job match up with the preconceived ideas about it, and finish with a discussion about how guiding sea kayak trips on the Maine coast can be dangerous due to cold water and other factors.
PHOTO: Twilight on the winter trail.
Kid-Friendly?
Kid-friendly, no profanity.
Links:
- Seth Walton’s bio
- Outdoor Leadership Program at the Mid-Coast School Of Technology
- JMBS Master Calendar
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For episode 83 I was joined by Christopher Russell for a discussion of upcoming programs, changes to the way students can receive college credit for their time with us, and how short shorts are making a comeback.
PHOTO: Pack and axe hanging in an axe.
Kid-Friendly?
Yes, no profanity.
Links:
- Jack Mountain credit through UMPI – The University Of Maine At Presque Isle
- Jack Mountain credit through Western State Colorado University
- JMBS Master Calendar
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For episode 82 of the podcast I spoke with Ron Waline. Ron runs the Wilderness And Wellness Podcast and the Coyote’s Path website. We have a rambling discussion about education, the importance of experience, and how life is busy. Ron will be releasing this episode on his podcast as well. If you’re interested in the topics we discuss on this podcast, you should check out his podcast.
PHOTO: The Wilderness And Wellness Podcast.
Kid-Friendly?
No, a few swears.
Links:
- The Wilderness And Wellness Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
- Coyote’s Path, Ron Waline’s website.
- Braiding Sweetgrass, book.
- Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Bibliography (pdf).
- JMBS Master Calendar
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Episode 81, the legend of the Iron Spoon. A true story about the legendary heros of the Iron Spoon challenge and how they helped a country get its mojo back.
The Quick Stop 2 in Ashland, Maine, has some big ice creams. So large that people on Jack Mountain courses have made it a contest to see who can eat the most. In fact it became a point of pride back in the day, and the Iron Spoon competition was started. For the rest of the story, you’ll have to listen to the podcast.
PHOTO: Raife Bowman wielding his wooden spoon, on a crash course with destiny.
Kid-Friendly?
Probably kid friendly. A few “damns” and “son of a bitch”, but no profanity.
Links:
- BushcraftSchool.com, the Jack Mountain online network.
- Spring, 2020 Wilderness Guide Training Semester
- JMBS Master Calendar
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Episode 80 is an interview I did with a student at the end of the fall semester as part of her independent study for college credit. The audio levels are low so you’ll have to turn it up, but I think we covered some interesting topics that make it worthwhile.
We discuss the origin of Jack Mountain, the educational benefits of the 30-day primitive living experiment was a part of in 1995, the skills that really matter, and a bunch of other wide-ranging topics.
Usually I’m the one asking the questions, so this a bit of a departure from the norm. It’s a no-filter, shoot from the hip-sort of interview, so if you’re curious what I really think about certain topics, you’ll like this episode.
PHOTO: Tim on the ice during the 2019 Boreal Snowshoe Expedition.
Kid-Friendly?
Not kid friendly, there are several instances of profanity used in this episode.
Links:
- BushcraftSchool.com, the Jack Mountain online network.
- Spring, 2020 Wilderness Guide Training Semester
- JMBS Master Calendar
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In episode 79, we celebrate our friend and mentor Mors Kochanski who recently passed away.
We also get caught up with current events then talk about how our business plan is with a niche audience, not a mass audience. We’re looking to make a deep connection with a handful of people, not a superficial connection with a giant audience.
PHOTO: Feet up at the end of the day in a remote camp.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links:
- BushcraftSchool.com, the Jack Mountain online network.
- Spring, 2020 Wilderness Guide Training Semester
- JMBS Master Calendar
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In a world that values comfort, embracing challenge and doing hard things is rare. In this episode of the podcast we discuss the challenges inherent in the spring, 2020 Wilderness Guide Training Semester. We also discuss current events and upcoming programs.
PHOTO: Loading canoes at a remote camp on the fall, 2019 semester.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links:
- BushcraftSchool.com, the Jack Mountain online network.
- Brushfire Rendezvous
- Snow Walkers Rendezvous
- Spring, 2020 Wilderness Guide Training Semester
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It’s week 3 of the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, and for episode 77 of the podcast we spoke with students on the course. We learned about their first impressions of life in the woods, discussed the trapping class we took as a group and the role that trapping plays in studying mammals, and checked in on which projects they’ve enjoyed and why.
PHOTO: Carving paddles.
Kid-Friendly?
There is a bit of profanity used in this episode.
Links:
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Tracking mammals is the topic for episode 76 of the JMB Podcast. We discuss how we approach teaching tracking, the three types of tracking (clear print, pattern, sign), the three tasks of the tracker (locate, identify, interpret), and why jumping to conclusions is bad, but jumping to exclusions is good. Also covered is why bother tracking and what you can actively do with tracks to help the lessons stick.
We also talk about what we’re reading, and how we’re planning to start a book club on BushcraftSchool.com, our online network. I’m reading John Hudson’s book How To Survive (see link below), and Christopher is reading Nature First (see link below).
PHOTO: Books, track casts and coffee on the table in the Guide Shack.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links:
- BushcraftSchool.com, the Jack Mountain online network.
- Brushfire Rendezvous
- Snow Walkers Rendezvous
- How To Survive (book) by John Hudson
- Nature First; Outdoor Life The Friluftsliv Way (book) edited by Bob Henderson
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Episode 75 starts with a government conspiracy (to us, anyway) regarding whether the whoopie pie is the official state dessert or just the state treat of Maine, then we discuss how a hornet’s nest has stopped us from being able to print anything at the field school for a few days.
Next we discuss the idea of seeing the world with the eyes of a tourist while observing the natural world.
Lastly, we discuss the idea of baselines and additions. A baseline is the way you are used to living. For example, here at the field school our baseline for cooking and food preparation is an open fire, while for someone living in a modern city it could be an electric stove. We talk about living life with a simple baseline is a key to happiness because you appreciate all the wonderful things that life has to offer, and how having a simple baseline is good training for natural disasters or other times when all of the wonders of the modern world are not available.
PHOTO: Camp scene.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links:
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There are three jobs that go with running a school: presenting information, having students do something useful with that information, and assessing the student to see where they are on the continuum of experience.
However, most outdoor schools are simply venues for information to be presented. Information is not the same as education. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that students learn very little while an instructor is presenting information. Instead, they learn when they’re engaged in doing something with that information.
As discussed on this episode, the process we go by looks like this:
- Decide what our Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO’s) are, which are what we want students to get out of the experience.
- Deliver information to students.
- Have students do something with that information in order to internalize it and learn it.
- Assess students to determine what they have learned. Assessment can be documentation, reflection, written testing, practical examination, etc.
PHOTO: Relaxing while cooking supper while out on the river.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links:
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Episode 73 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft podcast was recorded in the Guide Shack on Saturday, July 27th immediately following the Riverman canoe expedition skills course. I was joined by Brian Manning, Darrin Baird and Blake Towsley, and we discussed the course, learning traditional canoe skills and why they matter in the modern world.
PHOTO: Canoes on a northern Maine lake.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links:
- Brian Manning’s Snow Walker Outdoors & Guide Service
- Darrin Baird’s Instagram, East Woodland Survival
- Blake Towsley’s Instagram, Le Club De Raquette de SRF. The only known photos of Bucksaw Jenkins can be found here
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Very few people who play sports will become professional athletes. But in addition to the obvious physical benefits of playing sports, we learn other things that are applicable and valuable off the field.
It’s the same with bushcraft and survival training. As this field continues to grow exponentially, it’s important to remember that not everyone who undergoes training will become a professional wilderness guide or survival instructor. And that’s OK. But going through the training process can still reap huge benefits for you.
How?
In education it’s called transference or “transfer of learning“. It’s all about how to apply what you learned in one context to a separate, unrelated context.
There is a lot more education going on in our field school programs than simply learning about bushcraft. We want to give people skills that help them be more successful in whatever they do. This includes business and life.
So I came up with 7 things people learn on our courses that have nothing to do with bushcraft, and discuss them in episode 72 of the JMB Podcast. They are:
- Method for learning anything
- Leadership skills
- Creative problem solving
- Planning and project management
- Hand skills
- Soft skills/people skills
- Confidence
PHOTO: Working as a team to get through an embacle on the Bonaventure River on the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
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Episode 71 was recorded at a remote campsite in the North Maine Woods while students were out on solos. We discuss solos and how far students have come during the course. Then we address a listener question regarding the challenge of maintaining relationships when working away from home for long stretches of time.
PHOTO: Recording this episode at a remote campsite in the North Maine Woods.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links: The book mentioned in this episode.
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We’re nearing the end of our spring 2019 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. Today begins week 8, and we’re headed out for the final expedition of the course. This means you won’t hear from us for a few weeks as we’ll be off the grid. In this episode we talk about the realities of being consistent with media versus being a working guide. In short, we’re guides first and podcasters second, so our podcast and media will never be 100% consistent because we’re always headed off the grid for a few weeks at a time.
See you in a few weeks.
PHOTO: Guiding a trip on a previous course.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
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How to choose a wilderness immersion program is the topic for episode 69 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast. Christopher and I discuss the three things a potential student should ask themselves and the ten things a student should look for in a school. Having run such programs for over 20 years, I hate surprises. More specifically, I don’t like it when a student is surprised on a course by how it is run, what the content is, etc. They should know this coming in.
What a potential participant on a wilderness immersion program should ask themselves:
- What are my interests? Mountaineering? Bushcraft? Nature study?
- What are my goals? Professional training? Break from my life? Explore a new hobby?
- How much time do I want to invest in the program?
What a potential participant on a wilderness immersion program should ask about a school they’re interested in:
- Location of the program
- Program length
- Program format: full or part time, live on site or live nearby, etc.
- Educational philosophy of the school. What are they trying to achieve?
- Experience and background of the school and instructors
- Course curriculum
- Assessment system
- Is there a religious or spiritual component
- Does the school make untrue marketing claims
- Do your research!
PHOTO: Group at Grand Pitch on the East Branch of the Penobscot at the end of a month-long canoe expedition course.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
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Episode 68 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is about the assessment system we use for our immersion programs. Christopher and I discuss the role of assessment on a long-term program, the crucial role of academic study to learn deeply, and a true story that drives home the need to learn the scientific names of plants.
PHOTO: Turtle on the Aroostook.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links: The book mentioned in this episode.
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Episode 67 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft podcast starts with a rant against how outdoor living was broken into two options by a tv writer in 2009: tactical or hippie. Then we talk about the Jack Mountain approach which is neither of those options; the experiential anthropological approach. We talk about how experience shapes a person and why it is an absolute necessity. We also talk about how we learn from cultures who have lived off the land for many generations and why they are better to model our behavior after than the flavor of the week celebrity culture that has infected the outdoor community like a virus.
PHOTO: From March 2019, Cree snowshoes against a blue sky near Ouje-Bougoumou, Quebec.
Kid-Friendly?
There is no profanity used in this episode.
Links: A few books mentioned in this episode. Remember to always check for used copies and earlier editions to save some money.
- Book: Sacred Ecology
- Book: Penobscot Man
- Book: Ingalik Material Culture
- Book: Ethnology of the Ungava District
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Episode 66 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is about the challenges that come with the job of being a professional guide and outdoor instructor. While what we do can look idyllic from the outside, it’s not without difficulty. Christopher and I discuss 8 specific challenges that come with the job:
- You are never off duty.
- You are part of the group, but you have no peers.
- You have to make unpopular decisions for the good and safety of the group.
- You are a beast of burden.
- Time spent away from home and loved ones.
- The ever present danger of making your hobby into your job.
- You’re expected to know everything about everything, all the time.
- You are the social director for the groups you work with.
PHOTO: Christopher poling his EM White canoe on an Aroostook county river.
Kid-Friendly? Profanity In This Episode:
There is no profanity used in this episode.
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Episode 65 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast, recorded on Halfway Day on the spring, 2019 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course. We catch up with the students and get some of their insights, discuss Christopher’s love affair with his new (to him) canoe, and talk about possibly differentiating the spring and fall semesters in 2020, with the spring semester being focused on training wilderness canoe and fishing guides and the fall semester focusing on bushcraft and primitive living skills.
PHOTO: Christopher in his new EM White canoe.
Kid-Friendly? Profanity In This Episode:
There is no profanity used in this episode.
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Episode 64 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is about how all outdoor knowledge is local knowledge, and how the idea of a global expert is a myth. For the episode I was joined by old friend and frequent podcast guest Blake Towsley.
PHOTO: Allagash falls from the canoe, taken summer 2018.
Kid-Friendly? Profanity In This Episode:
There is a bit of profanity used in this episode.
Links:
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For episode 63 of the JMB Podcast we gathered with the students on the current Wilderness Bushcraft Semester in the Guide Shack on a cool morning before heading down to the river. We check in with Jeremy and Anthony and get their perspective on the course, the realities of living outdoors, using hand tools, and how their experience is unfolding.
PHOTO: Anthony poling on the Aroostook river.
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Episode 62 is about how to know a place. Part of what we teach on our immersion programs is how to be at home in the forest. This includes both academic and experiential components, which we discuss. We also talk about the Masardis glacier and give an update about our articulation agreement with the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
PHOTO: Ben Spencer poling on the Sebeois river.
Links:
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Episode 61 is about standards-based professional training. We’re speaking to potential students and giving them an idea of what to expect. In a nutshell, it’s hard, there’s a lot of work, and you have to be mature to to deal with the adversity it produces in a positive way.
When things don’t go your way, it’s important to know that things worth working for are often difficult, and to realize that difficulty is part of the process. If it were all easy, what would be the point of spending time and energy on it?
For more on this topic, see the older post titled Mental Toughness Is The Key To Training.
PHOTO: Cooking and baking on an open fire at the field school.
Links:
In episode 60 Christopher and I get caught up with current events, talk about carving canoe paddles and discuss the winter and how the snow is still hanging around.
PHOTO: Shot from a fire tower in the North Maine Woods.
Links:
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The Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is back. After an extended stay off the grid running our winter programs, we’re back in the world with new episodes. Episode 59 is all about the Brushfire Rendezvous, coming to the field school October 11-13, 2019. Before we get to talking about it, we discuss the events of the day before recording the episode which consisted of pulling a 1994 Ski-Doo Grand Touring out of deep, powdery snow over and over again in an effort to pack down a trail.
Blake and Christopher joined me in the guide shack for the episode.
PHOTO: From left to right: Blake, Christopher, Tim.
Links:
- Brushfire Rendezvous, October 11-13, 2019.
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Scott Oeth is the owner of Bull Moose Patrol, a Registered Maine Guide, a Jack Mountain Bushcraft School alumnus, a featured speaker at Canoecopia and the Outdoor Adventure Expo and a father of 3. Raised in Madison, Wisconsin and active in scouts, Scott lives with his family in the twin cities of Minnesota.
In episode 58 Scott and I talk about balancing an outdoor business with a full time job, decision making in outdoor leadership, and the regional differences between Maine and Minnesota with regard to geography and outdoor skills.
PHOTO: Scott (in back) and Sam Larson (in front) poling canoes in the Aroostook River during the 2012 Riverman course. An hour later it started raining and the water level rose several feet overnight.
Links:
- Bull Moose Patrol, Scott’s website.
- Canoecopia, paddlesports show in Madison, Wisconsin.
- Outdoor Adventure Expo, outdoor show in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Blake Towsley is an old friend, purveyor of uncouth fire side talk (his description), and the owner of Le Club De Raquette de SRF. In this episode we discuss winter camping, winter weather trends, his line of traditional snowshoe and canoe gear, freedom cabbage, and upcoming winter camping trips.
PHOTO: Blake and Tim in the Guide Shack at the field school.
Links:
- LeclubderaquettedeSRF, Blake’s Instagram page.
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Jeff Hatch is the owner of Raven Wilderness School in western Massachusetts, an ambassador for Fjallraven, has more instagram followers than we can count, and is an all-around great guy. Ed Butler and I sat down with Jeff on a breezy day to discuss his school, the role of social media in promoting small business, how he became a brand ambassador, and his upcoming events at Fjallraven stores in Vermont and New York City.
We also discuss Ed’s first fish through the ice of the winter, tell a few stories, and give advice for young people getting started in the outdoor industry.
PHOTO: Jeff Hatch, Tim Smith & Ed Butler (from left to right). Photo by Jessica.
Links:
- Raven Wilderness School, Jeff’s website. Go there for links to his Instagram and a schedule of his courses and Fjallraven events. Note: Fika event is on 1/12 in NYC.
- New England Bushcraft Show May, 2019, the 2nd annual New England Bushcraft Show.
- Global Bushcraft Symposium June, 2019 in Alberta, Canada.
- Working Class Woodsman, Ed’s website. Go there for links to his podcast and YouTube. You should subscribe to both.
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Ed Butler, the Working Class Woodsman, stopped by and we spent an hour and a quarter talking about winter preparedness, the changing face of the forest in northern New England due to economic pressure, what you should carry with you, the boiling point of propane and butane, and a bunch of other winter-focused things. I haven’t seen Ed much lately because he’s been so busy, and it was great to catch up. It’s always a pleasure to have him of the podcast, and it’s never boring.
PHOTO: Ice-covered pond at the field school. The discolored ice should be a safety warning, as should be the open water near the outlet.
Links:
- Working Class Woodsman, Ed Butler’s website. Go there for links to his podcast and YouTube. You should subscribe to both.
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Dragan Uzelac is the owner of Niko Wilderness Education in Beaver County, Alberta and a Jack Mountain alumnus. In this episode of the podcast we discuss guided winter expeditions that Dragan will be leading this winter. We talk about making the gear needed for winter trips, the importance of planning ahead, and why it’s amazing to be in places with no light pollution. All four of his trips this winter are full, so if you’re interested in experiencing the winter trail with him in Alberta, register early for 2020 expeditions.
PHOTO: Dragan Uzelac and Blake Towsley on the winter trail.
Links:
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Donovan Burgess is the founder of Liquid Sessions Surf, a surfing school and full-service travel company in Pavones, Costa Rica, as well as a Jack Mountain Yearlong Immersion Program alumnus. Through Liquid Sessions Surf, Donovan offers a variety of learn to surf programs, including a month-long immersion into the skills and lifestyle of surfing that includes food, lodging and your own masseuse! I had a blast with Donovan when he was at Jack Mountain, and am stoked that he’s followed his passion and is passing along his knowledge and experience of life on the ocean riding waves.
In this episode we talk about what got him to this point, the advice he received from movie star Chris Pratt and his next big project; traveling the west coast from Canada to Mexico in a modified ice cream truck teaching surfing and filming the experience.
PHOTO: Donovan blowing a tinder bundle into a flame at the field school.
Links:
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It’s been almost two months since we released a podcast. In this episode I discuss what we’ve been up to, tell some stories about the history of the folk school, and finish with talking about digital sharecropping, why we’re migrating all of our media to our own sites and why we recommend you do the same.
PHOTO: Dugout canoe at the libby museum that I first saw when I was 4 years old, in front of a photo of Rust Pond where it was found. The folk school is down the shore on the left.
Links:
- Article on digital sharecropping. A must read if you’re going into guiding or teaching (or any business where you’ll have an online presence)
- The Libby Museum, home to the dugout canoe in the photo above
- BushcraftSchool.com, the JMBS Online Learning Academy
- Map of the trails near the JMBS Folk School
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In episode 51 of the podcast Christopher and I recap the 2018 season with our youth program, the School Of The Forest, and talk about the Teen Wilderness Living Semester coming in 2019. As part of the discussion, we discuss the difference between wilderness living skills and actually living in the wilderness. It is something I’ve felt strongly about for a number of years; instructors should have spent a few months living in the forest before they teach about it.
PHOTO: Natural waterslide on a northern Maine river.
Links:
- Teen Wilderness Living Semester – School Of The Forest
- Guided, a film about Master Maine Guide Raymond Reitze
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In episode 50 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast we discuss listener comments, the role of alcohol on the trail, and how important food and eating well is on expeditions.
PHOTO: Newly-carved paddles being used for the first time.
Links:
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Episode 49 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is all about expedition behavior and leadership. Expedition behavior is outdoor education-speak for working as a team. On a chilly Saturday morning in the Guide Shack Tim, Christopher and Colin were joined by Blake Towsley for a discussion on good and bad leadership and how leadership skills are learned.
PHOTO: Cold morning in the Guide Shack.
Links:
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David Callison hiked the Appalachian Trail from north to south , finishing in March of 2018. He’s also a participant on our fall, 2018 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We discuss hiking the trail, why you should plant to hike from north to south to have a better experience, and learn about his most and least favorite sections. David gives a few key pieces of advice for those considering a long hike, and we also talk about his experience thus far on the semester.
PHOTO: Poling practice. David is the guy on the right.
Links:
- Appalachian Trail Live Podcast, David’s YouTube channel
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Episode 47 is about women and gender in bushcraft. Christopher and I were joined by Allison Figueroa and Regina Beach, both of whom are participants on the fall semester. They share their insight into the role that gender plays on women getting into the outdoor industry, gear, and the “pink tax” women often pay for gear marketed at them.
You can follow along with Regina’s adventures, including her bicycle trip from Boston to Masardis, on her blog and podcast at ReginaGBeach.com.
PHOTO: Christopher teaching in Moose Vegas.
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Episode 46 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is about the path to becoming a reputable instructor. We discuss the necessary steps, finding your voice as an instructor, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the role of being an assistant instructor or teaching assistant as part of a long-term development plan.
PHOTO: Poling practice on the river.
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On episode 45 Christopher and I are joined by Allison Figueroa, a student on the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester who is taking a semester off from her studies at Boston University to attend Jack Mountain. We discuss how she’s settling into the semester, how the experience of being here fits with her expectations, her take on the academic side of the program and how Jack Mountain fits into her long-term educational goals.
PHOTO: Jack Vegas sign in Moose Vegas.
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On episode 44 of the podcast I’m joined by Christopher and Colin, recorded during our morning instructors meeting on Wednesday, August 22nd. We cover four topics: welcome to the fall semester, our systems-based approach to outdoor living at the field school and on the trail, some points about our educational philosophy, and the wild bounty on the land right now that we’ve been eating.
PHOTO: Ripe cherries at the field school.
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We’ve been out on the land and off the grid for a month and a half, so this is the first podcast in a while. In it I talk with Christoper and Ed about what we’ve all been up to. For me, it’s been the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, from which I just returned. We recorded this on the tailgate of Ed’s new side by side.
Links:
PHOTO: Recording episode 43 at our mobile studio.
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We just returned from an epic canoe trip on Quebec’s Bonaventure River. For episode 42 of the podcast, Colin Clifford, Christopher Russell and I discussed the trip over coffee in the Guide Shack. We talked about what they got out of the trip, the impact of the hit song Party In The USA on the mindset of the trip, choosing of expedition members and how the unexpected events are the most memorable.
PHOTO: Big pool of clear water near the bottom of Kicking Horse Pass on the Bonaventure River, Quebec.
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Episode 41 was recorded in the Guide Shack on June 14th, the final night of our spring, 2018 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course, our 43rd long-term program. I was joined by Christopher Russell, as well as Tom and James who were both students on the course. We talk about our final trip, their experiences on the semester and the Journeyman Guide Certification. We tried to keep this episode family-friendly, but James dropped an F-bomb in the middle somewhere, so it’s got the explicit language box checked.
PHOTO: Mom and baby moose, taken by Christopher Russell on our recent canoe trip to the headwaters of the Aroostook.
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Episode 40 of the JMB Podcast is about current and upcoming events. Christopher and I discuss what we’re working on to upgrade the field school, upcoming trips and programs, stocking our pond with brook trout, and our new team resiliency training.
Links:
- Team Resiliency Training At Jack Mountain
- Autumn Woodsman Course
- Family Bushcraft Week, School Of The Forest
- Teen Tech Detox Expedition, School Of The Forest
- Rand Solar Oven I’m using as a solar water heater.
PHOTO: Big breakfast cooking in the big frying pan on the big rocket stove.
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Episode 39 of the JMB Podcast begins with Ed’s review of the New England Bushcraft Show, moves to a discussion about appropriate gear for specific situations, then a discussion of minimum versus displaced impact, and lastly a cross-cultural view of different approaches to ecology, specifically regarding the Cree idea of continued use for sustainability of a resource.
Links:
- Minimum versus displaced impact: About leaving no trace
- New England Bushcraft, hosts of the New England Bushcraft Show
- Book: Sacred Ecology
PHOTO: Working Class Woodsman Ed Butler poling at an undisclosed location on the Aroostook River.
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Traditional Maine Guide Canoeing: Episode 38 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast. On a blustery Saturday morning, Christopher and I discussed the role of the canoe in northern Maine. Along the way we covered the history and materials of canoes (birch bark, wood canvas, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic),why canoeing still matters, the JMB traditional skills approach, our trip destinations, and the two types of continuous growth and learning. We finish with a request for a review wherever you listen, and to contact us with ideas you’d like for us to cover in future episodes.
Links:
- Book: The Bark And Skin Boats Of North America
- Book: New York To Nome
- Book: The Family Canoe Trip
- Book: River Horse
PHOTO: 20′ White On The Aroostook River.
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