Wilderness Trips

WILDERNESS TRIPS

Wilderness trips are among the most important aspects of each camper’s Kieve experience.  Every camper, no matter their age, will spend at least one night out in the woods away from camp with their cabin.

As a camper grows older and more able, his trips become more extensive and demanding. While the youngest boys are on their trip for only one or two nights, the older boys are away from camp for 13 to 22 days of canoeing or backpacking in the most remote and beautiful parts of Maine.

Wilderness trips offer campers the opportunity to develop a reverence for the wonders of nature. Each boy is encouraged to learn how to take care of himself and his equipment, to set and attain goals, and to have the fortitude and resilience to overcome challenges away from the comforts of home. All Kieve trips practice and teach the Leave No Trace Principles of Outdoor Ethics.

Kieve trips are designed so that the least-experienced boys do not feel unduly pushed, yet each camper can be proud of what he has accomplished. Most trips include both veteran campers and boys new to the experience, and this allows for a cooperative relationship that draws out the best from each member of the cabin. None of the trips require any particular wilderness tripping experience, and boys receive the necessary basic training before leaving camp. Then, as the trip progresses, each boy grows more capable and confident.

Ages and grades completed are provided as general guidelines. There will often be some variation to this progression.

Age

Grade Completed

Cabin Name

Primer Trip Destination

Nights

Trip Type

Main Trip Destination

Nights

Trip Type

8 - 10

2 - 4
Junior Kieve
None
N/A
N/A
Bremen & Hog Island
1
Ocean
8 - 9
2 - 3
South Glenayr
Hog Island
1
Ocean
Camden Hills State Park
2
Hike
9 - 10
3 - 4
Noth Glenayr & The Breck
Damariscotta Lake
1
Canoe
Mount Blue State Park
2
Hike
10 - 11
4 - 5
South Cunningham, South Bunkerhill, South Townsend
Camden Hills State Park
1
Hike
White Mt. National Forest
4
Hike
11 - 12
5 - 6
North Townsend, North Bunkerhill, & North Cunningham
Damariscotta Lake
1
Canoe
St. Croix River
5
Canoe
12 - 13
6 - 7
South Harris & South Harrington
Hermit Island
2
Hike/Ocean
Moosehead Lake Region
6
Hike/Canoe
12 - 13
6 - 7
North Harris & North Harrington
Carrabassett Valley
2
Hike
Moose River
6
Canoe
13 - 14
7 - 8
Bank
None
N/A
N/A
Bigelow Mountains & East Branch Penobscot River
10
Hike/Canoe
14 - 15
8 - 9
Allagash
None
N/A
N/A
Allagash Wilderness Waterway
12
Canoe
15 - 16
9 - 10
Long Voyage
None
N/A
N/A
The Long Voyage
17
Canoe
16 - 17
10 - 11
Maine Trails
None
N/A
N/A
Appalachian Trail
21
Backpack

Ages and grades completed are provided as general guidelines. There will often be some variation to this progression.

Junior Kieve

Bremen & Hog Island
1 Night
Ages 8 - 10
Grades 2 - 4

South Glenayr

Damariscotta Lake
1 Night
Ragged Mountain
2 Nights
Ages 8 - 9
Grades 2 - 3

North Glenayr and North Townsend

Damariscotta Lake
1 Night
Burnt Mountain
2 Nights
Ages 9 - 10
Grades 3 - 4

South Bunkerhill, South Cunningham, and South Townsend

Hog Island
1 Night
White Mountain National Forest
4 Nights
Ages 10 - 11
Grades 4 - 5

North Bunkerhill I & II, and North Cunningham

Camden Hills State Park
1 Night
St Croix River
5 Nights
Ages 11 - 12
Grades 5 - 6

South Harris

Sugar Island (Penobscot Nation)
2 Nights
Moosehead Lake Region
6 Nights
Ages 12 - 13
Grades 6 - 7

North Harris and North Harrington

Tumbledown Mountain
2 Nights
Moose River
6 Nights
Ages 12 - 13
Grades 6 - 7

Bank I and II

Bigelow Mountain, Katahdin Woods and Waters, & East Branch Penobscot River
10 Nights
Ages 13 - 14
Grades 7 - 8

Allagash I, II, and III

Allagash Wilderness Waterway
12 Nights
Ages 14 - 15
Grades 8 - 9

Long Voyage I, II, and III

The Long Voyage
17 Nights
Ages 15 - 16
Grades 9 - 10

Maine Trails I, II, and III

Appalachian Trail
21 Nights
Ages 16 - 17
Grades 10 - 11

Blue pins are water based trips, green pins are land based trips.