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Trips

"Our sons have learned that trying new things is just as important as competition,
and they return home with new self-confidence in all that they've accomplished."
—Pine Island Parent

Over 40 canoe, kayak, and hiking trips go out from Pine Island each summer, taking boys from the summits of New Hampshire's White Mountains to the border river between Maine and New Brunswick. For the youngest campers there are two- or three-day trips to learn fundamental camping skills, while older, more experienced boys may go for as long as a week into wild country.

Each boy chooses his trips with guidance from the staff. Easier trips are offered early in the summer to build stamina and confidence. Much of the preparation takes place in the woodcraft program at camp, where fire building, first aid, and cooking skills are taught to all campers to make them comfortable and capable of contributing on trips.

Self-reliance and community cooperation are developed and strengthened on the trail, where a group of eight boys and two counselors depend on each other to perform well. At least one counselor on each trip is licensed by the State of Maine as a trip leader, and at least one staff member on each trip also has the Wilderness First Responder certification.

Older boys are expected to act maturely and help younger campers learn the basics. Campers are taught from the beginning to respect the privacy of other hikers, and for this reason Pine Island has a solid reputation with trail supervisors.

Pine Island also offers trips of an educational nature, most notably to our saltwater outpost on a coastal island. A life-saving station in the 1800s, the island is still home to an active lighthouse as well as many acres of undeveloped forest, tide pools, and clam flats. Here boys learn about Maine's coastal history, flora and marine fauna, and sample Maine lobster straight from the pot.