October is almost over and we are having our fall rains. The lake is very full now and the leaves have dropped. Our dining room is closed until New Years Eve when we will reopen for the winter. We will have a great band for two nights of entertainment. Come on up bring in the new year at Moosehead Lake.

The lake  usually freezes between Christmas and New Years. We will kick off the new year with cross country skiing and snowmobiling. Our fleet of snowmobiles includes late model quiet four stroke sleds as well as two stroke sporty single sleds.My ski plane will be flying again to remote XC skiing areas and for scenic winter tours.

Our cross country ski trails will be open at first snow. The Cabins at The Birches are always opened the year round.

The local wild animals are hunkering down for the winter. We have several beavers working out on our land building their winter shelter. Beavers create a varied habitat for other wildlife. They create dams ,which then create habitat for fish and other wild animals in the woods.

Our jeep tours run all year and now is a great time to view wildlife in the open. With the leaves gone there is good visibility in the woods.

Did you know that during the last ice age that Moosehead Lake was covered by approximately 7,000 feet of ice. Our winters are getting more mild which is actually allowing for better weather for outdoor activities. The cold low temperature averages are edging higher now, but not high enough to loose our snow.

I hope to see some of you in the lodge this winter. Have a great Maine day.

John

Skiing soon!

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Fall is here now. The International Sea Plane Fly-in is over now. We have many planes and a great turnout despite bad weather the days leading up to the event.The Birches now has offers a full sea plane base with fuel, tie downs and a hanger for maintenance  and storage. We also have 100 no lead fuel for airplanes. The Sea Plane Fly-in is the largest of it’s kind in the world. It is always the weekend after Labor Day. This years fly-in was dedicated to Telford Allen, who was killed in a sea plane crash near The Birches on August 1 of this year. In the early 60′s his family owned The Birches for a time.

The Birches cabins and restaurant are opened every day through late October. The lake is starting to cool down. This is a great time to try one of our Jeep tours. We have been seeing many moose lately on these 2 hour trips.

Fall hiking on our 40 mile trail system is very colorful.

September and October are wonderful months to enjoy Moosehead Lake. A scenic float pane ride can be spectacular as the colors brighten.

Now that the really busy time is over for now, I will be posting more often.

Check out our specials page for last minute getaway packages.

Have a great Maine day

Sea Plane Fly-in September 11, 2010

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Summer is in full swing now at The Birches on Moosehead Lake. The weather has been fantastic and really warm. The warm weather has warmed the lake – it’s warmer than at any time last year. Great swimming!

Did you know that all guests at The Birches receive complimentary campfire wood? We harvest wood from our 10000 acres and leave bundles at all of our cabins and campsites for fireside chats. The Milky Way Galaxy is in full view in our clean clear sky and there is no better way to enjoy that then by a campfire.

Moose have been sighted on virtually all of our Moose Safaris by boat so far this season. We’ve also been spotting them from my float plane.

When you look at Mount Kineo from The Birches dining room it’s hard to imagine that 1,000 years ago, when the glacial ice sheet was at its peak, it was over 6000 feet thick!

If you’re planning summer getaway, we hope you’ll try a wilderness vacation at The Birches Resort. We have all the equipment you need for an action-packed vacation – kayaks, canoes, boats sailboats, mountain bikes – and a complete fitness center to help you stay fit. Add a Moose Safari or float plane ride over the lake for a real adventure.

We have 38 miles of private trails on our land for use by our guests. Come on up and get the very best of summer now at Moosehead lake.

Check out our special section on our website for last minute value getaways. And don’t forget to check us out on Facebook and Twitter!

Have a great Maine day!

John

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If you’ve been wondering how Mooses’s Bosom Mountain got its name – or why Pink Chicken Hill is named for poultry, join us on July 17 at 7 PM to hear mountain trekker, historian and author Steve Pinkham talk about his travels and his book Mountains of Maine – Intriguing Stories Behind Their Names.

Steve ran the outdoor programs for the Hartford, Connecticut YMCA for 10 years and is currently president of the Outdoor Club in Boston.  Steve estimates that he has hiked more than three thousand miles during the past three decades, including treks up the hundred highest mountains in New England.  His home is in Quincy, Massachusetts. For more information  call us at 800-825-WILD or email birchescathy@yahoo.com.

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We’ve been seeing a lot of moose this spring. Just last week our moose cruise passengers were treated to a real special sight – a newborn moose taking its first steps. We didn’t see much in the beginning of the trip, when all of the sudden we spotted a cow with her baby on the shore.  As we approached she stood up and  so did her brand new baby calf on very wobbly legs!  There have been cow and calf sightings on almost all of our cruises so far. Dad’s been sighted too, but he’s more skittish and doesn’t stick around long.

We’re also having a great fishing season -  we’re catching salmon in the river and behind Mt. Kineo. Bring your own boat or rent one of our ours for the day.

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Fishing on Moosehead Lake

I went fishing on Sunday with Dick, one of our guides. Caught some nice fish – landlocked salmon and lake trout. Moosehead is a great lake to fish on. The scenery is beautiful and the fish are biting well this season.

Even if you’re a pro, it’s great to go out with a professional guide who knows the lake and where the fish are biting. You can go for a full or half day and the fee includes gear and boat. They’ll pick you up and drop you off – cabin-to-cabin service!

We also have several fly fishing guides who can take you on the local rivers for a great day of fly-fishing. They too supply all of your gear and lunch as well.

Bring your catch back to the lodge, and our chef will prepare it to your specifications.

If you really want to have an adventure, I’ll you and a friend in my floatplane and drop you off at a remote section of the lake for kayaking. You can bring your fishing rods and try your luck in the backcountry.

The early June weather promises a great summer. The fish are biting.  Come on up.

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Spring is here, but summer’s in the air! The trees are green and spring flowers are in bloom – everything is at least 3 to 4 weeks ahead of schedule. The sunset’s are amazing, occurring  at 9 pm or later, as we whirl our way to June 21, the longest day of the year and the official start of summer.

Did you know that our days here are about 30 minutes longer than in Boston. That’s because The Birches is actually just north of the 45 parallel, which means that we are closer to the north pole than to the equator. The sun is very high in the sky now and the sunrise on Moosehead from The Birches is just amazing. I joke with my flying buddies that there are no rules here north of the 45^th and when the day comes that there are rules, we’ll move to the 46^th.!

Having lived in Rockwood for 40 years, my observation is that the climate here is similar to Connecticut’s climate 30 years ago. The days are warmer, and the lakes and rovers are warmer too.

If you haven’t made your weekend plans yet, come up an see us, come up and see us! We’re in full operation now. Our dining room and lounge are open and the marina is open daily for the summer season.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend

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Soon we will be playing on Maine's largest lake

It is official. April 15 Moosehead lake was ice free. The early record was April 13 , so it was almost tied. Soon we will be fishing and boating. We are putting our boats in the water now and getting all of our docks out for the season. Check out our specials for early season mini vacations. Our cabins are opened rear round. We are doing spring cleanup . This is a great time for an early Mt Kineo hike or a walk in the woods. The Dead River will be running soon. We have packages with lodging for these fine spring runs.

Spring is one of the best times at Moosehead. The ground is drying out and the plants and trees are starting to wake.

My plane will be on floats May 5 for scenic rides.

I hope to see you soon.

John Willard

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Soon the ice will be gone. We'll take the skis off the plane and put the floats on for spring and summer.

Good day. The ice will be moving out on Moosehead lake very soon. It will be a very early ice out. The lake will be at least two to three weeks ahead of usual for spring fishing and other activities.

Our cabins are opened and we have some specials for April. See our specials page. Specials

With the early spring we may be opening our lodge early as well. I will keep you posted.

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Antique Polaris Early 60's snowmobile on the trail to NE Carry last week

Today is March 1. Moosehead Lake is still quite frozen and there is plenty of great heavy powder to ski and snowmobile on. All trails are being groomed.The longer days are now starting to melt snow around trees in the woods.  Maple sap will be running hard very soon and spring is on the horizon.

Winter sports usually last through the end on March with colder nights and nice warm 30′s days.

Note the Cheeseburger and french fries on the seat of this antique snowmobile purchased at Raymond’s Store at NE Carry. Jeff (the owner) rides and eats lunch at the same time! That is the first time I have seen that.

March is fun for all at Moosehead.

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