A post from The Adventuring Beer blog - November 13th 2017

As some of you may already know, I have spent the past two years living and working off-grid in the mountains of Western Maine for Maine Huts and Trails, a nonprofit backcountry hut and trail system, whose goal is to preserve and conserve this region of Maine through eco-tourism focused around sustainability and people-powered outdoor recreation.

My time with the huts was spent working within their four backcountry eco-lodges, accessible only by hiking and biking summer through fall, and then by snowshoe and cross-country skiing during the winter.

My commute to work was unlike your normal rush-hour drive. Instead, it primarily consisted of scenic byways and winding backroads. Arriving at the trailhead was only the first leg of the journey as I then, depending on the season, would choose my method of travel through the backcountry and into the hut.

Once on duty, I would stay at the hut for up to ten days, working in pairs and teams with crew members switching in and out of rotation. The most challenging part of this role was that once at the hut, you are almost always on, always available, and always sort of "working". However, many aspects of our job were fun, including getting to know the guests, and getting creative in the kitchen while cooking throughout the day.

My time within the hut was split evenly. Half my time was spent hosting and cooking from-scratch meals in a commercial kitchen for our overnight guests, using as many locally sourced provisions as possible. While at Flagstaff Hut, we cooked three meals daily for up to 40 dinner guests a night. We baked bread and desserts daily, and roasted vegetables, and slow-cooked meats every afternoon. After dinner was served we gave energetic dinner speeches and energy tours of our ecosystems each night. They were full and wholesome days.

The second half of my time was spent creating new friendships and lifelong bonds with fellow hut crew members. Each day felt like what I imagined summer camp to be - work, play, friends, food, sleep, repeat. Nights consisted of hours of laughter from our cozy bunks and the occasional pig pile of futon shenanigans. Late-night adventures into the dimly moonlit woods were frequent and hours were spent gazing upon the unpolluted night sky, followed by a call out of the day's "High, low, and Hope for tomorrow".

Free time between daily obligations was spent running between the lake for quick swims, finding sunny spots on the back porch to read, sipping coffee at the vista, biking up and down Oak Knoll and Newton Revenge more times than necessary in a day, and chasing sunsets before the moon took over the sky. Warm afternoons were spent hiking up to the top of the Bigelows and exploring the many miles of the Carrabassett Valley trail network by bike. Winter months were spent cross-country skiing through the evergreens and putting out fresh tracks on newly groomed trails, snowshoeing out to the beaver pond, and braving the frigid and windy ski-out onto Flagstaff Lake for surreal views of the Bigelows.

Half of my time while on the job was spent hosting and cooking from scratch meals for our overnight guests, using as many locally sourced provisions as possible. We worked in a commercial kitchen, bringing together meals for up to 45+ guests a night, each meal including 5+ dishes at a time; I have never eaten better in my life. We baked bread and desserts daily, roasted vegetables and slow-cooked meats every afternoon, and gave energetic dinner speeches and energy tours of our ecosystems every night.

When talking with guests about my day-to-day routine, or how I get to and from work, I am often confronted with wide eyes and shocked expressions. Reactions from guests such as this remind me how lucky I am to have chosen this path.

There is no convenience to this job. I have learned that you have to be open-minded and up for adventure at all times of the day. Mental and physical endurance is needed daily, but after time, a 30+ pound bag becomes lighter, a three-mile uphill pedal becomes easier, and a fridged hour-long ski in snow up to your knees becomes normal; your mental and physical muscles rapidly grow when you push yourself outside of your comfort zone regularly.

Life is much slower, simpler, and more peaceful here; adapting has felt natural. I finally feel like I am in the right place. There is no movie theater, 24/7 fast food joint, strip mall, or extravagant shopping center, and I (we) like it that way. You have a handful of casual restaurants full of familiar faces, four gas stations over a thirty-mile stretch, one cafe, a small but mighty supermarket, a hardware store, a few farms, a pharmacy, a few places to rest your head if traveling, and an art studio or two.
There isn't much need for anything else here. Those who call this area of Maine home, crave greater things, like the mountains and rivers, and free time to enjoy these bits of gold.