Welcoming new staff and board, the winter trail report, learning winter safety, and a fresh look for the eNewsletter!
Winter at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is a study in contrasts: its still, stark beauty invites well-bundled adventurers to experience a stunning landscape, but extreme cold, deep snowpack, and the remote backcountry pose risks. Recreating safely requires specific knowledge, gear, and a clear head when things don’t go the way we planned.
For those who are prepared and embrace the challenge of winter camping, perhaps spotting moose or lynx tracks on an overnight cross-country ski trek to Haskell or Big Spring Brook Hut will be the highlight of winter! Or you may prefer to “nest” inside with your maps and guides, like the black bears, porcupines, and other critters hidden below the snow, dreaming of warm summer nights. Either way, Friends gets you! There is a way for everyone to preseve, protect, and enjoy public lands.
And while we love every season, we are already looking forward to August, which marks the 10th anniversary of the designation of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument! Save the date now for Woods & Waters Day on Saturday, August 15, and stay tuned to this newsletter and our social media for all the fun details as we move into spring. We’re delighted to share that the staff, board, and membership (that’s you!) of Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters has grown – and excited to celebrate and reflect on the past ten years together. Below, meet the new faces who are working to channel your passion and resolve to protect KAWW for future generations. Also in this newsletter: the monument grooming report, local students learn how to stay safe in the cold, legislation to protect Maine’s dark skies, and more.
New Board and Staff Bring Knowledge, Experience, and Passion
At the December meeting, Friends’ directors elected three new members to the board, expanding the depth of expertise and relationships to the National Park Service, the Katahdin region, and
the land. Meet Carla Chung Mattix, a 25-year veteran lawyer with the NPS; John Pond, Patten native and Executive Vice President/Environmental Programs at engineering firm Haley Ward; and Linda Qualey of Benedicta, who spent her career in nonprofit fundraising and management roles. A full listing of board members and their biographies can be found at friendsofkww.org/board.
And just this month, our education team, the Katahdin Learning Project, hired a second educator to join the team year-round! Raised in the Katahdin region, Michelle returned home almost a decade ago and comes to Friends from Houlton High School where she was the school librarian and founded the outdoor club! A Registered Maine Guide with experience throughout the region including in Baxter State Park, Michelle, in her words, is excited “to help others become relentlessly curious about their interdependence on their environment, their communities, the world, and their future selves.”
Always, the heart of Friends is you – the members who make it all possible. Are you one of the “new faces” at Friends as well? Dozens of individuals, families, and small family foundations joined Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters in 2025 for the first time. Welcome!
Frosty Fun with Winter Safety Lessons
Would you know what to do if a winter medical emergency happened out on the trail? After a recent session with the Katahdin Learning Project, these teenagers do! On a frigid mid-January afternoon, students at Katahdin High School learned how to prevent, identify, and treat two of the most common cold weather injuries – hypothermia and frostbite. Friends’ Education Manager Elise Goplerud introduced experiential activities and led role-playing scenarios, even applying costume make-up on their hands to similate frostbite. A Registered Maine Recreational Guide with extensive experience in the backcountry in winter, Elise reported that the students were curious and focused while practicing real-world skills – plus had a lot of fun getting into the hypo-wrap!
This and all programs of Friends’ place-based education team Katahdin Learning Project was provided at no cost to the school. Working with local teachers year after to year to craft meaningful, memorable lessons – aligned with Maine Learning Results standards and the classroom curriculum – is among the most impactful work that your support makes possible.
Landmark Law Protecting Dark Skies
If you have gazed up at the stars or been lucky enough to witness the Aurora Borealis here in the Katahdin region, you’ve enjoyed an increasingly imperiled natural resource – dark skies.
Advocating for the protection of the dark has been a key part of Friends’ work since 2017, with a tireless push for Dark Sky Sanctuary designation succeeding in 2020.
In the spring of 2025, joining representatives from The Nature Conservancy, Dark Sky Maine, and Maine Audubon, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters submitted testimony in support of “An Act to Promote Responsible Outdoor Lighting.” Just this month, that bill became law – granting Maine one of the most comprehensive and specific outdoor lighting laws in the country. We are honored to promote dark sky protection for everyone – having witnessed the excitement and awe that simply looking up in the absence of light pollution can elicit. As Executive Director Brian Hinrichs stated:
“…the benefits can multiply out for all. As a Dark Sky Sanctuary, we have seen astro-tourism growing in the Katahdin region: at last year’s Stars Over Katahdin event, a family journeyed from Boston to experience the dark skies.”
Beyond our human enjoyment of seeing the stars at night, the benefit to wildlife and ecosystems could be profound. As we learn more about the importance of the dark to animal migrations, mating, hunting, and more, conserving and even restoring dark skies are important and achievable goals. View the full legislation of LD 1934 here – and learn more about why dark skies matter with these resources from the National Park Service.
Behind the Signs – News from the NPS at Katahdin Woods and Waters
Winter is definitely the quiet season for Katahdin Woods and Waters – unless you happen to be one of the visitors passing through on the ITS snowmobile trail network – but that doesn’t mean the year-round park staff aren’t busy! KAWW Superintendent Neal LaBrie and his team are grooming cross-country ski trails, monitoring wildlife via game cameras, recruiting and hiring seasonal staff for summer 2026, and planning events.
The KAWW facilities team recently installed a larger wood stove at Big Spring Brook Hut, one of the two backcountry cabins available for winter camping. This long-awaited upgrade will provide the increased heat needed to keep the cabin warm for those putting in the extra miles and effort to spend the night. The installation was well-timed for current conditions, with average overnight lows around zero degrees fahrenheit in the last two weeks. Brr!
The 2nd Annual Patten Winterfest on Saturday, February 28th from 1-5 pm at the Patten Lumbermans Museum! Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, the Maine Forest Service, Friends, and many others will be teaming up to to create interactive stations for youth and their families to learn all about winter ecology, recreation, safety, and more. Visit the NPS Event Calendar for the full listing. Hope to see you there!
PLUS…
Have you dreamed of working for the park service? Don’t delay – Katahdin Woods and Waters is currently seeking applicants for summer positions including trail maintenance, with many closing this week. View job postings at USAjobs.com by searching location “Patten Maine” or keyword “Katahdin.” Find tips and learn how to create a profile for job alerts at nps.gov/KAWW/getinvolved/workwithus.- Grooming is underway in the monument at the North Gate! Find general information at the official Winter Trail Conditions page in the Plan Your Visit section of the NPS KAWW website. After winter storms, trails will be groomed as soon as possible. Always check snowfall reports and weather conditions before heading out (Friends will also share updates on Facebook when available).
This blog post was adapted from an email sent on February 9, 2026. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
Happy New Year, Friends! January/February eNewsletter
Posted: February 9, 2026 by Sarah Andre
Welcoming new staff and board, the winter trail report, learning winter safety, and a fresh look for the eNewsletter!
Winter at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is a study in contrasts: its still, stark beauty invites well-bundled adventurers to experience a stunning landscape, but extreme cold, deep snowpack, and the remote backcountry pose risks. Recreating safely requires specific knowledge, gear, and a clear head when things don’t go the way we planned.
For those who are prepared and embrace the challenge of winter camping, perhaps spotting moose or lynx tracks on an overnight cross-country ski trek to Haskell or Big Spring Brook Hut will be the highlight of winter! Or you may prefer to “nest” inside with your maps and guides, like the black bears, porcupines, and other critters hidden below the snow, dreaming of warm summer nights. Either way, Friends gets you! There is a way for everyone to preseve, protect, and enjoy public lands.
And while we love every season, we are already looking forward to August, which marks the 10th anniversary of the designation of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument! Save the date now for Woods & Waters Day on Saturday, August 15, and stay tuned to this newsletter and our social media for all the fun details as we move into spring. We’re delighted to share that the staff, board, and membership (that’s you!) of Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters has grown – and excited to celebrate and reflect on the past ten years together. Below, meet the new faces who are working to channel your passion and resolve to protect KAWW for future generations. Also in this newsletter: the monument grooming report, local students learn how to stay safe in the cold, legislation to protect Maine’s dark skies, and more.
New Board and Staff Bring Knowledge, Experience, and Passion
At the December meeting, Friends’ directors elected three new members to the board, expanding the depth of expertise and relationships to the National Park Service, the Katahdin region, and
the land. Meet Carla Chung Mattix, a 25-year veteran lawyer with the NPS; John Pond, Patten native and Executive Vice President/Environmental Programs at engineering firm Haley Ward; and Linda Qualey of Benedicta, who spent her career in nonprofit fundraising and management roles. A full listing of board members and their biographies can be found at friendsofkww.org/board.
And just this month, our education team, the Katahdin Learning Project, hired a second educator to join the team year-round! Raised in the Katahdin region, Michelle returned home almost a decade ago and comes to Friends from Houlton High School where she was the school librarian and founded the outdoor club! A Registered Maine Guide with experience throughout the region including in Baxter State Park, Michelle, in her words, is excited “to help others become relentlessly curious about their interdependence on their environment, their communities, the world, and their future selves.”
Always, the heart of Friends is you – the members who make it all possible. Are you one of the “new faces” at Friends as well? Dozens of individuals, families, and small family foundations joined Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters in 2025 for the first time. Welcome!
Frosty Fun with Winter Safety Lessons
This and all programs of Friends’ place-based education team Katahdin Learning Project was provided at no cost to the school. Working with local teachers year after to year to craft meaningful, memorable lessons – aligned with Maine Learning Results standards and the classroom curriculum – is among the most impactful work that your support makes possible.
Landmark Law Protecting Dark Skies
If you have gazed up at the stars or been lucky enough to witness the Aurora Borealis here in the Katahdin region, you’ve enjoyed an increasingly imperiled natural resource – dark skies.
Advocating for the protection of the dark has been a key part of Friends’ work since 2017, with a tireless push for Dark Sky Sanctuary designation succeeding in 2020.
In the spring of 2025, joining representatives from The Nature Conservancy, Dark Sky Maine, and Maine Audubon, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters submitted testimony in support of “An Act to Promote Responsible Outdoor Lighting.” Just this month, that bill became law – granting Maine one of the most comprehensive and specific outdoor lighting laws in the country. We are honored to promote dark sky protection for everyone – having witnessed the excitement and awe that simply looking up in the absence of light pollution can elicit. As Executive Director Brian Hinrichs stated:
“…the benefits can multiply out for all. As a Dark Sky Sanctuary, we have seen astro-tourism growing in the Katahdin region: at last year’s Stars Over Katahdin event, a family journeyed from Boston to experience the dark skies.”
Beyond our human enjoyment of seeing the stars at night, the benefit to wildlife and ecosystems could be profound. As we learn more about the importance of the dark to animal migrations, mating, hunting, and more, conserving and even restoring dark skies are important and achievable goals. View the full legislation of LD 1934 here – and learn more about why dark skies matter with these resources from the National Park Service.
Behind the Signs – News from the NPS at Katahdin Woods and Waters
Winter is definitely the quiet season for Katahdin Woods and Waters – unless you happen to be one of the visitors passing through on the ITS snowmobile trail network – but that doesn’t mean the year-round park staff aren’t busy! KAWW Superintendent Neal LaBrie and his team are grooming cross-country ski trails, monitoring wildlife via game cameras, recruiting and hiring seasonal staff for summer 2026, and planning events.
The KAWW facilities team recently installed a larger wood stove at Big Spring Brook Hut, one of the two backcountry cabins available for winter camping. This long-awaited upgrade will provide the increased heat needed to keep the cabin warm for those putting in the extra miles and effort to spend the night. The installation was well-timed for current conditions, with average overnight lows around zero degrees fahrenheit in the last two weeks. Brr!
The 2nd Annual Patten Winterfest on Saturday, February 28th from 1-5 pm at the Patten Lumbermans Museum! Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, the Maine Forest Service, Friends, and many others will be teaming up to to create interactive stations for youth and their families to learn all about winter ecology, recreation, safety, and more. Visit the NPS Event Calendar for the full listing. Hope to see you there!
PLUS…
This blog post was adapted from an email sent on February 9, 2026. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
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