The beauty of Maine’s woods and mountains has been a source of inspiration for poets such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who was born and raised here in the early 1800s, and for immigrants such as the French Canadians who brought their rich culture of music, community, and hard work to Maine later that same century. It has also inspired and provided for the adventurous outdoorsmen whose sweat and blood built Maine’s system of trails through dense forests and drove the giant logs down rivers to build our cities and towns, and entrepreneurs such as Leon Leonwood Bean, founder of the L.L.Bean shop.

With that same spirit of community, adventure, and entrepreneurship, Tim Morin, owner of Shaker Hill Outdoors, is working hard to make the beauty of Maine’s winters accessible to everyone who seeks inspiration and/or just good old family fun.

According to www.farmersalmanac.com/weather, “Real winter weather will return to areas from the Great Lakes into the Northeast, [and] most eastern states – as far south as the Gulf Coast – will see snowier than normal conditions and cooler temperatures.” Translation: Get out the winter toys and be ready for lots of snow and thicker ice that sticks around longer!

“Snowshoeing is a really good activity for families,” said Morin. “It’s healthy, and there is a lot that you can see when you are walking slowly through the woods.”

With reasonably priced snowshoe rentals for kids, women, and men, and access to 16 acres of groomed trails on Shaker Hill in Poland, as well as other trails at the nearby Poland Spring Inn and Preservation Park, snowshoeing is a great way to enjoy the peaceful beauty of Maine. Although renters can pick up snowshoes at Shaker Hill Outdoors and take them anywhere they like, Morin said he would love to see a snowshoe club around here.

The Appalachian Mountain Club offers winter group hikes that are appropriate for everyone from beginner to seasoned snowshoers, including an “Intro to Winter Hiking” trip at Bradbury Mountain on December 22, and many other day and multi-day snowshoe experiences. For more information about membership and other opportunities offered by the AMC, visit their website.

George Graves, of Hebron, said “I have been ice fishing since I was old enough to walk. It’s a great way to beat cabin fever!” Although his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Leah, join him on good days, “They won’t go when it’s super cold.” He can’t blame them. Though Graves loves the Maine outdoors, he’s not a big fan of the extreme cold either.

Maine has lots of great lakes for ice fishing, and Graves likes Thompson Lake for its lake trout and salmon. He often fishes for rainbow trout on Middle and Upper Range Ponds in Poland. “The state stocks the lakes and ponds every year during the spring and fall,” said Graves, “and they post a stocking list of places that they stock.” Look for those lists in publications like The Maine Sportsman magazine.

Graves has all of the equipment that he needs for a successful day of ice fishing, including essentials like an ice shack and auger. However, if he didn’t, such equipment could be rented or purchased from Morin at Shaker Hill Outdoors. Per customer requests, Shaker Hill Outdoors also stocks trap packages, line, hooks, and weights, as well as bait.

“We sold a ton of bait last year,” said Morin. “We also stock clothing essentials from socks to boots [and] underwear to jackets to make the cold weather comfortable.”

Like Graves, Morin has been ice fishing for nearly his entire life and with organized on-ice fish fries and chili cook-offs, and the camaraderie that blossoms in the many “shanty villages” that pop up on the frozen ponds, he described the experience as “much more than just fishing.”

With groomed trails, courtesy of Poland Sno Travelers, a local snowmobile club, leading right up the parking lot at Shaker Hill Outdoors, Morin is particularly excited this year about the six new sleds, with electric starts and reverse, that he offers for rental.

“Rentals,” he explained, “can give someone who is new to the sport or traveling great distances access to snowmobiling with a minimal investment.” As with his snowshoe rentals, customers can pick up a sled at Shaker Hill Outdoors and go anywhere.

Morin is looking forward to a great year on the trails. “I have already put 25 snowmobiles through the shop this year in preparation for the big snowfalls that are forecasted by the Farmers Almanac.”

With The Lodge at Poland Spring Resort open year round, and plans on the drawing board for the development of a Route 26 snowmobile corridor to access towns further down the road, Morin said he hopes that people will park their cars in the lot at Shaker Hill Outdoors (free of charge regardless of whether they purchase or rent anything from Morin) to take advantage of the amenities that exist along Route 26, including family dining at Cyndi’s Dockside on Middle Range Pond, the excitement of the new Casino in Oxford and an overnight stay at The Lodge.

Offering snowmobile safety classes and up-to-date trail information, in addition to gear and rentals for winter fun, Shaker Hill Outdoors can help you make this a winter to remember. Likewise, the Applachian Mountain Club can provide structure, planning and expert advice, as well as the opportunity to meet others who share a love of the Maine outdoors.