Podcasts about Rangeley

From the Williams Broadcasting Studio join John Williams and John Blunt for this weeks fly fishing report from Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine! Fishing is great!!

we are on the up and up! spring is here summer weather is here for today atleast and the fish are biting! hugh recants the catch of memorial day weekend, fishing league is back on, charcuterie talks.and the normal chats. be a friend tell a friend!

Episode 161 of the Destination Angler Fly Fishing Podcast – January 1, 2026. Our destination is the Rangeley region of Maine — home to three world-famous rivers steeped in history and known for giant brook trout: the Rapid, the Kennebago, and the Magalloway.  But how are they actually fishing today? And do they still live up to the hype? Joining me is fisheries ecologist and lifelong Mainer Greg LaBonte, owner of Maine Fly Guys.  Today we talk brook trout and landlocked salmon, muskies and black flies, head nets and Maine culture, and what not to do in moose country. Plus, Greg's five must-have fly patterns and the mind blowing truth about leaders, fly lines, and tippets.    With host Steve Haigh Be the first to know about new episodes.  Become a subscriber  Message Greg on Instagram @maineflyguys or visit his website: https://maineflyguys.com/    Destination Angler Podcast:   Website YouTube Instagram & Facebook  @DestinationAnglerPodcast  Please check out our Sponsors: TroutRoutes  The #1 Mapping Resource for Trout Anglers.  Podcast listeners can try one month of TroutRoutes PRO for FREE by clicking the link in the episode description. Explore 50,000 trout streams with TroutRoutes today.   Get 1 Month Free   Facebook @troutinsights Instagram @TroutRoutes    High N Dry Fishing Where science and performance meet.  Check out the full lineup of floatants, line dressings, and sighter waxes at www.highndryfishingproducts.com    Facebook @highndryfishingproducts  Instagram @highndryfishing Got Fishing  Crafting world-class fly-fishing adventures specially designed to your level of experience and budget.    Facebook @GotFishingAdventures Instagram @GotFishing  Redd's Flies Premium flies, tied with purpose.  Redd's is a family-run company built around premium, hand-tied flies that actually hold up and flat-out catch fish, delivered to your doorstep in days, not weeks.   A portion of every order goes directly to organizations protecting trout habitat and restoring rivers.  Facebook @ReddsFlies      Instagram @ReddsFlies  *** Comments & Suggestions:  host, Steve Haigh, email shaigh@DestinationAnglerPodcast.com Available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Recorded Oct 31, 2025

WhoDeb Hatley, Owner of Hatley Pointe, North CarolinaRecorded onJuly 30, 2025About Hatley PointeClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Deb and David Hatley since 2023 - purchased from Orville English, who had owned and operated the resort since 1992Located in: Mars Hill, North CarolinaYear founded: 1969 (as Wolf Laurel or Wolf Ridge; both names used over the decades)Pass affiliations: Indy Pass, Indy+ Pass – 2 days, no blackoutsClosest neighboring ski areas: Cataloochee (1:25), Sugar Mountain (1:26)Base elevation: 4,000 feetSummit elevation: 4,700 feetVertical drop: 700 feetSkiable acres: 54Average annual snowfall: 65 inchesTrail count: 21 (4 beginner, 11 intermediate, 6 advanced)Lift count: 4 active (1 fixed-grip quad, 1 ropetow, 2 carpets); 2 inactive, both on the upper mountain (1 fixed-grip quad, 1 double)Why I interviewed herOur world has not one map, but many. Nature drew its own with waterways and mountain ranges and ecosystems and tectonic plates. We drew our maps on top of these, to track our roads and borders and political districts and pipelines and railroad tracks.Our maps are functional, simplistic. They insist on fictions. Like the 1,260-mile-long imaginary straight line that supposedly splices the United States from Canada between Washington State and Minnesota. This frontier is real so long as we say so, but if humanity disappeared tomorrow, so would that line.Nature's maps are more resilient. This is where water flows because this is where water flows. If we all go away, the water keeps flowing. This flow, in turn, impacts the shape and function of the entire world.One of nature's most interesting maps is its mountain map. For most of human existence, mountains mattered much more to us than they do now. Meaning: we had to respect these giant rocks because they stood convincingly in our way. It took European settlers centuries to navigate en masse over the Appalachians, which is not even a severe mountain range, by global mountain-range standards. But paved roads and tunnels and gas stations every five miles have muted these mountains' drama. You can now drive from the Atlantic Ocean to the Midwest in half a day.So spoiled by infrastructure, we easily forget how dramatically mountains command huge parts of our world. In America, we know this about our country: the North is cold and the South is warm. And we define these regions using battle maps from a 19th Century war that neatly bisected the nation. Another imaginary line. We travel south for beaches and north to ski and it is like this everywhere, a gentle progression, a continent-length slide that warms as you descend from Alaska to Panama.But mountains disrupt this logic. Because where the land goes up, the air grows cooler. And there are mountains all over. And so we have skiing not just in expected places such as Vermont and Maine and Michigan and Washington, but in completely irrational ones like Arizona and New Mexico and Southern California. And North Carolina.North Carolina. That's the one that surprised me. When I started skiing, I mean. Riding hokey-poke chairlifts up 1990s Midwest hills that wouldn't qualify as rideable surf breaks, I peered out at the world to figure out where else people skied and what that skiing was like. And I was astonished by how many places had organized skiing with cut trails and chairlifts and lift tickets, and by how many of them were way down the Michigan-to-Florida slide-line in places where I thought that winter never came: West Virginia and Virginia and Maryland. And North Carolina.Yes there are ski areas in more improbable states. But Cloudmont, situated in, of all places, Alabama, spins its ropetow for a few days every other year or so. North Carolina, home to six ski areas spinning a combined 35 chairlifts, allows for no such ambiguity: this is a ski state. And these half-dozen ski centers are not marginal operations: Sugar Mountain and Cataloochee opened for the season last week, and they sometimes open in October. Sugar spins a six-pack and two detach quads on a 1,200-foot vertical drop.This geographic quirk is a product of our wonderful Appalachian Mountain chain, which reaches its highest points not in New England but in North Carolina, where Mount Mitchell peaks at 6,684 feet, 396 feet higher than the summit of New Hampshire's Mount Washington. This is not an anomaly: North Carolina is home to six summits taller than Mount Washington, and 12 of the 20-highest in the Appalachians, a range that stretches from Alabama to Newfoundland. And it's not just the summits that are taller in North Carolina. The highest ski area base elevation in New England is Saddleback, which measures 2,147 feet at the bottom of the South Branch quad (the mountain more typically uses the 2,460-foot measurement at the bottom of the Rangeley quad). Either way, it's more than 1,000 feet below the lowest base-area elevation in North Carolina:Unfortunately, mountains and elevation don't automatically equal snow. And the Southern Appalachians are not exactly the Kootenays. It snows some, sometimes, but not so much, so often, that skiing can get by on nature's contributions alone - at least not in any commercially reliable form. It's no coincidence that North Carolina didn't develop any organized ski centers until the 1960s, when snowmaking machines became efficient and common enough for mass deployment. But it's plenty cold up at 4,000 feet, and there's no shortage of water. Snowguns proved to be skiing's last essential ingredient.Well, there was one final ingredient to the recipe of southern skiing: roads. Back to man's maps. Specifically, America's interstate system, which steamrolled the countryside throughout the 1960s and passes just a few miles to Hatley Pointe's west. Without these superhighways, western North Carolina would still be a high-peaked wilderness unknown and inaccessible to most of us.It's kind of amazing when you consider all the maps together: a severe mountain region drawn into the borders of a stable and prosperous nation that builds physical infrastructure easing the movement of people with disposable income to otherwise inaccessible places that have been modified for novel uses by tapping a large and innovative industrial plant that has reduced the miraculous – flight, electricity, the internet - to the commonplace. And it's within the context of all these maps that a couple who knows nothing about skiing can purchase an established but declining ski resort and remake it as an upscale modern family ski center in the space of 18 months.What we talked aboutHurricane Helene fallout; “it took every second until we opened up to make it there,” even with a year idle; the “really tough” decision not to open for the 2023-24 ski season; “we did not realize what we were getting ourselves into”; buying a ski area when you've never worked at a ski area and have only skied a few times; who almost bought Wolf Ridge and why Orville picked the Hatleys instead; the importance of service; fixing up a broken-down ski resort that “felt very old”; updating without losing the approachable family essence; why it was “absolutely necessary” to change the ski area's name; “when you pulled in, the first thing that you were introduced to … were broken-down machines and school buses”; Bible verses and bare trails and busted-up everything; “we could have spent two years just doing cleanup of junk and old things everywhere”; Hatley Pointe then and now; why Hatley removed the double chair; a detachable six-pack at Hatley?; chairlifts as marketing and branding tools; why the Breakaway terrain closed and when it could return and in what form; what a rebuilt summit lodge could look like; Hatley Pointe's new trails; potential expansion; a day-ski area, a resort, or both?; lift-served mountain bike park incoming; night-skiing expansion; “I was shocked” at the level of après that Hatley drew, and expanding that for the years ahead; North Carolina skiing is all about the altitude; re-opening The Bowl trail; going to online-only sales; and lessons learned from 2024-25 that will build a better Hatley for 2025-26.What I got wrongWhen we recorded this conversation, the ski area hadn't yet finalized the name of the new green trail coming off of Eagle – it is Pat's Way (see trailmap above).I asked if Hatley intended to install night-skiing, not realizing that they had run night-ski operations all last winter.Why now was a good time for this interviewPardon my optimism, but I'm feeling good about American lift-served skiing right now. Each of the past five winters has been among the top 10 best seasons for skier visits, U.S. ski areas have already built nearly as many lifts in the 2020s (246) as they did through all of the 2010s (288), and multimountain passes have streamlined the flow of the most frequent and passionate skiers between mountains, providing far more flexibility at far less cost than would have been imaginable even a decade ago.All great. But here's the best stat: after declining throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, the number of active U.S. ski areas stabilized around the turn of the century, and has actually increased for five consecutive winters:Those are National Ski Areas Association numbers, which differ slightly from mine. I count 492 active ski hills for 2023-24 and 500 for last winter, and I project 510 potentially active ski areas for the 2025-26 campaign. But no matter: the number of active ski operations appears to be increasing.But the raw numbers matter less than the manner in which this uptick is happening. In short: a new generation of owners is resuscitating lost or dying ski areas. Many have little to no ski industry experience. Driven by nostalgia, a sense of community duty, plain business opportunity, or some combination of those things, they are orchestrating massive ski area modernization projects, funded via their own wealth – typically earned via other enterprises – or by rallying a donor base.Examples abound. When I launched The Storm in 2019, Saddleback, Maine; Norway Mountain, Michigan; Woodward Park City; Thrill Hills, North Dakota; Deer Mountain, South Dakota; Paul Bunyan, Wisconsin; Quarry Road, Maine; Steeplechase, Minnesota; and Snowland, Utah were all lost ski areas. All are now open again, and only one – Woodward – was the project of an established ski area operator (Powdr). Cuchara, Colorado and Nutt Hill, Wisconsin are on the verge of re-opening following decades-long lift closures. Bousquet, Massachusetts; Holiday Mountain, New York; Kissing Bridge, New York; and Black Mountain, New Hampshire were disintegrating in slow-motion before energetic new owners showed up with wrecking balls and Home Depot frequent-shopper accounts. New owners also re-energized the temporarily dormant Sandia Peak, New Mexico and Tenney, New Hampshire.One of my favorite revitalization stories has been in North Carolina, where tired, fire-ravaged, investment-starved, homey-but-rickety Wolf Ridge was falling down and falling apart. The ski area's season ended in February four times between 2018 and 2023. Snowmaking lagged. After an inferno ate the summit lodge in 2014, no one bothered rebuilding it. Marooned between the rapidly modernizing North Carolina ski trio of Sugar Mountain, Cataloochee, and Beech, Wolf Ridge appeared to be rapidly fading into irrelevance.Then the Hatleys came along. Covid-curious first-time skiers who knew little about skiing or ski culture, they saw opportunity where the rest of us saw a reason to keep driving. Fixing up a ski area turned out to be harder than they'd anticipated, and they whiffed on opening for the 2023-24 winter. Such misses sometimes signal that the new owners are pulling their ripcords as they launch out of the back of the plane, but the Hatleys kept working. They gut-renovated the lodge, modernized the snowmaking plant, tore down an SLI double chair that had witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And last winter, they re-opened the best version of the ski area now known as Hatley Pointe that locals had seen in decades.A great winter – one of the best in recent North Carolina history – helped. But what I admire about the Hatleys – and this new generation of owners in general – is their optimism in a cultural moment that has deemed optimism corny and naïve. Everything is supposed to be terrible all the time, don't you know that? They didn't know, and that orientation toward the good, tempered by humility and patience, reversed the long decline of a ski area that had in many ways ceased to resonate with the world it existed in.The Hatleys have lots left to do: restore the Breakaway terrain, build a new summit lodge, knot a super-lift to the frontside. And their Appalachian salvage job, while impressive, is not a very repeatable blueprint – you need considerable wealth to take a season off while deploying massive amounts of capital to rebuild the ski area. The Hatley model is one among many for a generation charged with modernizing increasingly antiquated ski areas before they fall over dead. Sometimes, as in the examples itemized above, they succeed. But sometimes they don't. Comebacks at Cockaigne and Hickory, both in New York, fizzled. Sleeping Giant, Wyoming and Ski Blandford, Massachusetts both shuttered after valiant rescue attempts. All four of these remain salvageable, but last week, Four Seasons, New York closed permanently after 63 years.That will happen. We won't be able to save every distressed ski area, and the potential supply of new or revivable ski centers, barring massive cultural and regulatory shifts, will remain limited. But the protectionist tendencies limiting new ski area development are, in a trick of human psychology, the same ones that will drive the revitalization of others – the only thing Americans resist more than building something new is taking away something old. Which in our country means anything that was already here when we showed up. A closed or closing ski area riles the collective angst, throws a snowy bat signal toward the night sky, a beacon and a dare, a cry and a plea: who wants to be a hero?Podcast NotesOn Hurricane HeleneHelene smashed inland North Carolina last fall, just as Hatley was attempting to re-open after its idle year. Here's what made the storm so bad:On Hatley's socialsFollow:On what I look for at a ski resortOn the Ski Big Bear podcastIn the spirit of the article above, one of the top 10 Storm Skiing Podcast guest quotes ever came from Ski Big Bear, Pennsylvania General Manager Lori Phillips: “You treat everyone like they paid a million dollars to be there doing what they're doing”On ski area name changesI wrote a piece on Hatley's name change back in 2023:Ski area name changes are more common than I'd thought. I've been slowly documenting past name changes as I encounter them, so this is just a partial list, but here are 93 active U.S. ski areas that once went under a different name. If you know of others, please email me.On Hatley at the point of purchase and nowGigantic collections of garbage have always fascinated me. That's essentially what Wolf Ridge was at the point of sale:It's a different place now:On the distribution of six-packs across the nationSix-pack chairlifts are rare and expensive enough that they're still special, but common enough that we're no longer amazed by them. Mostly - it depends on where we find such a machine. Just 112 of America's 3,202 ski lifts (3.5 percent) are six-packs, and most of these (75) are in the West (60 – more than half the nation's total, are in Colorado, Utah, or California). The Midwest is home to a half-dozen six-packs, all at Boyne or Midwest Family Ski Resorts operations, and the East has 31 sixers, 17 of which are in New England, and 12 of which are in Vermont. If Hatley installed a sixer, it would be just the second such chairlift in North Carolina, and the fifth in the Southeast, joining the two at Wintergreen, Virginia and the one at Timberline, West Virginia.On the Breakaway fireWolf Ridge's upper-mountain lodge burned down in March 2014. Yowza:On proposed expansions Wolf Ridge's circa 2007 trailmap teases a potential expansion below the now-closed Breakaway terrain:Taking our time machine back to the late ‘80s, Wolf Ridge had envisioned an even more ambitious expansion:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sbwVioWlhS0What happens when we revisit Wilhelm Reich's journey from Freud's student to radical theorist of desire, politics, and repression? In this episode, we sit down with Professor Philip Bennett and David Silver, executive director of the Wilhelm Reich Museum, to explore Reich's groundbreaking ideas on therapy, character armor, and the enduring relevance of The Mass Psychology of Fascism. Together we trace his path from psychoanalysis to Marxism to work democracy, and discuss the controversies surrounding his later scientific experiments at Orgonon in Rangeley, Maine. Along the way, we consider how Reich's struggle against repression and authoritarianism continues to speak to our present moment.The Wilhelm Reich Museum in Rangeley, Maine preserves Reich's historic home, laboratory, and archives. Visitors can explore the striking stone observatory, original orgone accumulators, and breathtaking views of the lakes and mountains. The museum is located at 19 Orgonon Circle (Dodge Pond Road), PO Box 687, Rangeley, ME 04970, and you can find more details online at wilhelmreichmuseum.org.If you're nearby, consider visiting during the museum's open season to experience Reich's legacy in person.Support the showSupport the podcast:Current classes at Acid Horizon Research Commons (AHRC): https://www.acidhorizonpodcast.com/ahrc-mainWebsite: https://www.acidhorizonpodcast.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/acidhorizonAcid Horizon on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acidhorizonpodcast Boycott Watkins Media: https://xenogothic.com/2025/03/17/boycott-watkins-statement/ Join The Schizoanalysis Project: https://discord.gg/4WtaXG3QxnSubscribe to us on your favorite podcast: https://pod.link/1512615438Merch: http://www.crit-drip.comSubscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform: https://pod.link/1512615438 LEPHT HAND: https://www.patreon.com/LEPHTHANDHappy Hour at Hippel's (Adam's blog): https://happyhourathippels.wordpress.com​Split Infinities (Craig's Substack): https://splitinfinities.substack.com/​Music: https://sereptie.bandcamp.com/ and https://thecominginsurrection.bandcamp.com/

Jim Rangeley is the lead brewer of the mixed fermentation Funk Dungeon project at Sheffield's revered Abbeydale Brewery.He is also a co-owner of the business, which became an Employee Ownership Trust in 2024. In 2025 Jim celebrates a decade of working in the beer industry and he's also our very own Brewers Choice Awards 'Brewer of the Year'.When not in the brewhouse, Jim is most likely to be found running up a big hill, or recovering from said run in the pub.So on a rare break from both of those ventures, Jim came to Manchester at the end of last month to share his story in beer.He discussed the development of the Funk Dungeon, in the wider context of the changing world the business has seen over the course of its history and the transition to employee ownership and also what that means to him.

this week we get back in the studio and chat about some stripers, the trip to rangeley and first fishes on the boats. the launch of georges Livy Rin went 50% lol. then we just chop it up. Be a friend tell a friend. Maines Best Fishing podcast is here to entertain and educate!

this week we go over hughs rangeley trip last week, kissing a moose with the truck wasnt on the list but it almost happened! Brake Jobs on jeeps didnt quite go as planned... and we get into some striper talk, some trout possibilities and looking forward to getting on the boat next week!

Across a 12 month period, Laura Rangeley has celebrated 10 years working at Abbeydale Brewery in Sheffield. And in October last year, alongside the rest of the team, Laura and her colleagues became part of an Employee Ownership Trust, taking ownership of the business from founders Patrick and Sue. Not only that her colleague and husband Jim was recognised as the Brewer of the Year at our very own Brewers Choice Awards, too….At the celebrated Abbeydale Brewery in Sheffield, Laura walked through the doors some 10 years ago and never looked back. In that time the marketing and communications manager, and now also co-owner, has seen much change both in the business and her role. And with a myriad of positive changes to have taken place at the business, the brewery is also gearing up for its 30th anniversary in 2026. So in this episode, we speak to Laura about her own journey in beer, her professional development and as co-owner of the Sheffield business, why Abbeydale Brewery feels very much like home. Photo Credit: Noelia Amado

This week we have a special guest with the Rangeley fly guy stop by for some awesome fishing talk, all about stripers, browns, brook trout, redfish and everything in between. super fun having Aaron join us for the evening. enjoy the marathon episode and get ready because the stripers are here!

Organising a literary festival is no mean feat. You've got to book the right guests, organise plenty of activities, and find somewhere to host it.Vicky and Charles Rangeley-Wilson joined the podcast this week to talk about exactly that, ahead of the upcoming Literature and Landscape Festival in Norfolk. With a star-studded lineup, there was plenty to talk about. Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsListen to Country Life podcast on SpotifyListen to Country Life podcast on AudibleFrom discussions on the future of farming and the environment, to getting children to count insects in rivers, it turns out the literary festival isn't just boring old men reading from their novels. Thank goodness for that.The Literature and Landscape Festival takes place in Wells-next-the-Sea, from October 4-6. Tickets can be found hereEpisode creditsHost: James FisherGuests: Vicky and Charles Rangeley-WilsonEditor and Producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bex got chatting to the amazing Iona Rangeley chatting about the third installment in the Einstein The Penguin series - The Case of the Polar Poachers, Imogen springs into action as penguins start to go missing from the wild. Could old adversaries be behind the random disappearances? With the help of their old friend, Einstein, it's time for Imogen and Arthur to turn detective again! Remember to tune in to Bex on the Book Worms Podcast every other Wednesday via the Fun Kids AppSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century.

In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/geography

In recent decades, Americans have purchased second homes at unprecedented rates. In Privileging Place: How Second Homeowners Transform Communities and Themselves (Princeton UP, 2024), Meaghan Stiman examines the experiences of predominantly upper-middle-class suburbanites who bought second homes in the city or the country. Drawing on interviews with more than sixty owners of second homes and ethnographic data collected over the course of two years in Rangeley, Maine, and Boston, Massachusetts, Stiman uncovers the motivations of these homeowners and analyzes the local consequences of their actions. By doing so, she traces the contours of privilege across communities in the twenty-first century. Stiman argues that, for the upper-middle-class residents of suburbia who bought urban or rural second homes, the purchase functioned as a way to balance a desire for access to material resources in suburban communities with a longing for a more meaningful connection to place in the city or the country. The tension between these two contradictory aims explains why homeowners bought second homes, how they engaged with the communities around them, and why they ultimately remained in their suburban hometowns. The second home is a place-identity project—a way to gain a sense of place identity they don't find in their hometowns while still holding on to hometown resources. Stiman's account offers a cautionary tale of the layers of privilege within and across geographies in the twenty-first century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the latest episode of Book Worms! To kick things off Bex chatted to Jennifer Bell about Magicalia: Race of Wonders. A spectacular new fantasy series inspired by astronomy, science and Pokémon – think mysterious riddles, ancient meteorites, magical gadgets, curious science and child heroes who won't take no for an answer! She was then by joined by Iona Rangeley chatting the third installment in the Einstein The Penguin series - The Case of the Polar Poachers - Imogen springs into action as penguins start to go missing from the wild. Could old adversaries be behind the random disappearances? With the help of their old friend, Einstein, it's time for Imogen and Arthur to turn detective again!The third and final guest on this week's episode was Liz Kessler with her latest release Code Name Kingfisher where Liv finds a secret box from her grandmother's childhood she uncovers an extraordinary war-time story of bravery, betrayal and daring defiance. A story that will change Liv and her family forever.That's all on this week's episode of Fun Kids Book WormsJoin Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best and Worst places to live in Maine Depending on who YOU are Take our Maine personality test! At the end, we'll give you some pointers on deciding where is best for you. Southern Maine: Portland: The largest city in Maine, Portland boasts a vibrant arts scene, diverse dining options, and a bustling waterfront. It's perfect for those who love urban amenities and cultural attractions, with plenty of festivals, music venues, and galleries to explore. Scarborough: Known for its natural beauty, Scarborough offers stunning beaches and the famous Scarborough Marsh, the largest saltwater marsh in Maine. Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and bird watchers. Cape Elizabeth: A picturesque town where I live, Cape Elizabeth is known for its beautiful lighthouses, scenic coastal views, and tranquil beaches. It provides a quiet, suburban feel while still being close to Portland. Midcoast Maine: Brunswick: Home to Bowdoin College, Brunswick is a lively town with a rich history. It features charming downtown areas with boutique shops, excellent restaurants, and a vibrant arts community. Bath: Known as the "City of Ships," Bath has a long history of shipbuilding. It offers a quaint downtown area with historic homes, unique shops, and a strong sense of community. Rockland: A fantastic coastal town, Rockland is famous for its lobster festival and as a hub for the arts. It's home to the Farnsworth Art Museum and numerous galleries, making it perfect for art lovers. Downeast Maine: Bar Harbor (BAH HABAH): Situated near Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking, kayaking, and whale watching are just a few activities you can enjoy here, along with stunning ocean views. Ellsworth: A gateway to Downeast Maine, Ellsworth offers a mix of historic charm and modern amenities. It's a great base for exploring nearby Acadia National Park and the surrounding natural beauty. Machias: Known for its wild blueberries and rugged coastline, Machias is perfect for those who love outdoor adventures and a slower pace of life. The lobstering industry is also a significant part of the local economy. Western Maine: Bethel: A charming town known for its ski resorts and outdoor activities. Bethel is great for those who enjoy skiing, hiking, and a friendly, small-town atmosphere. Rangeley: Famous for its lakes and outdoor recreation, Rangeley is a paradise for fishing, boating, and snowmobiling. It's perfect for nature lovers and those seeking a peaceful retreat. Farmington: Home to the University of Maine at Farmington, this town offers a mix of academic energy and rural charm. It's a great place for families and those who appreciate a close-knit community. Northern Maine: Aroostook County: Known for its vast potato farms and beautiful landscapes, Aroostook County offers a rural lifestyle with plenty of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and hunting. It's a great place for those who love the outdoors and a slower pace of life. Presque Isle: A key town in Aroostook County, Presque Isle offers a blend of small-town charm and modern amenities. It's home to the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Northern Maine Fair. Fort Kent: Close to the Canadian border, Fort Kent is known for its Franco-American heritage and outdoor activities. It's a fantastic place for those who enjoy a tight-knit community and winter sports like cross-country skiing. Factors to Consider: When choosing where to live in Maine, consider factors like cost of living, which can vary significantly from urban areas to rural regions. Employment opportunities are more abundant in larger towns and cities, while school districts and healthcare access can be crucial for families. Finally, think about the community vibes—whether you prefer the hustle and bustle of city life or the peace and quiet of a rural setting. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe! Your support helps us out a lot, and who knows, maybe you'll get a good laugh too! 

Fly fishing at Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine with John Williams and John Blunt!!

we go over the catskills and rangeley area fishing areas and some lessons learned, a scott rod was sacrificed and hopefully soon put back in one piece lol. hope you guys have been getting out on the water and wet a line. be a friend and tell a friend! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-hutchins/message

Welcome back to a fan favorite guest Mr. Aaron Broaddus, som great fishing talk, getting ready for the year tips and tricks, some other general fishing information and knot tying, alot of chatting about how TU is helping out IFW and the progress hopefully to be made in the western maine area.a good podcast to get you ready to get out this year fishing if you havent already gotten out! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-hutchins/message

Maine Outdoor Adventure update with John Williams and Mallory Newton owner of 201 Power Sports talking about "The King of The Mountain Hill Climb" at Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley and 201 Power Sports BIG sale...50% of equipment and clothing!!!!!

An Austrian doctor, once part of Sigmund Freud's inner circle, fled Nazi Germany to America, where he set up a secluded laboratory in Rangeley, Maine. There, he conducted experiments and researched sexual energy or "orgone energy". His publications were deemed so dangerous that the government issued a nationwide ban on all of his works and imprisoned the doctor. Find out why... Plus Don't Miss this week's Top 3 Power Ranking!!!See Visual Aids from today's show when you sign up for the True Crime Feed Newsletter!If you enjoyed today's show, please leave a rating & review:Apple Podcasts: True Crime Feed-Spotify: True Crime Feed-Website: thetruecrimefeed.com-Email: angela@thetruecrimefeed.com-Facebook Discussion Group-Twitter: @TrueCrimeFeedX-Instagram: @TheTrueCrimeFeedAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join John Williams and John Blunt owner of Grant's Kennebago Camps in Rangeley, Maine, talking about hunting, fishing and equipment care!!

This past Saturday, October 7, 2023, I was the DJ for the wedding of Abbey & Brendan at The Mountain Star Estate in Rangeley, Maine!! We managed to have the ceremony outdoors despite a steady rain and wind. The reception was a blast, featuring all genres of music! Thanks to Sharon, Kim Chapman Dionne and to the florist and cake maker!!!

Susie's up in Rangeley, Maine with stories of another non conventional weekend! Follow us on Instagram @diariesofaweddingsinger -- @mixologyband -- @susiestaubs -- @bullcitysyndicate Write in your favorite wedding stories at diariesofaweddingsinger@gmail.com

This weeks episode was on a weather delay, lack of electrons prevented us from recording Wednesday night! but you wanna hear this one, a two day trip with Aaron Broaddus of Headin North Guides Service out of Rangeley, it was amazing time, great fishing, awesome time all around. was an eventful trip that you have to listen to appreciate! Thanks for listening be a friend and tell a friend.! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/garrett-hutchins/message

This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on April 2. It dropped for free subscribers on April 5. To receive future pods as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe for free below:WhoJim Quimby, General Manager of Saddleback, MaineRecorded onMarch 6, 2023About SaddlebackClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Arctaris InvestmentsLocated in: Rangeley, MaineYear founded: 1960Pass affiliations: Indy PassReciprocal partners: NoneClosest neighboring ski areas: Sugarloaf (52 minutes), Titcomb (1 hour), Black Mountain of Maine (1 hour, 9 minutes), Spruce Mountain (1 hour, 22 minutes), Baker Mountain (1 hour, 33 minutes), Mt. Abram (1 hour, 36 minutes), Sunday River (1 hour, 41 minutes)Base elevation: 2,120 feetSummit elevation: 4,120 feetVertical drop: 2,000 feetSkiable Acres: 600+Average annual snowfall: 225 inchesTrail count: 68 (23 beginner, 20 intermediate, 18 advanced, 7 expert) + 2 terrain parksLift count: 6 (1 high-speed quad, 3 fixed-grip quads, 1 T-bar, 1 carpet)Why I interviewed himThe best article I've ever read on Saddleback came from Bill Donahue, writing for Outside, with the unfortunate dateline of March 9, 2020. That was a few days before the planet shut down to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and just after Arctaris had purchased Saddleback and promised to tug the ski area out of its five-year slumber. Donahue included a long section on Quimby:But to really register the new hope that's blossomed in Rangeley, I needed to drive up the winding hill to Saddleback's lodge and talk to Jimmy Quimby. Fifty-nine years old and weathered, his chin specked with salt-and-pepper stubble, Quimby is the scion of a Saddleback pillar. His father, Doc, poured concrete to build the towers for one of Saddleback's first lifts in 1963 and later built trails and made snow for the mountain. His mother, Judy, worked in the ski area's cafeteria for about 15 years. “We were so poor,” Quimby told me, “that we didn't have a pot to piss in, but I skied every weekend.” Indeed, as a high schooler, Quimby took part in every form of alpine ski competition available—on a single pair of skis. His 163-centimeter Dynastar Easy Riders were both his ballet boards and his giant-slalom guns. They also transported him to mischief. In his teenage years, Quimby was part of a nefarious Saddleback gang, the Rat Pack. “We terrorized the skiing public,” he said. “We built jumps. We skied fast. We made the T-bar swerve so people fell off.”Just days after his 18th birthday, Quimby left Maine to serve 20 years in the Air Force as an electrical-line repairman and managed, somehow, to spend a good chunk of time near Japan's storied Hakkoda Ski Resort, where he routinely hucked himself off 35-foot cornices while schussing in blue jeans. When he returned to Maine in 1998, he commenced working at Saddleback and honed such a love for the mountain that, when it closed in 2015, his heart broke. He simply refused to ski after that. “I decided,” he said, “that I just wouldn't ski anywhere else.” Friends in the industry offered him free tickets at nearby mountains; Quimby demurred and hunkered down at Saddleback, where he remained mountain manager. The Berrys paid him to watch over the nonfunctioning trails and lifts during the long closure. “I'm a prideful person,” he explained. “OK, I did do a little skiing with my grandchildren, but they're preschoolers. I haven't made an adult turn since Saddleback closed.”Quimby is now working for Arctaris, which owns Saddleback Inc., but that's a technicality. His mission is spiritual, and when I met him in his office, I found that I had stepped into a shrine, a jam-packed Saddleback museum. There were lapel pins, patches, bumper stickers, posters, and also a wooden ski signed in 1960 by about 35 of Saddleback's progenitors. Quimby's prize possession, though, is a brass belt buckle he bought in the Saddleback rental shop in the 1970s. “I used to wear it every day,” he told me, “but when Saddleback closed, I put it on a dresser and never wore it again.”Quimby stood up from the desk now, to reveal that he was wearing the buckle once more. In capitalized brass letters, it read “SKI.” His eyes were glassy with emotion.“We're going to do this,” he said quietly, speaking of Saddleback's resurrection. “We're going to make this happen.”They did make this happen. One feature of improbable feats is that they are often taken for granted once achieved. The number of people who confessed doubts to me privately about the viability of Saddleback is significant. It won't work because… it's too remote, there are not enough skier visits to spread around Maine, there are too many bodies buried on the property, the previous owners emptied the GDP of a small country onto the property and it still failed. All fair arguments, but for every built thing there are reasons it should have failed. The great advantage of humans over other animals is our ability to solve the unsolvable. I push a button on my phone and a person 5,000 miles away sees a note from me in an instant. That would have been dubbed magic for 100,000 years and now it is a fact of daily existence. Humans can do amazing things. And the humans who dug Saddleback out of the grave did an amazing thing, and it's a story I just can't get enough of.What we talked aboutSaddleback's strong 2022-23 ski season; the Casablanca Glades; the ski area in the sixties; “Saddleback was my babysitter”; Rangeley reminisces; when the U.S. Air Force stations a ski bum in Northern Japan; the Donald Breen era of Saddleback and a long battle with the Forest Service; Saddleback's relationship with the Forest Service today; the Berry family arrives; an investment spree; why Saddleback closed in 2015; why the Berrys replaced the Kennebago T-bar with a quad and whether they should have upgraded the Rangeley lift first; Quimby's reaction when Saddleback closed; how Quimby kept Saddleback from falling apart during his five years as caretaker of a lost ski area; why Arctaris finally revitalized the ski area after so many other potential buyers had faded; the most important man at Saddleback; the blessing and the curse of rebuilding a ski area in the pandemic year of 2020; how close Saddleback came to upgrading Rangeley to a fixed-grip, rather than a detachable, quad; how much that lift transformed the ski area; the legacy of Andy Shepard, the former general manager who oversaw the ski area's comeback; Saddleback the business in year three of its comeback; surveying Saddleback's ultra-new lift fleet; why Saddleback replaced the 900-year-old Cupsuptic T-bar with a brand-new T-bar; why the ski area chose Partek to build the new Sandy quad and how successful that lift has been; the story behind the old Saddleback trailmaps with theoretical lifts scribbled all over them (yes, this one):… whether Saddleback will expand terrain any time soon; the ski area's next likely chairlift; the potential for a hotel; the mountain's masterplan; how important the Indy Pass has been to Saddleback's comeback; and Indy blackouts and whether they will continue.Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewWith lift towers rising up the mountainside and hammers clanging through the valleys and autumn frosts biting the New England hills, Andy Shepard hacked out an hour for me in October 2020 to discuss the previous six months at Saddleback. He itemized the tasks that Saddleback's crews had achieved in the maw of Covid. An incomprehensible list. Rebuild everything. Clean everything. Hire an army. Demolish and build a chairlift. Stand up a website and an e-commerce platform. All in the midst of the most confusing and contentious time in modern American history. The mission was awesome, and so was the story behind it:Congratulations, you did it. But the second that new detachable quad started spinning in December 2020, Saddleback became just another New England ski area, just another choice for skiers who already have dozens. So now what? What of all those old masterplans showing terrain expansions and lifts extending halfway to Canada? When can we get more places to stay on the hill? Can we get snowmaking on the trail back to the condos finally?Two and a half years later, it was time for a check-in. To see how Shepard and Quimby and the crew had quietly transformed what was long a backwater bump into one of the most modern ski areas in the country. To see how the Indy Pass – which hadn't existed when Saddleback went into its shell – had turbocharged the mountain's comeback tour. And to see, indeed, what is next for this New England gem.What I got wrongI wasn't wrong on this so much as late to publish: Quimby and I discussed season passes at the end of the podcast. At the time, details on the 2023-24 pass suite had not yet been released, and we talked a bit about where pricing would land. These details have long gone public, but I kept the section intact because Quimby details why the ski area was compelled to raise rates from previous seasons (the increase ended up being modest in the context of ongoing inflation, from $699 this season to $799 for next).Also there's a reference in our conversation to Sandy being a detachable quad, but the 227-vertical-foot quad is in fact a fixed-grip lift.Why you should ski SaddlebackMan is this place big. Two broad ridges staggered and stacked and parallel, with dozens of ways down each. Glades all over. Amazing fall line skiing. Lift lines? Not many. Maybe on Rangeley, maybe on big days. But mostly, the place is a glorious wide-open banger, stuffed into a north country snow pocket that most always stands above New England's notorious rain-snow line as storms roll through.“Yes but is it worth the drive?” asks Overthinks Everything Bro. Yes it's worth the drive. “But I have to pass 19 other big ski areas to get there.” So? If a genie erupts out of my next can of Bang Energy Drink, my first wish will be to eliminate this brand of thinking from existence. Passing other ski areas to ski Saddleback is not like passing a McDonald's at exit 100 to eat at a McDonald's at exit 329, more than 200 miles down the road. You're passing a number of distinct and unique ski areas to experience another distinct and unique ski area. A Saddleback run will imprint on your experience in a way that your 400th day at Waterville Valley will not.Not all of us, I realize, are so driven by novelty and the unknown. To many of you, turns are turns. Yee-haw. But I'm not suggesting you drive four hours out of your way to lap a town ropetow. This is a serious mountain, with terrain that has few peers in New England. It is special, and it is most definitely worth it.Podcast NotesOn the ski area's battle with the National Park ServiceQuimby and I had a long discussion on Saddleback's 15-plus-year war with the National Park Service over former owner Donald Breen's expansion plans. While Saddleback sits on private land, the Appalachian Trail runs over the mountain's summit, giving the government a say in any development that may impact the trail. As with most things New England, New England Ski History provides a comprehensive synopsis of what amounts to Saddleback's lost generation:With Saddleback finally financially stable and controlling 12,000 acres of land, Breen sought to tap into its vast potential in the mid 1980s. In 1984, Breen told Ski magazine, "Saddleback has the potential to be one of the largest resorts in this part of the country" and could become "the Vail of the East."While a massive development was possible, including above treeline skiing as well as a bowl on the back side of the mountain, initial plans were made for a phased $36 million expansion "opening up the entire bowl where the ski area sits with three more lifts and numerous trails."Working to gain approvals, Saddleback offered to donate a 200-foot easement to the National Park Service for the Appalachian Trail while retaining the ability to have skiers and equipment cross the corridor if needed. Countering the ski area's plans, the National Park Service recommended taking 3,000 acres of Saddleback's land. As a result, instead of investing in the mountain, Breen was forced to spend large sums of money to defend his property from eminent domain.Attempting to break the impasse in the early 1990s, Saddleback offered to pare back expansion plans and sell 2,000 acres to the National Park Service. The National Park Service responded with an offer for one sixth of the amount Saddleback wanted from the property.By the mid 1990s, Saddleback was offering to donate 300 acres of land to the National Park Service, while retaining the right to cross the Appalachian Trail with connector ski trails. The National Park Service once again refused, sticking with its eminent domain plan. Later Congressional testimony revealed that the Breen family was forced to negotiate with and give concessions to the Appalachian Trail Conference, only to have the agreements retracted by the National Park Service. In addition, the National Park Service would refuse to turn over documents relating to its involvement with other ski areas, or to put parameters of potential agreements in writing.After having spent a decade and a half of his life trying to work with the Forest Service, Donald Breen took a step back from negotiations in 1997, handing the reins over to his daughter Kitty. The Maine Congressional Delegation was brought in to attempt to get the National Park Service to negotiate.At Senator Olympia Snowe's urging, Saddleback offered to sell the bowl on the back side of the mountain to the Park Service in exchange for being able to develop its Horn Bowl area. The National Park Service rejected the offer, insisting the expansion was not viable, that the ski area could sustain increased skier visits on its existing footprint, and that Saddleback's undeveloped land had little financial value.Negotiations continued into 2000, at which point Saddleback had increased its donation offer to 660 acres, while the National Park Service still wanted to take 893 acres by eminent domain. Five proposals were put on the table while the National Park Service threatened to turn the matter over to the Department of Justice for condemnation. Finally, on November 2, 2000, the National Park Service and Saddleback reached a deal in which the Breens donated 570 acres along the Appalachian Trail corridor, while selling the 600 acre back bowl for $4 million. While the deal meant Breen could move forward with his development of the resort, the long battle with the government had consumed millions of dollars and nearly two decades of his life. Now in his 70s, Breen was ready to retire. In 2001, the massive resort property was put on the market for $12 million.To understand just how deeply this conflict stalled the ski area's potential evolution, consider this: when Breen and the Forest Service squared off in 1984, Sunday River, less than two hours away and closer to pretty much everyone, looked like this:And Saddleback looked like this:While both had just five lifts – Sunday River sported a triple, two doubles, and two T-bars; Saddleback had two doubles and three T-bars – Saddleback was the larger of the two, with a more interesting and complex trail network. But while Breen fought the Forest Service, his mountain stood still. Meanwhile, Les Otten went ballistic at Sunday River, stringing terrain pods for miles in each direction. By 2001, when Breen sold, Sunday River looked like this:While Saddleback had languished:Whatever market share Saddleback could have earned during New England's Great Ski Area Modernization – which more or less exactly coincided with his Forest Service fight from 1984 to 2001 – was lost to Sunday River and Sugarloaf, both of which spent that era building rather than fighting.And yes, I also thought, “well what did Sugarloaf look like in 1984 and 2001?” So here you go:On the Berry familyBreen sold Saddleback in 2001 to the Berry family, who absolutely mainlined cash into the joint. Over the next decade, the family replaced the upper (Kennebago) and lower (Buggy) T-bars with fixed-grip quads, and substantially blew out the trail and glade network. Check the place in 2014:But two big problems remained. First, that double chair marked “C” on the map above is the Rangeley lift, the alpha chair out of the base. It was a 1963 Mueller that could move all of 900 skiers per hour. And while skiers could have ridden Sandy to the Cupsuptic T-bar (if both were running), to the Pass trail to access the Kennebago quad and the upper mountain, that's not how most people think. They want to go straight to the top. So they'd wait.Which leads to the second problem. Queueing up for a double chair that was pulled off of Noah's Ark when you could be skiing onto high-speed (or at least modern) lifts just down the road at Sunday River or Sugarloaf is frustrating. Lines to board the lift could reportedly stretch to an hour on weekends. Facing such gridlock and frustration, most casual skiers who stumbled onto the place probably thought some version of, “This is cute, but next weekend, I'm going to Sunday River.”And they did. If the Berrys could have upgraded Rangeley, the whole project may have worked. But financing fell through, as Quimby details in the podcast, and the ski area closed shortly after. But to underscore just how crucial the Rangeley lift is to Saddleback's viability as a modern resort, Arctaris, the current owners, reportedly paid more to replace the chairlift ($7 million), than they did for the ski area itself ($6.5 million).On potential buyers between the Berrys and ArctarisQuimby notes that a parade of suitors tromped through Saddleback between 2015, when the ski area closed, and 2020, when it finally re-opened. The most significant of these was Australia-based Majella Group, whose courtship New England Ski History summarizes:On June 28, 2017, the Berry family announced they had reached an agreement to sell Saddleback to the Australia-based Majella Group. Grandiose plans were announced, as Majella declared it would be "turning Saddleback into the premier ski resort in North America." Initial plans called for reopening for the 2017-18 season with a new fixed-grip quad replacing the Rangeley Double and a new Cupsuptic T-Bar. However, despite announcements that "physical work" had started in September and that the company was "committed to opening in some capacity for the 2017-18 ski season," the area remained idle that winter and the sale was not completed.Nearly one year after the original sale announcement, the Majella Group CEO Sebastian Monsour was arrested in Australia for alleged investor fraud, revealing a financial house of cards. The Majella branding was removed from the Saddleback web site that fall and the ski area sat idle during the snowy winter of 2018-19.So things could have been much worse. Had Majella completed the purchase and then fallen apart, Saddleback would likely still be idle, caught in a Jay Peak-esque vortex of court-led asset salvation, but without the benefit of operating revenue.On Mount WashingtonQuimby notes that the weather at Saddleback can be “comparative to Mount Washington and that's no joke.” For those of you unfamiliar with just how ferocious Mount Washington weather can be, here's a synopsis from the Mt. Washington State Park website (emphasis mine):…in winter, sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, blowing snow and incredible ice claim the peak, creating an arctic outpost in a temperate climate zone. Known as the Home of the World's Worst Weather, Mount Washington's winter conditions rival those of Mount Everest and the Polar regions.The mountain's summit holds the world record for the “highest surface wind speed ever observed by man,” at 231 miles per hour. As I write this, the summit temperature is 4 degrees Fahrenheit, with 62-mile-per-hour winds driving the windchill to 28 degrees below zero. It's April 2. There's surely some hyperbole in Quimby's statement, but the spirit of the declaration is clear: if you go to Saddleback, go prepared.The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 30/100 in 2023, and number 416 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. Want to send feedback? Reply to this email and I will answer (unless you sound insane, or, more likely, I just get busy). You can also email skiing@substack.com. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

Join John Williams and PJ McSparren director of Marketing with Saddleback for this weeks Outdoor Adventure Update!

Wednesday Nov 23rd - Robert Rangeley Oceana Canada - Federal Fisheries Management Audit by VOCM

Oceana Canada believes that if managed properly, the ocean could sustainably supply the world's population with sustainably harvested wild fish. Ensuring Canada is doing its part is their mandate and the theme of their recent symposium “ Rebuilding Abundance”. Over 140 experts and stakeholders met to discuss Canada's potential, opportunities and needed investments. An invitation and professional Curiosity about how all this might apply to recreational fisheries led to my attending, and a subsequent conversation with Oceana's Science Director Dr. Robert Rangeley. Check out this episode of The Blue Fish Radio Show to hear Dr. Rangeley discuss what we learned and what needs to come next.

Weebo and Greg give out the first ever squirmy awards! Find out who won what in this episode!hot spring cold stream: 3:28Squirmy Awards: 19:40Mail Day - we answer your questions: 1:15:00

Greg sits down with Casting for Recovery at the Maine Fly fishing Summer Showcase! 

We talk to Max, the new owner of Rip Dam Sporting camps in the West Branch region and go over the camps, fishing opportunities in the area, and much more! Tune in and check out Rip Dam Sporting Camps!  River Report (2:35), Interview with Max owner of Rip Dam Sporting Camps (9:48), Reflection and own experience of the West Branch area (24:04). 

Greg sits down with several Fly fishing community members at the Sebago Trout Unlimited event to share the lime light! 2:34 Aaron Broaddus12:18 Tuck O'Brien Chapter president Sebago TU23:55 Joel Soucie —> Founder of illustrious yarry outdoors31:10  Friends of the Presumpscot river 34:11 LeAnne Conway Rod Builder for MFC39:55 Lou Zambello

Weebo and Greg talk about how stocked fish are promoted in Maine.

Weebo and Greg talk about PFAS (Forever chemicals) and how they will impact fisheries in Maine

Friday April 29th - Dr. Robert Rangeley, Oceana Canada - Fish Stocks & Sustainability by VOCM

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/314 Presented By: LakeLady Custom Rods, Dette Flies, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Trxstle Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Today, we're fly fishing Maine. Bob Romano takes us into the lakes and streams of the Rangeley Lakes Region. He tells us why he has been traveling up to this area for over 40 years. We dig into some of his books, his favorite authors, and talk about his new book, River Flowers - how it came to be and what makes it special. Bob mentions some camps that give access to different streams in Maine and breaks down the seasons there. Plus, we hear about the story of White Nose Pete - a trout who lived a hundred years and had never been caught. Fly Fishing Maine Show Notes with Bob Romano 04:30 - The first fly fishing book that Bob read was a Robert Traver book 04:50 - His first fly rod was a Cortland Fiberglass Rod in the 1960s 07:30 - Taylor Streit was recently on the podcast at WFS 313 08:30 - Bob talks about the writers that he looks up to - David Brodigan, Gary Schneider, Tom McGuane, etc. 10:30 - George Daniel was on the podcast at WFS 055 11:00 - Bob tells the story of when he fished the Rangeley Lakes Region in Maine and there were no other anglers and boats 13:40 - We can't find top fly fishing writers from the Northeast but there's Top 10 Favorite Fly Fishing Writers from a Google article 14:30 - Bob breaks down Maine fishing - it's known for its brook trout fishing, smallmouth, and landlocked salmon 15:00 - Randy Spencer is a fly fishing guide in Maine, a writer, and has written a number of books 16:50 - The Rangeley Lakes Region has the largest brook trout in the United States - they measure them in pounds rather than inches 18:15 - Bob talks about Carrie Stevens streamers - her most famous streamer is the grey ghost 21:51 - Bob talks about what your itinerary would look like when you go to Maine - drive North, then East if you want to go to Grand Lakes stream, way up North is the Moosehead Region Lake, West is the Rangeley Region - they're equally distant from Portland 26:40 - One of the best times to fish the Rangeley is the 2nd and 3rd week of May - you have to fish something with a white wing because it works great and imitates the smelt 29:00 - The Black Ghost fly pattern is one of the most used in the Rangeley Lakes 30:15 - John Shewey was on the podcast at WFS 296 - Bob shares a tip to keep the streamer feather straight, don't use subtle hackle, use Marabou feather 31:00 - From the end of May and the beginning of June, that's when they use dry flies 34:40 - In the Rangeley Lakes Region, you can get those trophy brook trout in the Magalloway River 42:20 - The Hornberg fly pattern aka meat and potato 42:40 - Bob earns a living as an attorney - he lives on 12 acres of land with his wife 44:20 - June is the dry fly season - the 2nd and 3rd week of June is the black fly season. These flies bite and are intense and so is fishing. July is caddis season. Fishing starts to wane in August. Fishing usually ends by the end of September, then starts the hunting season 47:40 - The moose are dying because they're rubbing off their fur when ticks irritate them - they die of the cold in winter 50:30 - Bob gives 2 reasons why fishing in Maine is great 55:20 - Maine is known for its traditional sporting lodges that date back to the 1800s 56:20 - Bosebuck Mountain Camps give access to the Magalloway river systems 56:30 - Grant's Camps gives access to Kennebago river 56:40 - Lakewood Camps is on the Rapid river 58:00 - Brett and Susan Damm runs the Rangeley Region Sports Shop 58:55 - Bob tells a story about a guy named Shang Willer who came up with a fable about a fish called White Nose Pete 1:03:15 - Ray Troll was on the podcast at WFS 299 1:04:45 - Bob has a new book called, River Flowers 1:05:10 - Elmore Leonard is one of Bob's favorite authors - Elmore wrote the story that became a movie, Get Shorty Fly Fishing Maine Conclusion with Bob Romano Bob Romano took us into the lakes and streams of the Rangeley Lakes Region. We found out why he has been traveling up to this area for over 40 years. We dug into some of his books, his favorite authors, and talk about his new book, River Flowers. Bob mentioned some camps that give access to different streams and breaks down the seasons in Maine. We heard about the fable of White Nose Pete. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/314

In this interview, Weebo and Greg interview two of the largest fly fishing meme accounts on the gram! PuristOnTheFly and Farmington river sit down to discuss what the meme business is all about! 

I truly believe a more educated angling population can help foster more productive fisheries. In this episode, Weebo and I go over some amazing tips that all anglers could benefit from. We talk about educational topics including safe handling tips, fish ID tips, and hatch times for the most prominent and important insects in New England/Maine. Know somebody just getting into the sport or are only a few years in? Share this podcast with them, it'll greatly help them avoid common mistakes most anglers make, while helping them become better anglers! 

Weebo and Greg sit down and react to the Bob Mallard interview!

I sit down with Bob Mallard from Native Fish Coalition to discuss Maine fisheries, native fish, and current ME IFW management practices, including stocking and native fish programs. 

Saddleback Mountain is a popular ski resort in Maine, and is vital to the economy of the Rangeley region.  When the resort closed in 2015, it was devastating to both skiers who loved the glade friendly mountain and to the region that relied on the resort. After years of will they/wont they, the mountain secured investment and reopened with Andy Shepard at the helm.  Andy talks to Mainebiz about the challenges of reopening a resort that had been closed for 5 years, the major investments that had to be made, and what it meant to the Rangeley region to have their mountain back.

Bob Romano is an author and fishing camp owner in the Rangeley Lakes region of Maine. Bob loves to examine why we fish while using the rivers, lakes, and streams of Maine's Great North Woods as his literary canvas. Join us to learn about the places to fish, how to fish them and a bit of history about this historic fishing region.

Chris DeMuth founded Rangeley Capital and focuses on SPAC and Value investing. Trained in event-driven situations, Chris has a history of consulting for funds and bank prop desks in his earlier career. He brings a very impressive and analytical framework to his investing style. These days, and in line with us here at Boardroom Alpha, Chris is also spending a lot of time doing SPAC investing, even joking that at the onset of the idea that you can make speculative investments with a built-in redemption feature as almost too good to be true.Listen in as Chris and David go deep on investing in SPACs and in Value.See the report and learn more at www.boardroomalpha.com

In this episode, I talk with renowned author, Bob Romano, and talk about his newest book, River Flowers.  Bob has been a regular in the Rangeley Region for over 40 years, so it was great to talk Rangeley fly fishing with him, as well.  Bob has published 6 fantastic fictional fly fishing books and his knowledge of Rangeley fly fishing is second to none.  Check out his website here or find his books on Amazon or in local Rangeley shops!