offugo...Aroostook Outdoor Event News

* = New or updated item(s).

**Ongoing (weekly) events are listed at the bottom of this post.

Thursday, December 4

UMPI Outing Club Women’s Climbing Night, Presque Isle. 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Gentile Hall Rock Wall. Experience the excitement of climbing. State-of-the-art rock wall features climbs for all abilities. Staff on hand to provide assistance; helmet and harness provided, climbing shoes available for fee. Contact Gentile Hall front desk (207-768-9772) FMI

Saturday, December 6

Lonesome Pine Trails Annual Ski Patrol Training, Fort Kent. 8:00 a.m.-Noon. Ski Patrol 101 to follow. Cost: $5 for CPR and First-aid card. Contact Dr. Lucien Daigle drlucienski@gmail.com FMI

Saturday, December 6

10th Mountain Outdoor Club Deck the Lodge Coffee House, Fort Kent. 6:00-9:00 p.m. at 10th Mountain Lodge. This will be a social, membership drive, and fundraiser all in one; snacks, cash bar, live music, door prizes. Let’s kick off the winter season together! Cost: $3/member; $5/non-member. Visit www.10thmtskiclub.org FMI

*Tuesday, December 9

Friends of Nordic Heritage Center: The Future of NHC, Presque Isle. 6:00 p.m. at UMPI Campus Center. Presentation on NHC history, funding changes, discussion of whether or not to continue hosting World Cups; help decide what is best for NHC from the perspective of what is best for our community. Contact Paul Towle (207-551-6601) or ptowle@maine.rr.com FMI

Tuesday, December 9

UMPI Outing Club Appalachian Trail Presentation, Presque Isle. 7:00 p.m. in the Allagash Room, UMPI Campus Center. Join us for a presentation by AT thru-hiker Alison Kieffer, who hiked the 2185-mile trail solo and is here to share her beautiful pictures and the amazing tale of a long walk home. Contact Amanda Baker (207-768-9401) or amanda.g.baker@umpi.edu FMI

Saturday, December 13

Bigrock Mountain Opening Day, Mars Hill. 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. It’s the day you’ve waited eight months for: Bigrock opens for the season! Kick off the ski/snowboard season at Bigrock! Visit www.bigrockmaine.com FMI

Saturday, December 13

Bigrock Mountain Opening Day Santa 5k, Mars Hill. Dress like Santa for your chance at a prize! Registration 12:00 p.m. at Bigrock Base Lodge. Race start: 1:00 p.m. Cost: $12/person. Pre-register by Dec. 8 for race t-shirt; all participants receive a Santa hat. Contact Ryan Guerrette (207-425-6711) or visit www.racewire.com/event.php?id=2718 FMI

Sunday, December 14, 2014 and Saturday, January 3, 2015

Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, Aroostook County. We invite you to join us for all or part of these day-long counts; all welcomed! Caribou area: Dec. 14; Presque Isle area: Jan. 3. Contact Bill Sheehan (207-227-7301) or bill.j.sheehan@gmail.com FMI

Friday, December 19

Mont Farlagne Opening Day, Edmundston, NB. 9:00 a.m. (Atlantic time). It's today at 9h00 that the lifts open for our 46th season! Visit www.montfarlagne.com FMI

Saturday, December 20

Quoggy Jo Opening Day, Presque Isle. 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Start doing your snow dances! Contact Gene Cronin (207-540-1496) or gene@skiquoggyjo.org FMI

Sunday, December 21

Four Seasons Trail Association Christmas at the Lodge, Madawaska. 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.   Pasta lunch, sleigh rides, tubing, skiing, snowshoeing, and SANTA! Bring the kids! Visit www.fourseasonstrail.org FMI

Saturday, December 27, 2014-Thursday, January 1, 2015

Fort Kent Nordic Ski Festival, Fort Kent. Ski in the New Year on groomed trails open for training/skiing! Activities include: Freestyle, Classic, Sprint Races; Wildlands Film Festival; Try-it Biathlon; New Year’s Eve Open Mike Social; Snowshoe Safari; Ski Cross; Ski Demos; Wax/Ski Clinics; Alpine Skiing. Contact Carl Theriault theriaultcarl@hotmail.com FMI

*Sunday, January 11
FSTA Deprey Classic – Aroostook Cup #1, Madawaska. Kick off the Aroostook Cup series; 6-6.5k freestyle race and tour and age-appropriate kids’ race at Four Seasons Lodge. Registration: Noon. Kids’ race start: 12:30 p.m. Race start: 1:00 p.m. Cost: $2/youth; $5/adult. Contact Colin Jandreau (207-728-6103) or jandreau@roadrunner.com FMI

Ongoing Programs:

Sunday Saunter Running Group, Presque Isle. Sundays; 10:00 a.m. at UMPI's Gentile Hall. Open to all abilities; be ready for an easy run of 30-45 minutes, and bring friends! Contact Jonathan Kelley info@triaroostook.com FMI

Bootlegger Snowshoe Hike, Rivière-Bleue, QC. Sundays; fourth Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m. (Eastern time) at the end of Path Brissette. Get to know the magical setting of the Bootlegger trails on this guided hike. Contact Jean Lebrun (418-893-1033) or info1@routedesfrontieres.com FMI

10th Mountain Outdoor Club Jalbert Pee Wee Biathlon Program, Fort Kent. Tuesdays; 4:30 p.m. at Fort Kent Outdoor Center. Starting in December. Open to youth ages 9 and under. Kids will learn basic skate skiing skills, go on ski adventures, and play LOTS of games! Cost: FREE! Contact Gail Johnson stegacosa@yahoo.com FMI

10th Mountain Outdoor Club Jalbert Youth Biathlon Program, Fort Kent. Wednesdays; 6:00 p.m. at Fort Kent Outdoor Center. Open to youth ages 10-14; roller skiing, rifle shooting, trail running, and LOTS of games! Cost: FREE! Contact Gail Johnson stegacosa@yahoo.com FMI

*Four Seasons Trail Association Youth Ski Program, Madawaska. Saturdays; 1:00 p.m. at Four Seasons Lodge. Visit www.fourseasonstrail.org FMI