Connecting People to the Nature. Classes | Camps | Guided Trips
06/15/2026
Relying solely upon your phone to navigate is a single point of failure. Carry your navigation system: map, compass, phone & gps
Rescuers in Vermont are reminding hikers of the importance of carrying a paper map after rescuing a hiker on Mount Mansfield after the hiker had phone problems: https://tinyurl.com/4c4nvpe5
04/29/2026
Two hikers needed to be rescued in NH because they they underestimated the conditions above treeline and they got disoriented in the snow because they were only relying on their phone.
Navigation requires multiple tools. It is important to be able to read a map and compass along side your phone or gps.
It is also important to understand the trail conditions before you go out and make the smart decision to turn around if the conditions are worse than your expectations.
Glad these hikers were able to call for help and a big thanks to the great folks with NH Fish and Game for always being on call and going out to bring people home.
Two Unprepared Hikers on Mount Liberty
Lincoln, NH: On April 27th, at 8:20 PM,New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers were notified that a pair of distressed hikers needed assistance on the Franconia Ridge Trail between Mount Liberty and Little Haystack Mountain in Lincoln. The hikers were identified as Jessica Fournier-Chartrand, 38, and Annie Petrin, 43, of Quebec, Canada. The pair had summited Mount Liberty and had started to hike across Franconia Ridge when fading light and existing knee-deep snow made them disoriented. The pair felt lost and placed a phone call for help. The pair was utilizing the All Trails App to navigate and advised that this led to a lot of their confusion. A Conservation Officer was able to convince them to turn around and head back towards the Liberty Spring Trail instead of continuing north along the ridge towards Little Haystack Mountain.
After speaking with Fournier-Chartrand, a pair of Conservation Officers began a response up the Liberty Springs trail with equipment. The rescuers reached the pair at 11:15 PM and provided gear to them. Rescuers assisted the two hikers down 2.2 miles of steep icy trail. Everyone exited the trail at 2:22 AM on April 28th, without any injuries.
New Hampshire Fish and Game would like to remind everyone that winter conditions still exist in the White Mountains. For safe hiking tips and a list of essential gear, visit hikesafe.com. Outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to purchase a Hike Safe card at wildnh.com/safe. The card helps support Fish and Game search and rescue activities.
03/09/2026
I was honored to sit down with Justin of The 207 Collective Podcast over the weekend. This is a great platform he has built to showcase local businesses. Check out the interview if you have time and give his page a follow to learn more.
Shaun Flynn "Northern Wilderness Journey" The 207 Collective Podcast ยท Episode
Selecting the right layers is very important when recreating in cold weather.
The job of our clothing system is to keep our body in a state of equilibrium, meaning that we the amount of heat we are losing and the amount of heat we are retaining are roughly equal.
It is important to carry layers to handle both when we are moving and when we stop.
To learn more about preparing for a hike, check out our online class the Prepared Hiker System (link in bio)
What is hypothermia? Hypothermia is defined as the lowering of the core body temperature to a point where muscle and brain function are impaired.
It is important to notice and deal with hypothermia because the colder we get, the harder it will be to do things like start a fire or even use our fingers to work the zippers on our clothing.
Make sure you stay vigilant and act quickly if you start getting hypothermic.
Stay prepared!
It is important to keep track of where you are when you are hiking.
Here are two quick checks you can do with your compass to keep a fix on your position.
For accurate navigation it is important to compensate for magnetic declination.
To learn how to navigate confidently with map and compass, check out our online class The Prepared Hiker System (link in bio)
There are wilderness survival skills in the pages of one of my favorite books Extreme Ownership by and
In a survival situation, learning how to prioritize your tasks and execute the most important one is a critical skill.
It allows you to overcome the stress and overwhelming emotions of the moment and work your way back to safety.
Learn more about backcountry leadership as well as how to navigate and survive in our online course the Prepared Hiker System (link in bio)
One bad decision can lead to another which can quickly lead to a seriously bad situation.
To avoid the bad decisions spiral, the first thing you need to do is STOP.
Use the acronym STOPA
Stop
Think
Observe
Plan
Act
To learn more about leadership and decision making in the backcountry, check out our online class the Prepared Hiker System, we are currently running a sale! (links in bio)
Also, check out for a great source of outdoor news for the north east!
Water bladders are great but refilling them in the field can be a pain because they are normally buried in our bag.
To make refilling them easier, add a quick detach connection in your water line and another one on the end of your filter. This way you can filter your water directly into your bladder and be back on the trail faster.
Stay tune for more tips!!
Here in New England, fall weather has brought about an uptick in hikers needing to be rescued. And it begs the question, what does it mean to be prepared for a hike?
We define being prepared as: Having a system of gear and knowledge that allow you to successfully complete your hike and deal with likely contingencies that could come up
If you are interested in improving your preparation, check out our online class The Prepared Hiker System. We are running our fall sale right now! (Links in my bio to learn more)
Also, shout out to they do a fantastic job reporting on our wild places here in New England. Give them a follow if you have not already!