FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2006
GREENVILLE, Maine—The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has purchased Medawisla Wilderness Camps near here and will continue to manage the property to provide guests with outdoor recreation opportunities in Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness region. This traditional Maine sporting camp is located on the shore of Second Roach Pond in the Moosehead Lake area of the Maine Highlands. The camps will be open to AMC members and the general public.
AMC purchased the camps from Larry and Shannon LeRoy, who have owned and managed the property since 1992. Shannon LeRoy, an accomplished birder and naturalist, will work with AMC as camps and programs manager at the camps. “We look forward to welcoming back our long-time guests, and to seeing some new faces under AMC management,” she said.
“AMC is committed to carrying on the Maine sporting camp tradition here at Medawisla, and we’re very pleased to pass ownership along to a group that has more than a century of experience in outdoor recreation,” said Larry LeRoy. "But the best part of this is that Medawisla will be here for my grandchildren's children to enjoy."
The camps, in operation since 1953, consist of seven housekeeping cabins with sleeping quarters, kitchens, and baths. The camps are an excellent destination for hiking, paddling, fly-fishing, and wildlife watching. The nearby pond is well-known for its abundant populations of landlocked salmon, lake trout, and brook trout. In winter, the camps offer a network of 60 miles of cross-country ski trails.
Acquisition of the camps is another milestone for the AMC’s Maine Woods Initiative, launched in 2003. “We are excited to broaden the range of outdoor experiences we can offer to the public, a key goal of the initiative,” said AMC Deputy Director Walter Graff. “Medawisla is a wonderful location for anglers, paddlers and other outdoors enthusiasts. It’s a great spot for week-long family vacations, and offers the opportunity for camp-to-camp skiing this winter.” AMC also operates Little Lyford Pond Camps 15 miles south of Medawisla.
The Maine Woods Initiative is the Appalachian Mountain Club’s strategy for land conservation in the 100-Mile Wilderness region. The initiative is an innovative approach to conservation that combines outdoor recreation, resource protection, sustainable forestry and community partnerships. The strategy represents the most significant investment in conservation and recreation in the AMC’s 130-year history. As part of the initiative, AMC purchased the 37,000-acre Katahdin Iron Works tract, which it is managing for conservation, sustainable forestry and outdoor recreation.
The initiative seeks to address the ecological and economic needs of the Maine Woods region by supporting local forest products jobs and traditional recreation, creating new multi-day recreational experiences for visitors, and attracting new nature-based tourism to the region. AMC is committed to maintaining public access to the area.
More On Medawisla
Medawisla Wilderness Camps are located on Second Roach Pond, approximately seven miles from Kokadjo. Access is via gravel logging roads. Boats, kayaks, and canoes are available for use by guests. AMC staff will be available to assist guests in trip planning and can arrange for services from local Maine Guides.
Wildlife viewing is a popular activity at the camps. Moose are regularly seen here, and more than 100 species of birds, including bald eagles, are known to inhabit the area. It’s no mere coincidence that the camps are named “Medawisla.” It is a native American word meaning “loon,” a bird species that is plentiful here.
Nearby hiking trails are extensive, and guests often make day trips to Katahdin in Baxter State Park.
Medawisla Wilderness Camps are operated on a self-service basis from spring through fall. Each cabin is equipped with a cook stove, cookware, dinnerware, and utensils, and guests prepare their own meals. Meal service is provided in the winter months. Cabins have woodstoves as well as gas heaters, electric lights and gas lights, as well as flush toilets and showers in warmer months.
Information and reservations are available by contacting Medawisla Wilderness Camps directly at (207) 695-2690. Information is also available at www.medawisla.com. AMC will begin managing reservations directly effective January 1, 2007. More information on the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Woods Initiative is available at www.outdoors.org/mwi.
Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the United States. The AMC has nearly 90,000 members, including 3,400 members in Maine.
The nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the mountains, rivers, and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment.
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