Maine Cancer Outdoor Adventures

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Kris Lovley ~ Volunteer Co-Ordinator

I grew up on 13 acres of wooded land in Pittsfield, Maine. I spent my days learning about the land and the creatures inhabiting the area. At age 13 I took my hunters safety course and started to hunt and venture out into the woods for overnight trips with my older brother. At the age of 16 my family moved to Florida where I continued going camping, hiking and hunting.

I returned to Maine 10 years later, struggling with high anxiety and looking for answers which lead me to turn towards the woods and a more simple lifestyle. Soon after I began spending summers in Millinocket, Maine exploring the land and learning the difference between states, as I had been gone for so long. I will admit, it has taken all the years of me being back here in Maine to discover and build who I really am as a person and who I want to be.

In 2012, I met Jimmy Garland, who quickly became my adventure buddy and best friend. We spent all our free time white water rafting, camping, hiking and hunting. Including a 3 day snowshoe trip in the Katahdin region with a Maine Guide, a bird hunting trip in the Allagash, along with numerous hunting trips to different parts of the state. Jimmy taught me how to properly use a recurve bow and arrow, shoot a rifle and pistol, steer a raft on the river, drive a snowmobile, and gave me the love and appreciation for the outdoors that he carried with him.

After he passed away from Pancreatic cancer, I began working with the foundation on building a outdoor adventure relief program. I believe I am not the only person who finds relief from the pain of losing someone, in the woods. He left behind his three children who have grown up learning about the importance of spending time in nature and I, with the foundations help, have been able to continue taking them and their mother out into the wilderness.

As the outdoors has shaped my life and brought relief to my own pain of loss, I believe I have been chosen to bring comfort to those who are suffering from loss or struggling with the fight against Cancer.

Hiking, Maine Blue hill Mountain Chick hill Beehive, Acadia National Park Moxie Falls, The Forks Grand falls, The Forks Great head trail, Acadia National Park Gorham mountain trail, Acadia National Park Jordan pond loop trail B-52 memorial trail, Greenville Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area, Baxter State Park

Snowshoeing, Maine Chimney pond trail Little and big Niagara falls

Daicey pond trail Poplar hut trail, Maine huts and trails Rock slides, Green lake

Backpacking, Maine Little Bigelow mountain, AT, 2 day hiking trip Daicey pond, 3 day snowshoe trip Gulf Hagas, Baxter state park, 2 days hiking

Hiking, Alaska Mill loop trail, Hatcher Pass Butte mountain trail Snow bird mine and glacier trail Fish head trail Independence mine

Hiking, Ireland Carrick-a-rede rope bridge trail Glendalough upper and lower lake loop

Hiking, New Hampshire Champney falls trail Rocky gorge and falls trail Gordon path

Hiking, Montreal Mount Royal park loop Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood loop

Losing someone you love is a deep wound only Mother nature can heal.

~Kris Lovley