About Us
Carrabassett Valley Outdoor Association
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WHO ARE WE?
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| We started out as a litter patrol.
But we are so much more!
Today,
with more than 600 members, CVOA is recognized as a leader for its
dedicated efforts to protect our outdoor heritage, create recreational
opportunities and organize outdoor activities.
But we also love to have fun.
Our
activity list is jam-packed: an annual ski trip out west; camping
outings to Baxter, Acadia and a coastal island; fishing trips, day
hikes, waterfall tours, canoe trips, moonlight snowshoe hikes, dinner
dances. We wear ourselves out.
But we are so much more than a social club.
We
have built and maintain a top-notch pistol and shooting range in a
first-rate setting. It sits off Rte. 27, just 1.7 miles north of the
Sugarloaf Access Road. Its backdrop: The majestic Bigelow Mountain
Range.
Our range was built on the backs of volunteers. Its
newest addition: a state-of-the-art trap shooting machine we use each
week to shoot clays.
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But we are so much more than a gun club.
Every
day, some CVOA member sets out on a hike, a bike or a pair of skis --
and stops and takes time to pick up a piece of trash. Our commitment to
the unspoiled beauty of our neighborhood is unflagging.
But we are so much more than an environmental club.
We
stocked a trout pond for catch and release fishing; we built eight
picnic tables and placed them in scenic locations along the Narrow
Gauge Pathway; we helped buy a stove for a community center where we
hold our socials; we work on the AT and other hiking trails. We helped
build a canoe trail and repair storm damage to our waterways; we
sponsor a local Boy Scout trip; we've published a cookbook; we've
written a hiking guide.
But we are so much more than a civic group.
We've
been around for 10 years now. Our membership has grown from a handful
of locals to 600 members scattered across New England and Canada. Every
year, we do more.
And we're just getting started! To find join us, download an application here on our web page or contact our secretary Sandy at: cvoasecretary@tds.net
Membership is just $10 for an individual and $15 for a family. Membership to the range is $15 for each CVOA member.
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OUR PAST
A decade ago, about a dozen area
outdoor enthusiasts sat down to discuss the recent postings of private
lands in our neighborhood.
The lands had been posted because
they had been mistreated by bikers, hikers, snowmobilers and others who
were littering the trails... certainly not what we call sportsmen.
We
decided to start cleaning up the popular trails in our town that snake
through private lands. We called ourselves the Carrabassett Valley
Outdoor Association.
Our efforts paid off: the postings came down.
That
first year, we hauled truckloads of trash off the trails ... the Narrow
Gauge Pathway, The Carriage Road and others. We also worked with a
group of town volunteers, led by Randy Clukey, to pick up trash along
every stretch of Route 27 that runs through Carrabassett Valley.
We
still conduct annual clean-up patrols of virtually all heavily-used
trails on private property in our area. As a group, we take part in
annual cleanups along the public roads in the region. And as
individuals, we constantly pick up litter on the trails we hike and
bike ... and we correct or report instances of damage to the area's
recreational infrastructure.
But today CVOA is more than just a handful of locals picking up litter.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 
Today
we have more than 600 members from all over Maine, New England and even
Canada ... young and old, men and women. We're now recognized as a
leader in helping to create recreational opportunities and to plan and
organize major outdoor activites. We remain dedicated to stewarding our
land and enjoying the great Maine outdoors.
In addition to our cleanup efforts, CVOA provides major manpower for
other projects. We assist in the spring trail clearing and brush
cutting on the Appalachian Trail section from Route 27 to North Crocker
Mountain.
We have created a partnership with the Town of
Carrabassett Valley on the Narrow Guage Pathway, a biking, hiking and
skiing trail along the 5.3 mile former railroad bed that borders the
step falls along the beautiful Carrabassett River. CVOA assists in the
maintenance of that trail and has cut brush, cleared paths and built
and installed picnic tables alongside swimming holes and other
picturesque locations. We've also cut a new half-mile trail along the
river at the start of the pathway.
Creating and enhancing
recreational activities is a major role of our organization. For
instance, several of our members have been working with the
Stratton/Eustis Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Park Service and Northern
Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) organization to develop the Flagstaff Section
of that 500-mile canoe trail.
LET'S NOT FORGET THE FUN FACTOR!
Our
membership includes a number of retirees from throughout the state ...
many of whom have made their retirement homes in Carrabassett Valley
... as well as seasonal residents of the area ... wintertime skiers who
look forward to summertime hiking and other outdoor activities ... and
increasingly, children and grandchildren.
The group includes a
number of sectional A.T. hikers, many who have completed the trail in
Maine and some who are piecing out the entire trail over time. It also
includes trail maintainers who have spent countless hours on the A.T.
and in the Bigelow Preserve.
Our annual list of activities
features about 30 major events, including an annual weekend outing to
two of our state treasures: Baxter State Park and Acadia National Park.
We've
hiked, camped and biked in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Isle
au Haut, Monhegan Island, Gulf Hagas and the Bold Coast. This year,
we'll add the Moosehead Region and Camden/Isleboro.
We've canoed and kayaked the Keenebec and the Allagash. This year, we'll tackled the Saco. Every year, we fish in Quebec.
We've
skied Jackson Hole, Aspen. Sun Valley, Whistler, Fernie, Le Massif, Big
Sky and Tuckermans. Next year, we're heading for Vail.
THE SHOOTING RANGE
CVOA maintains a shooting range on 30-plus acres of land leased from the Carrabassett Valley Sanitary District.
That's
where we have developed trap shooting and rifle and pistol range
capabilities for safe and organized recreational shooting – something
that has not previously existed in our region.
We conduct an annual Hunter Safety Course for young and old alike and we also sponsor a local Boy Scout troop.
AND IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.
Our members
have hiked ... and written about ... two dozen of some of the more
popular climbs in the area. The CVOA Hiking Guide was a sellout. A new
hiking guide is currently in the works... and may be expanded to include biking, boating, fishing and other recreational opportunities in our area.
We've published a
cookbook of 400 recipes ... favorites from the talented chefs who turn
even a wilderness outing into a gourmet feast.
We've published a calendar, each month crammed with photos of CVOA outings.
We've offered trap shooting lessons, fly casting lessons and courses on GPS, map and compass readings. We're looking into photography classes and some canoeing and wilderness survival courses.
We sponsor socials, dances and pot luck dinners. We operate the food booth at the town 4th of July festival. We sponsor a booth at Sugarloaf's Homecoming.
We're always looking for new ideas, new places to visit, new things to do.
So, join us for the adventure!!
