MVHS Outdoor Club Unplugs to Connect

It was about 20 degrees at Camden Hills State Park as, on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 14, members of Medomak Valley High School’s outdoor club broke camp at the park’s ski shelter and set off into the woods for a second day of hiking.

The students weren’t preoccupied by the cold, though. Separated from their everyday lives by miles of trails, with their cellphones stashed deep in their backpacks, they weren’t worried about much else, either. Outdoor club trips are all about slowing down and making memories that last, members said.

“It’s just better to be in the moment. Most of us won’t see each other again – after this, we’ll all go to different colleges,” said senior Atticus Blue.

Math teacher Bill Hinkley, who runs this trip every year, founded the club in 2015. His hope, Hinkley said, is that the club can help introduce students to the joys and benefits of time spent immersed in nature.

“It’s always a great way to get to know the kids,” he said. “To me, my mental health reset is to be out in the wilderness, even if it’s just for 24 hours. It’s just about trying to get kids exposed to it.”

After school on Dec. 13, the students piled into two vans and traveled to Camden Hills State Park. They made their way to the ski shelter – about three miles from the road – as the sun set, toting packs filled with sleeping bags, food, and warm layers.

After dropping off their gear at the shelter, the students continued on to the 1,385-foot-high summit of Mount Megunticook. By this time, they were hiking in the dark, a new experience for many of the students.

The sky was lit by a nearly full moon, and when the group reached the summit, the glowing lights of Camden were visible below.

Back at the shelter, macaroni and cheese and hot dogs were on the menu for dinner. For entertainment, the group benefitted from each other’s company. Per Hinkley, cellphones are not to be used during the trip, with few exceptions. Students were allowed to use their phones for brief intervals only, to take pictures and, in the case of senior Chris Harris, to check the status of an early decision application to Dartmouth College. The news was good, making Harris the second student in two years to receive a college acceptance during the annual outing club trip.

Keeping students off their phones during the trip is important to Hinkley, who observes widespread technology addiction among his students.

“You need a break from something to realize your relationship to it,” he said.

Students said the policy created a welcome opportunity to unplug.

“It’s kind of fun to disconnect from everything else,” said senior Seamus Donoghy. “It’s a break from school and technology and stuff. We all put our phones on airplane mode, and we’re just out here.”

“There’s a lot of other stuff going on, like, in the real world. It’s good to just unwind without any phone or TV or anything,” Harris said. “It’s nice to kind of get away from everything for a night, even if it’s just a short break.”

Senior Liam Belyea-Ridge said his experiences on the trip would be lasting memories. This includes forgoing the relative warmth of the ski shelter to sleep outside under the sky, which Belyea-Ridge did along with fellow club members Donoghy and Gavin White.

On Saturday morning, the group denied that they had been cold while sleeping outside. They were rewarded by the display of the Geminid meteor shower, which was at its peak the night of Dec. 13. Donoghy said the group had seen 30 or more shooting stars, and Hinkley named the trio “officers” of the club in the wake of their feat.

While some of the club members have prior experience camping, being outside on a frigid winter night was new for many of them, Hinkley said. Another important aspect of running the club for Hinkley is helping students gain confidence outside by teaching them how to enjoy the wilderness safely.

“It used to be much more common for kids to feel comfortable to go out on their own,” he said. By guiding students on backcountry trips, Hinkley hopes to help them establish skills they will continue to use for years to come.

“I don’t go out too much in the winter, so it actually shows you that it’s possible,” said MVHS math teacher Dara Economy, who has accompanied the trip as a chaperone for two years in a row.

To weather the frigid temperatures, students said Hinkley had instructed them about what gear to bring, emphasizing the importance of wearing warm layers. If students don’t have the necessary equipment, Hinkley lends gear of his own. There is also a gear library run by Brunswick nonprofit Teens to Trail, originally founded in Wiscasset, where students could get equipment if necessary, he said.

The nonprofit has also provided grant funding to enable the outing club’s annual trip for the last two years, Hinkley said.

Evidence that Hinkley’s commitment to outdoor education has lasting impacts comes from students, including older siblings of current club members, who have continued camping together as a way to stay in touch with high school friends. Hearing about past students who continue hiking and enjoying nature together is “super rewarding,” Hinkley said.

The outdoor club members traversing the paths of Camden Hills on Dec. 14 confirmed they, too, intend to spend more time outside together.

“I really enjoyed it,” said senior Anna Possee, who has attended the trip multiple years in a row.

“It’s a good way to get a good laugh, and spend time with your friends,” said White. “The laughs are laughs you wouldn’t get from online stuff. It’s better, in a way.”