Maine Huts & Trails to keep lodges open this winter as fundraising proceeds
Courtesy / Maine Huts & Trails
Maine Huts & Trails plans to keep its lodges open this winter on a self-service basis.
Less than two months after disclosing a $500,000 budget shortfall, Maine Huts & Trails said it will keep lodges open this winter on a "self-service" basis after the nonprofit achieved a fundraising milestone.
Based in Kingfield, Maine Huts & Trails operates four huts, or ecolodges, and an extensive trail network in western Maine for outdoor adventurers.
At a meeting on Monday, the group's board affirmed its commitment to having trails ready and huts open this winter for self-service, with volunteer caretakers on hand rather than paid staff. Guests would have to bring their own food and be responsible for clean-up.
The decision comes after the organization received conditional pledges from three prospective contributors for $500,000, executive director Wolf Tone told Mainebiz on Wednesday.
"We're really happy about the ability to proceed with the winter self-service," he said, adding that the amount raised so far "enables us to grow from a position of strength."
"We will be building from here," he added, "to a future of sustainability, where we will bring our brand and our experience back. When we do we're going to keep going to a bigger vision."
The group aims to raise another $500,000, for a $1 million total, as stated in September. It said at the time that it had not generated sufficient lodging revenues and annual revenues to cover costs, which include refurbishment and replacement of key assets.
Tone added Wednesday that Maine Huts & Trails has long been an "overhead-intensive organization," and that the long-term plan is to modify the entire business model.
"The plan going forward is to change how we approach creating opportunities," he said.
Specifically, it's looking into ways it can collaborate with other organizations in Franklin and Somerset counties to promote the trail experience on a regional basis, as well as with groups involved in youth engagement at Maine Huts & Trails facilities.
"We could be a venue where they could bring their programming and their children," he said.
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