Those of you who are Mainers might be familiar with this week’s guide-in training.

Jessica Carter is part of the Carter’s Cross Country Ski family of Western Maine. Her parents opened their first ski center in Oxford in the mid-80s, and followed it up with a second location in Bethel in 1992. The Bethel location took off, and is now the headquarters for all the Carter's operations, which include an extensive trail system, a retail operation, as well as a lodge and other guest accommodations.

Jes has been skiing and involved in the family business from the get go, but recently left a decade-plus career as a teacher to work side-by-side with her mom running the show. She has big plans for expansion of the Carter’s business to make it a year-round recreation destination, and has also begun the process of obtaining her Maine Guide’s license. 

As we discuss in this interview, Jes has already managed to take her tween daughter, retirement-age mom, and novice hiking sister on multi-day backpacking adventures to, or within, striking distance of Katahdin’s summit, so I think she’s got some solid guide skills to draw on already!

Connect with Jes on Instagram and Facebook, and make sure to check out Carter’s XC Ski on the web (but not too soon, Jes is working on updates and new functionality now for the upcoming season :-), Instagram and Facebook.

A few other links of interest:

• Feature on Jes and Carter’s XC Ski in the Lewiston Sun Journal (October 4, 2020)
• Fins & Furs Adventures - Maine Guide Training program
• Maine Sport Outfitters, Camden - Wilderness First Aid course
• Sunday River
• Mahoosuc Ridge to the River Challenge
• Baxter State Park - Katahdin
• Darn Tough socks
• L.L.Bean Stowaway Day Pack

And a special thanks to our sponsor, Evans Notch Lodge!

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