Sideline Stories: Mike Guarino, Maine Wilderness Guide Service, Snow Pond Center
Making Memories
Looking back, it all started at our family cottage on Lake Champlain in northern Vermont. At the time, we lived next door to a sporting camp and I have fond memories of fishing with guests, making bonfires on the shoreline, and exploring all the lake had to offer. When my father and grandfather gave me my first boat at 12 years old, little did they know what they started! Personally, I think they gave me that old boat just so they could take a break sometimes. I can hear them now, “Maybe if we give the kid his own boat we can get some sleep.” To this day, almost 40-years and a thousand trips later, I’m still taking people fishing, still exploring, and still loving every minute of it. Granted, my boat is a lot faster and fancier, and hopefully, my technique (and storytelling) has improved a little bit, but the thrill of sharing experiences on the water has never dulled.
After high school, I moved to Maine to go to Thomas College in Waterville and basically fell in love with the state. I was there to study and play soccer (although not necessarily in that order.) On the first morning of soccer pre-season, I was nervous and took a walk outside and around the field. The memory of watching the sun come up and the fog lift to reveal three deer feeding on the field is still with me today. I’d found a new home, met my wife Kellie, and we eventually settled in Belgrade Lakes where I started Maine Wilderness Tours. We are now Maine Wilderness Guide Service and this year is our 25th anniversary.
Guiding is all about making memories! Actually, that’s a lie – guiding is all about client safety, preparation, and due diligence, but that’s not as much fun to write about so let’s stick with making memories. When I look back over the last 25 years and reminisce about all the memorable experiences, I’m so thankful and humbled by this amazing journey. It seems like yesterday my father was taking me brook trout fishing, foraging for mushrooms, and hunting for wild asparagus. Now I get to lead these trips and see the excitement in other people’s eyes. Recently we’ve had the pleasure of getting more involved in our community and helping bring outdoor programming and events to kids and families in our area. As we move forward, we’re looking forward to making more memories by working with organizations like our local chambers, the Maine Sports Commission, and everyone who takes an interest in promoting the outdoors.
Mike Guarino is a Maine Guide and owner of Maine Wilderness Guide Service and Community Development Director at Snow Pond Center for the Arts in Sidney, Maine.