Privacy Policy – We don’t sell, rent, lease, lend, loan, trade, or make public your name or contact information. Ever.
Deposit Policy: Your spot on a course is not secured until we receive your deposit. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. If a course is already full, we will refund 100% of your deposit.
Cancellation And Refund Policy – With cancellations more than 60 days in advance of the course or trip, the tuition, less the deposit, will be refunded. With cancellations less than 60 days prior to the start of the course all monies are non-refundable and non-transferable. These policies reflect the fact that we do not overbook and cancelled spaces are very difficult to fill at the last minute.
Liability Release Policy: Before the start of each course or trip all participants are required to have signed both a Liability Release form and an Acknowledgement of Risk form.
Gear Loaning Policy: We don’t lend or loan gear. This includes any edged tools or gear that’s on the gear list. You’re welcome to not bring something, but if so you’ll have to do without it.
Drug And Alcohol Policy: Our goal is to create a supportive learning environment. Drugs, alcohol, and other things that distract and detract from this goal have no place in our programs. Our field school is drug and alcohol free. This isn’t a judgement statement. It’s fine with us if people go to town and have a beer or do whatever they choose to do. Personal lifestyle choices are not our business. Creating and maintaining a supportive learning environment and helping students achieve their goals is our business. Do not bring drugs or alcohol to the field school. When at the field school we’re all business. Violation of this is grounds for dismissal.
Pet Policy: Pets are not permitted on courses or trips. Although you love your dog (or other pet), there are many people who don’t like them, and for whom it’s presence would be a big distraction. There is a lot of wildlife around the field school that dogs would love to catch. Several years ago someone brought a dog and it killed 7 baby snowshoe hares in one day. It wasn’t being a bad dog, it was just being a dog. That’s how their brains are wired. There’s also a lot of wildlife that could prove a danger to your dog, including fishers, porcupines and black bears. During our professional training programs we are on the trail for weeks at a time. Brining animals with us presents logistical difficulties from the perspective of moving people and canoes to and from remote places. Adding animals to this mix would require significant additional challenges. For these reasons we require that you leave pets at home.
Arrival/Departure Policy: We know you’re anxious to get started and want to get to camp early and settle in. But keep in mind that our instructors are at camp for 7 months of the year and have very little time to themselves. You arriving early eats into this time and inhibits them from being able to get out of camp, be with family, etc. So don’t arrive early. If an instructor is not around when students are we have issues with our insurance as well. So again, do not arrive early, and do not plan to stay on-site after the end of the program. There are camping and lodging options available nearby for those who get to the area early or want to spend some extra time in northern Maine (See our travel information pages under the registration tab for details).
Forgotten Gear Policy: We are not responsible for any gear left at the field school at the end of a course. When packing up at the end of your course, please make a list of all of the locations you have gear. Roughly 15% of people forget a piece of gear here. Inevitably some people ask us to ship their stuff to them. This entails a day spent driving to town, getting whatever item it is packaged and shipped. It is much easier for you to remember to pack all of your things. We will no longer be shipping people’s gear to them.
Tobacco and Cigarette Policy: For 25 yeas I have been guaranteed by cigarette smokers that they never leave their butts laying around. And for 25 years, I have been picking up cigarette butts off the ground, likely from the people who have previously guaranteed me that they never drop their butts on the ground. In 2023 I am saying no more. Cigarettes with filters are officially banned from the field school. You are still welcome to smoke, (away from buildings or people), but not filtered cigarettes. We encourage smokers to get a pipe and learn how to use it. This way you have nothing disposable to leave laying around (ie. cigarette butts), and your decision to smoke will be less of a burden to those around you. Smoking is never permitted in or near any buildings, food preparation areas, work areas or around other students. It’s fine with us if you smoke, but not filtered cigarettes. Our cigarette and tobacco policy is not discriminatory to smokers. It is discriminatory to cigarette butts which we inevitably end up having to pick up after people leave them laying around.
Expulsion/Dismissal Policy: Over the years we have had to expel several people due to safety and conduct issues. In the instance of a student being expelled, they are to leave the field school immediately upon packing their gear. If they don’t have a ride, a ride will be provided for them to Presque Isle..
Travel Insurance: We recommend that all participants consider purchasing travel insurance, which will refund your tuition if you choose to, or are forced to leave a course or trip early early, or cancel after the 60 day refund cutoff. Check out Travelguard.com and InsureMyTrip for travel insurance. They cover non-refundable, prepaid expenses such as travel and tuition.
Medical Insurance: We recommend that all participants have medical insurance.
Plagarism Policy: When we find our content used on the web without our permission, we name and shame the offender.
