FAQS
Our group trips are a chance for queer folks in Maine to build community and learn new skills through safe and welcoming outdoor adventures. They are for people of all skill levels and abilities; those who are new to the outdoors as well as more experienced adventurers. We host both day trips and overnight adventures. Our trip offerings include hiking, backpacking, campouts, canoeing, kayaking, packrafting, cross country skiing, backcountry skiing, and more. Some Kindling Collective trips are organized in collaboration with our outside partners, and they will be co-instructed and facilitated by Kindling Collective staff.
What to expect on a Kindling Collective trip
​At Kindling, we aim to build community and support people in nurturing and sustaining relationships with the natural world. Our goal is for our trips to be affirming and safe experiences for all participants. You are welcome here!
None. Unless otherwise-indicated, our trips are beginner-friendly! Each trip will be run by experienced instructors ready to teach you the skills you need.
Kindling Collective trips are rated with activity levels. Participants are expected to be thoughtful and realistic about their own abilities and comfort with movement. Review the activity levels to identify what trip rating is appropriate for you and your body.
We have most of the gear you need for Kindling trips, and you’re welcome to borrow it for no additional cost! While you are welcome to bring your own equipment if you have it, we want you to join our adventures without the high cost of gear.
You do not need to be a gear library member to borrow Kindling gear for Kindling trips. If you need gear that we don’t have in the gear library, we’ll let you know and support you in accessing it if you don’t have it.
We move at a pace that feels sustainable to everyone and take frequent breaks for snacks, water, and to go to the bathroom. This may be a bit slower or faster than you usually travel.
Please review Activity Levels to make sure the trip you chose is the right one for you.
We believe that anyone can have fun and feel confident and safe in nature. We make an effort to offer opportunities for people of all backgrounds, skill levels, identities, experiences, and abilities. For many people who have experienced discrimination based on their personal identities, it’s challenging (and sometimes unsafe) to learn or try new activities in mainstream outdoor spaces. To best support our community, and create truly welcoming spaces for queer people, trans people, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, we offer opportunities to be outdoors in affinity groups.
The Kindling Collective Group Types are intended to help people identify if an event or trip is appropriate for them to attend based on their identities. While some of our events are open to all (Open), most of our events and trips are designed as affinity spaces for queer and trans people (Queer), and some events are intentionally created as affinity spaces for BIPOC queer and trans people (QT BIPOC).
We know that dealing with bodily functions in the woods can be intimidating! Our instructors will make sure to explain how to safely and comfortably take care of business in the outdoors.
For many of our camping trips, backcountry toilets will be available.
Many folks who normally sit to pee like to use stand-to-pee devices to pee more comfortably (our favorite is the P-Style) and antimicrobial cloths like the Kula Cloth for wiping.
If you might menstruate on a trip, make sure to bring the products you’re most comfortable using. Instructors can give advice on how to dispose or store of single use products properly.
We tend to go without showers on our trips; you can always freshen up at nearby water sources. If cleaning up is a special concern for you, we are happy to talk through possible on-trip hygiene strategies.
For most trips, plan to meet at the start point. We will send out a carpooling spreadsheet so participants can coordinate travel amongst each other.
Multi-day Trips:
For overnight trips, Kindling Collective will pack all the food needed for the whole group—breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, and snacks. When you register, we will ask you to share any dietary restrictions, and we pack our meals accordingly.
You are welcome to bring your own snacks; we’ll make sure to animal-proof all food at night.
Kindling trips are alcohol-free—please leave alcohol at home.
Drinking water for multi-day events is treated water from nearby water sources, making it safe to consume.
Day Trips:
Food and water varies by trip. Check the trip description for information on what food and water to pack.
On overnight trips, we try to get to camp in the early afternoon. You'll choose your spot and set up your tent - we’re around to help if this is something you’ve never done before!
Evening activities differ trip to trip. After setting up our tents, we may have group programming, cooking and cleaning responsibilities, and/or free time to enjoy time to swim, read, write or play games with others.
There are many "jobs" that our trip leaders will need help with and will ask for help with. Some of these jobs could be cooking, cleaning, managing water treatment etc.
We ask all participants to test negative for COVID within 24 hours of overnight trips. For day trips, monitor your symptoms and please do not attend the trip if you or anyone in your household is experiencing symptoms or if you have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past five days.
Yes—please review our participant agreement.
No, Kindling Collective events are substance and alcohol free, unless otherwise noted.
Yes! Email us at info@kindlingcollective.org or text us at (207) 200-4707 to learn more
We ask that our participants practice community care and let us know at your earliest convenience that you can no longer attend.
Read more about our specific refund policies for both multi-day trips and day trips here.
We're excited to chat with you. Our most reliable communication tools are calls and texts at (207) 200-4707 or emails to info@kindlingcollective.org It can be difficult for us to keep up with everyone on Instagram. If you have already dm'd us, you can always follow up with an email!
No. We require that all participants sign up for themselves so we can communicate with them directly and gather pertinent information.
All of our instructors are trained in wilderness medicine, and are prepared to respond to injuries and illnesses in the backcountry.
Kindling Collective trips and events are offered through a sliding scale. Our model invites and expects people with greater financial resources to contribute more, enabling those with fewer financial resources to pay less. This fosters sustainability and equity in how we access programming, build community, and share resources. Use this chart as guidance for what to pay for each program.
Regardless of where you might land on the chart, if you want to go on a trip and are considering not going because the cost is out of your price range, we invite you to pay at the lower end of the scale or send us an email at info@kindlingcollective.org. Please know that we’re committed to making our trips financially accessible and will be happy to work with you to get you on a trip!
If you are Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, we invite you to select a low cost or free ticket.