Garrett and Alexandra Conover

Garrett and Alexandra Conover have been professional canoe and snowshoe guides for 28 years. They are American authors and registered Maine Guides, who have specialized in traditional wilderness travelling techniques of the boreal north woods.

Background

Alexandra

In 1977 Alexandra received a degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic. She handcrafts North Woods paddles, based on a pattern used in this region for over 100 years. When not guiding, Alexandra enjoys her musical pastimes by playing, composing, and performing on piano, accordion, and autoharp.

Garrett

Garrett studied wildlife biology and creative writing at University of Montana, and graduated from College of the Atlantic. He has extensively studied the ecology and ethnology of the boreal regions and northern travel skills. A talented photographer, Garrett's slide shows are in demand by many museums, colleges, corporations, nature centers, and other organizations.

North Woods Ways

Before founding North Woods Ways in 1980, the Conovers had the good fortune of an extended apprenticeship with renowned Maine Guide "Mick" Fahey and have refined their skills by living in Canada with several indigenous families in the bush.

The Conovers have specialized in using traditional wood/canvas canoes with handmade paddles of ash for summer travel, and ash/rawhide snowshoes and handcrafted wood toboggans and canvas heated tents for winter travel. In an age given to the use of ever higher technology, they have chosen to employ, where possible, the more efficient and reliable materials developed by generations of woods travelers. Practicing what they preach, the Conover’s live in the North Maine woods in a permanent walled tent.

Garrett’s first book Beyond the Paddle was first published in 1991, as a Canoeist's guide to expedition skills.

The next book was written with Alexandra, A Snow Walker's Companion in 1995, and quickly became an authoritative text on winter travel. It was reprinted in 2000 as the Winter Wilderness Companion. A Snow Walker's Companion was reprinted again in 2006, including an insert about Garrett & Alexandra's epic 350 mile snowshoe trip across the Ungava Peninsula, Quebec.

Garret’s most recent book Kristin's Wilderness has gained several prestigious awards, including the Lupine Award of the Maine Library Association, the Independent Publishers Association’s National Bronze Medal, the Midwest Independent Publishers Association Top Honor, and the Bronze Medal in the Young Adult category of The Moonbeam Awards.

Books

Garrett’s first book Beyond the Paddle was first published in 1991, as a Canoeist's guide to expedition skills.

The next book was written with Alexandra, A Snow Walker's Companion in 1995, and quickly became an authoritative text on winter travel. It was reprinted in 2000 as the Winter Wilderness Companion. A Snow Walker's Companion was reprinted again in 2006, including an insert about Garrett & Alexandra's epic 350 mile snowshoe trip across the Ungava Peninsula, Quebec.

Garret’s most recent book Kristin's Wilderness has gained several prestigious awards, including the Lupine Award of the Maine Library Association, the Independent Publishers Association’s National Bronze Medal, the Midwest Independent Publishers Association Top Honor, and the Bronze Medal in the Young Adult category of The Moonbeam Awards.

Booklist

* Beyond the Paddle - Garrett Conover (1991)
* A Snow Walker's Companion - Alexandra & Garrett Conover (1995)
* The Winter Wilderness Companion - A reissue of A Snow Walker's Companion (2001)
* A Snow Walker's Companion – A revised edition Alexandra & Garrett Conover (2006)
* Kristin's Wilderness - by Garrett Conover (2006)

Books that include "contributions" from the Conovers

* On Wilderness – voices of Maine; essay by Garrett Conover
* Wildness Within, Wildness Without; chapter by Garrett Conover

Television guest appearances

* Maine Magazine with Russ Ottey - WCBB-TV (1985)
* Evening Magazine with Barry Nolan - WBZ-TV (1985)
* Made in Maine with Lou McNally - Maine Public Broadcasting Network (1992)
* Made in Maine with Lou McNally - Maine Public Broadcasting Network (1993)
* Color Me Green with Bill Green - WCSH-TV (1994)
* Winter Camping Studio Interviews - WABI-TV (1995)
* Bill Green's Maine - WCSH-TV (2005)

Books that include features "about" the Conovers

* America's Wild and Scenic Rivers - National Geographic (1983)
* A Canoeist's Sketchbook - Robert Kimber (1991)
* Through the Woods: A Journey through America's Forests - Gary Ferguson (1997)
* The American Wilderness - Stephen Gorman (1999)
* Northern Wilds: Journeys of Discovery in the Northern Forest - Stephen Gorman (2002)
* Living Wild and Domestic: The Education of a Hunter-Gardener - Robert Kimber (2002)
* Vanishing America - James Conaway (2007)

Notable magazine features

* Snow Country – article; [http://www.northwoodsways.com/media/weird.html/ Sometimes Life Isn't Weird Enough] (1990)
* GQ (1993)
* Yankee – article; [http://www.northwoodsways.com/media/bragging.html/ Bragging Cold] (1995)
* Outside (magazine) – Profiled in article; The Great Ones: 20th Century Heroes for a New Millennium (1999)
* National Geographic Traveler – article; [http://www.northwoodsways.com/media/loon.html/ Call of the Loon] (2001)
* National Geographic Traveler – article; Lake Onawa in winter (2008)

See also

* Ernest Thompson Seton
* Bill Mason

External links

* The Conovers' own web site – [http://www.northwoodsways.com/ North Woods Ways] , Classic Wilderness Guiding
* [http://www.wcha.org/ Wooden Canoe Heritage Association]