When a merchant services department of a large corporation from Portsmouth hoped to encourage understanding and engagement with the smaller scale recipients of their office’s payment solutions, department heads set out to schedule a weekend in the High Peaks of Maine. They found a nice mix of communal and private space at the Hostel of Maine in Carrabassett Valley. On their first day the team practiced patience under pressure with a guided mountain bike tour of the Valley’s award winning trail system. Some brought their bikes, others rented. Everyone was happy. After lunch at the Stratton Brook Hut they rode back to the Hostel where the team discussed real-time contextualized solutions with their newly acquired skill-set. In the evenings, after dinner, they huddled around the outdoor fire, roasted s’mores and enjoyed some music. On their third day they returned back to their homes refreshed and ready to return to work with a go-to-market plan in hand.

After a small consulting firm from Bangor determined that their team’s mid-March morale was waning, leadership decided to promote goodwill and outside-the-box thinking by planning an outing to the High Peaks region. They arranged for two vans to take the 14-person team to Tea Pond Camps for a guided snowmobiling excursion through the beauty of western Maine. After their snowmobiling they gathered around the fieldstone fireplace to recount the day’s adventure. Following a hearty breakfast the next day they had a morning-long security services brainstorm session while perched overlooking the cabins and pond that seemed to be awaiting the spring fishing season.

A small start-up manufacturing company focused on creating outdoor products wanted to reward its employees with a mid-week getaway to unwind and inspire new innovation. They chose to head to the Kawhanee Inn for its history and easy access to exceptional hiking and the lake. The team of six booked rooms and upon an early arrival headed to nearby Tumbledown Mountain for a stimulating round trip day hike of six miles. The following morning, after a swim in the lake, they huddled at the Inn brainstorming their next product line. On their way out of town they drove up to Mt Blue State Park for an rewarding view of their previous day’s conquest.

When the executive team from a large organization based in Portland was planning their annual leadership retreat, they looked to the High Peaks region for the perfect balance of adventurous bonding and budget forecasting. They checked in to the Wilson Lake Inn on a Friday afternoon in September, grabbed some complimentary kayaks and headed out on the lake followed by a tasting at Ambition Brewing and then dinner across the street at Calzolaio Pasta Company. The next day kicked off with a 2-hour budget and planning session in the Inn’s Fiber Optic Internet-connected conference room followed by a group hike up nearby Bald Mountain with stunning views over Webb Lake. That evening, they grilled burgers and fish on the Inn’s grounds and took a sunset paddle to wrap up an inspirational weekend.