For intrepid outdoorsy women who want to get together with other like-minded folks to hike and explore the natural world around them, Adventures in Good Company (AGC) has been a top trusted resource. What sets them apart from other outdoor adventure companies is the high caliber of guides that they have on their roster.
For Victoria Gray, a guide with AGC, as well as a Registered Maine Guide and Owner of The Wilderness Guru, a wellness-focused outdoor adventure concierge service, spending time in nature is a top priority.
“Guiding with AGC is truly fulfilling,” says Gray. “I’ve never felt more accepted just as I am in a working environment. My co-guides and program managers have been highly supportive, the clients are vibrant and lively, and the trips themselves are all jaw-dropping!”
Prior to guiding, Gray worked as a Park Ranger at Baxter State Park. “I did everything from multiple summit patrols of Katahdin, creating and implementing children’s programs, responding to rescue scenarios, backcountry facility maintenance, and all the many other tasks a campground needs to stay fully operational,” says Gray. “Baxter State Park is where I rediscovered my love for the natural world, and I took a deep dive into botany. The mental, emotional, and spiritual impact of that unique working experience was quite profound.”
Hiking and guiding plays a part in Gray’s deep love of wild places, diverse flora and fauna, and the ecosystems that are present in Maine’s wilderness. Not only does opting outside offer a plethora of opportunities to explore and discover, but also, it provides a valuable outlet for personal health and wellness. “My own life has improved dramatically since engaging in outdoor experiences,” says Gray. “Guiding is one way I can extend that same sentiment to others and cultivate healing and enlightening outdoor experiences that will stay with folks for years to come.”
While Gray comes from a long line of forest foragers, it wasn’t until her time at Baxter State Park that she developed a real passion for expanding her foraging awareness through not only dialing into what the elders in her family and the community were willing to share, but also, a concentrated self-study. “I mostly started by way of botanical self-study, then community learning, and now I continue to deepen my knowledge as I teach foraging classes across the state and with Forage River Outfitters as a co-instructor,” says Gray. “What I love most about foraging is the opportunity to participate in the innate reciprocity that connects humankind to the Earth.”
What makes Maine so wonderful and unique, according to Gray, is that it’s an exceptionally biodiverse state, as its home two major plant biomes: Northern Boreal and Southern
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This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nicole Cueto, a 40-year-old who has traveled to 47 countries. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
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