From Class to Patch, We've Got Your Back! Since 1997

MOLC is Maine's premiere outdoor education center for the training of professional Registered Maine Guides. Their instruction far surpasses the core competencies of our service as Maine Guides and delivers the true legacy of tradition, values, ethics and the cornerstone ideologies that set Maine apart as the national standard. 

 - Jack Mosher

ZOOM Training online: This format has been fabulous! It's nice to be safe at home and learning. I prefer this much more than sitting in a conference room. 

Thank you! Marc Simons

ZOOM Training online: The curriculum and format of the training was not just informative, it was entertaining and OUTSTANDING!  It was packed and VERY well developed. Thank you. Michele Taylor

ZOOM Training online: I can't imagine taking my guide's exam without taking this course. The Zoom format made the whole process very relaxing and easier to learn and absorb. Thanks a lot for everything. Nicole S.

ZOOM Training online: John, the whole class appreciates the Zoom course  you just gave.  Thank to you, Tami, and Greg for an outstanding experience. 

-David Japikse

John, Tami & Greg, I learned a lot, remembered a lot and met some great people in both classmates and instructors. I found the classroom atmosphere to be low stress and comfortable even when being placed on the hot seat. During the class I was able to Identify the strengths and weaknesses in my knowledge and also realize that there is not going to be much that is black and white in guiding. As I fill out my application to send in for my test date I feel very confident in my preparation for the testing. I shall continue to practice things learned and remembered, and studying my weaknesses while reviewing my strengths. Maine's Outdoor Learning Center is helping to guide ( no pun intended, well maybe) to my lifelong dream and goal of becoming a Registered Maine Guide. I thank you all for this and shall take additional courses with you in the future to continue to hone the skills to be the best guide that I can. Thank You! I look forward to making the phone call stating " I Passed". The hardest part is deciding which classification to apply for first. Thank you all again!  - Tony Tozier 

 Class was amazing!   I went into class slightly apprehensive with limited map and compass skills.  I left knowing more and being more confident I WILL be a Guide!  John, your passion is contagious, I love it!  Thanks for everything, I learned from all of you.  - Tasha Pinkham

What an experience! John, Tami and Greg are all so very wonderful and knowledgeable. I am so much more confident and sure of myself and my craft. I very highly recommend them. And I hope to see each of them and share a campfire very soon. - Megann E.

Great course, even better teachers. You will be fully prepared to get your guide license - Jeremy Court

Great experience, would recommend to anyone who wants to be a guide and do it "the right way". Also, made a few friends along the way, many of which are also now Maine Guides! - Jonathan Claudius

Thank you very much for helping me achieve a lifelong dream!

While I'm sure it's possible to study for and pass the exam without taking your course, there's no doubt that it made me more prepared, made the experience much more enjoyable and helped me avoid stumbling along the way. Being able to support a Maine-based business like yours is simply a bonus.

I will recommend your school to any other potential guides I meet along the way. I have no doubt that their experience will be as enjoyable and rewarding as mine has been.

Thank you  for all of your help. I look forward to taking some field training classes with you.  Sincerely, Scott K.

AWESOME!  Jay and I took the Maine Guides course in April and we just wanted to say thank you for all your help. Passing the test was just the icing on the cake. We both came out of that course better and more knowledgeable outdoorsman/women. The instruction and content was both interesting and useful. The map and compass portion has us feeling so much more confident in the woods. From the minute we signed up for the course until after we took the test we were grateful for your professionalism and enthusiasm. It is quite clear that you are both passionate about your work and helping your students succeed. Our friends Ryan and Joe are taking the course this week, we told them it was a must!!! 

Jay and I are grateful and thankful. We would be interested in other courses you may offer in the future! Sincerely, Erin S. and Jay M.

I just wanted you both to know what an experience this has been for me. I think back to when I was a kid thinking of how it would feel to become a “MAINE REGISTERED GUIDE” well now I know. I still think it is a dream!!!!!!! I do know it would not have been possible without your class. It truly is above and beyond anything I could have imagined. Keep up the great work and hope to see you soon,

A friend always, Mark T.     Registered Maine Guide!!!!!!!!

 I took the guide training a few weeks ago at Howells and wanted to let you know that everything was awesome and the information given over four days was phenomenal.  Thank you, Bob M.

I PASSED! Maine Guide recreational license acquired! Hurrah!
In June I passed the sea kayak Maine Guide exam and I celebrated accordingly. What I didn't mention was that I'd tested for the rec license, too. In hindsight, testing for two licences at the same time was maybe a wee bit ambitious. I didn't pass the map and compass portion of the rec exam - an error there is an automatic fail. So back I came and this time I KILLED IT! I mean, I passed. Nothing died. I maybe danced a little.
And while I still have lots to learn, I owe John Rogers and Gregory Sarnacki from Maine's Outdoor Learning Center a massive thank you for teaching me a ton this spring during a Registered Maine Guide course. They know their stuff, there is no doubt about that, but you can tell straight away that they also give a hoot about making sure we learn all the things and that we not only go into the exam with confidence, but that we also make great guides out in the world - encouraging us to pay attention to those intangible things you won't find on a test. 

Thank you, John and Greg. Hope to see you soon at a future workshop as I keep on learning. In the meantime, I am so excited by what the future looks like. So long as it's in Maine and I get to be outside, I think I'm going to be mighty happy. 

 - Shannon Bryan

 Excellent course. Prior to taking the course I had read many on line horror stories about the exam in general and specifically the "lost person scenario". I expressed my concerns to Tami and almost cancelled my reservation for the class. When I told her my concerns, she said, "Don't worry. That's why you are taking our course."
I watched a lot of You Tube videos about map and compass and read two books on navigation. Even with all that, I don't think I could have passed map & compass without Greg's instruction. When I got home, I e-mailed Greg a question about UTM and got a response within the hour.  - Rob M. 

The very best in outdoor instruction!!! John and Greg are masters at teaching use-able skills for the outdoor world! Thank you, John, Tami and Greg! - Bryan Eastman

Great class and great teachers !! Highly recommend MOLC!! - Tim Reagan

If you want to learn from truly passionate people, this is the place to be. I will forever be grateful to John Rogers, Greg Sarnacki, and Tami Rogers for all of their hard work and dedication.  - Jonathan R.

First, I want to thank you for the outstanding class at Cabela’s!  I was mainly taking the class to gain more knowledge and I wasn’t sure I would even take the test to become a guide. Now, I am inspired to become a guide and continue learning about the great outdoors. - J. Shrum

Thank you all for a wonderful 4 days of training.   I’ve been taking and planning adventure travel for youth for over 20 years, and I still learned so much these past 4 days.   New approaches, new ways to solve problems, skills I had not used in years brought back to life, different points of view, rules and regs, etc.  And I am not alone - the level of experience in that room from all the participants was very impressive and humbling.    

Your attitude about how you approach the material, and where you focus your time for instruction was spot on for what I was hoping for as an outcome.   All of you know your stuff, and most importantly your excitement for the guiding community, and your students, was evident to me day #1.   

I have had many trainings over the years, and this ranks right up there.   Thank you for providing the opportunity to learn from your collectives experiences.   I feel much more confident in approaching the Maine Guides Exam.    There is still work I need to do, but I know I am WAY ahead of the game due to these past 4 days.   

I look forward to the opportunity to enjoy a campfire with you all in the future.   My father is a Registered Maine Guide, and I suspect I and could twist his arm to come up and do a different course with me. 

Good luck with that big buck next season, John. Happy Holidays.   All of you are appreciated.  -  M. Randall