Leadership Change at Baxter Park

[ChrisB]

Wow,

Looks like Jensen Bissell is retiring at the end of the month! Baxter Park will then begin a search for a new director.

I hope whoever they find puts as many resources into hiking trails and facilities as Bissell has over the past 10 years.

cb

 

[peakbagger]

He is the one that brought the park out of the pen and paper era and onto the internet plus cleaned up the opening day reservation abuses and put in place the rolling reservations system which makes it a lot easier to get reservations.

 

[Peaks]

Hard to believe that it's been 12 years since Buzz retired.

I hope that Jensen enjoys an active retirement. And I wish his successor well in meeting the unique challenges of Baxter State Park

 

[Raven]

After my fabulous hiking trip to Northern Baxter this summer which ended with some rather inconvenient car trouble, lots of hitching, a week of unknown, and great help from Hayes Towing in Staceyville, I wrote a thank you letter to make sure the two rangers who really helped me were notified and thanked. Mr. Bissell took the time to write, sign, and return a letter on BSP letterhead to me letting me know he would do just that. Very gracious. I wish him well in retirement. I have a special place for that letter.

 

[peakbagger]

In my near annual visits I have seen a lot more physical improvements in the park since Jensen took over. Several new Leantos using a newer and more spacious design, the new bunkhouses at Chimney pond and Nesowadnehunk, the new group sites at KSC and roaring brook with the very nice picnic pavilions. Plus the rebuild of Abol trail, the new Traveler Loop trail and the reopening of the Northern Peaks trail are all under Jensen's tenure.

I expect its a mix of revenue related and just different thinking. Early on in Jensen's tenure the park brought in outside professionals for a third party assessment of the park and I expect the results may have guided park upgrades. I am a bit bummed that the proposed new backcountry trail initiative didnt get put in place but realize the Abol, ongoing Hunt and now Dudley trail reconstructions have pretty much sucked up trail building resources.

 

[Stan]

Well, let's look at the downside of automating the reservation system from the quaint personal system it once was. The pencil sharpener and eraser industries certainly must have suffered as the multiple huge ledgers once used to record and change reservations were discontinued. The new system is a lot more convenient for some but the massive crowds that once attended "opening day" have disappeared, perhaps contributing to the demise of La Casa. Heading to Millinocket to get opening day reservations used to be a lot of fun; now reservations are just another digital bore.

Oh wait, it is still fun to go to opening day and the crowds are smaller meaning you no longer have to get up in sub zero temps well before dawn to get a reasonable place in a long line ... you can sleep in and still design your customized itineraries and overnights and have something to look forward to 'til summer.

But that's not the only fun part; the other is the quaint personal service and dedication of staff to visitors and the Park alike. That starts with leadership at the top. I've met Jensen Bissell at opening day and in the Park and remain impressed with the delight and enthusiasm with which he shares insights about the Park.

... however, the idea of the Park taking over La Casa as a reinterpretation of a wild life sanctuary did not come up.

 

[TJ aka Teej]

Many thanks to Jensen for his hard work and dedication to the donor's intent.
Only thing I object to is this 'nationwide' search.
Would much rather have someone who already knows how to pronounce Nesowadnehunk, Helon, and Wassataquoit.

 

[ChrisB]

... however, the idea of the Park taking over La Casa as a reinterpretation of a wild life sanctuary did not come up.

Ah yes,

There was no better way to start (or end) a Baxter winter adventure than with a visit to La Casa.

"AND NOW, ALL THE WAY FROM PORTLAND MAINE....!!!"

cb