The Bowdoin Outing Club (BOC) has begun the Finnegan McCoul Woodruff Mountain Center (FMWMC) project, which aims to establish a new community center and staging camp for BOC trips in the Maine woods. The 21-acre property in Kingfield, named in honor of former Bowdoin student and beloved BOC member Finnegan Woodruff ’21, was purchased with funds donated by former Associate Director of Institutional Research Stephanie Foster and Dean of Student Affairs Emeritus Tim Foster.

Situated in the Carrabassett Valley, the location of the FMWMC is close to the hiking trails, ski slopes and rivers BOC groups frequently find themselves traveling to for weekend trips. The new property will provide access to and opportunities for both introductory and advanced level trips, including everything from canoeing to cross country skiing.

“I think in terms of access,…  having that place, like a home base up there, will really make things more efficient, but also, I think it’ll definitely open up new trips,” BOC officer Caleb McDaniels ’25 said.

According to Associate Director of the Outing Club Anna Bastidas, the BOC hopes to build bunkhouses, Adirondack-style shelters, a covered picnic pavilion, tent pads and vault outhouses on the property. Along with housing for overnight trips for up to 48 students, the FMWMC will be equipped with a well and a pump for running water.

Outing Club Director Mike Woodruff shared that he wants the FMWMC to be a place of collaboration, where other campus events, like alumni programming and mindfulness retreats, can be held. Bastidas envisions the center as a place where multiple BOC trips can take place at once and where students from each trip can connect with one another.

“Students will have time to connect with one another over a meal and a campfire, creating lasting memories with new friends and building community before embarking on an outdoor experience the next day,” Bastidas wrote in an email to the Orient. “One of the best parts about BOC trips is meeting new people and connecting with them in meaningful ways; my hope is that the FMWMC will facilitate those opportunities for all Bowdoin students.”

Construction on the property has not begun, and the BOC is still searching for a contractor to implement its plans. Additionally, the BOC is planning on launching a fundraising campaign to pay for the amenities at the FMWMC.

BOC officer Robbie McKee ’25 spoke to the potential benefits that this fundraising could have, mentioning that an expanded budget could help the Outing Club improve their day-to-day operations and increase the number of trips available to students.

“I think Mike [Woodruff]’s absolute dream is to have some sort of endowment created,” McKee said. “[So that] alumni … who really want to give a contribution to the school, it would go directly to the BOC…. But I think the amount of student demand for trips is such a telltale sign that great things can really happen here if a little bit more funding is focused on the BOC.”

McKee also shared how the BOC frequently faces difficulties choosing the trips to offer each weekend.  Due to limited supplies and staffing, trips are approved on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning that many outings proposed by student leaders are unable to run. The BOC has been short one staff member since the departure of Assistant Director Carrigan Fain in January, and McKee primarily wishes for new funds to hire more staff leaders, especially as they are often needed to ensure the safety of students on more advanced BOC trips.

“There’s so much gear. It’s absurd.… Maybe only some of it, or not much of it, might be used in a given year. It’s usually based on what’s the capacity that the administration people can kind of take on,” McKee said. “With Carrigan leaving, there are only two [BOC staff members] this spring; it’s quite hard to run trips.”

After years of Mike Woodruff searching and advocating for a property in northern Maine that would allow the BOC to grow, the donation from the Fosters allowed him to finally purchase the land. The Fosters requested that the property be named the Finnegan McCoul Woodruff Mountain Center in memory of Finnegan Woodruff, who left a lasting impact on the BOC before his death in a whitewater kayaking accident in 2021.

“Our family was humbled and overwhelmed by the incredibly kind and generous gift from the Fosters and their desire to name the Finnegan McCoul Woodruff Mountain Center in honor of our son,” Mike Woodruff wrote in an email to the Orient.

“He was humble. He was a remarkable older brother and an incredible role model for his peers. He had an outsized impact on the Outing Club and its community,” Bastidas wrote. “He gave so much good to this world and the people with whom he interacted. I am grateful to have known Finn—he taught me so much in the short time I knew him.”

The property will host BOC events as soon as this semester, beginning with Spring Leadership Training. Additionally, the BOC plans to have four of the upcoming BOC orientation trips for the Class of 2029 based at the center.

“While the mountain center honors Finn Woodruff’s memory, I think it also reflects the deep impact the entire Woodruff family has had and continues to have on both the Bowdoin community and the broader Maine outdoors scene. They are some of the kindest, most authentic and genuinely passionate people I’ve met during my time at Bowdoin,” BOC member Tess Lawlor ’27 wrote in an email to the Orient. “I think this gift is a lot more than just land, it’s a way for their legacy to keep inspiring people long after their time here. I feel extremely lucky to be a small part of that.”