When Thoreau ventured into the Maine woods in 1846, he was one of a handful who did so simply to see what was there. Now, hundreds of thousands of people pursue "the wildest country" either for itself, as Thoreau did, or as the terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Using Mount Katahdin as his lab, Eric Pinder contemplates what draws people to the mountains. Are the urbanites trekking the trails with cell phones, synthetic fabrics, and GPS units having remotely the same experience that Thoreau did? Pinder's interviews with these hikers create a vivid portrait of the communion with nature they seek, and of the world they are trying to escape.

Maine historian John Neff's compelling and comprehensive narrative traces the history, legend, and legacy of Mount Katahdin--the spectacular peak that looms over Maine's Great North Woods--from the earliest Native American stories to colonial exploration through the logging industry's peak to today's conservation successes and opportunities.

Mount Katahdin, in Baxter State Park, is Maine's highest mountain. It is also the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Tucked away in the remote North Woods, it is an adventure seeker's paradise. Hiking, climbing, backpacking, snowshoeing, back-country skiing, and ice-climbing are among the activities pursued there; and there has a been a similar range in the ways people have met their demise on the mountain and in the park.Randi Minetor gathers the stories of these fatalities, from falls to exposure to cardiac arrest; and presents dozens of misadventures, including hunting accidents, lightning strikes, and even more than one suspicious death. It's a fascinating addition to the North Woods canon.

With a light boat, a tent, two blankets apiece, a rifle, pistol, fishing apparatus, fifty pounds of flour, twenty pounds of salt pork, and "a sufficient quantity" of sugar, tea, cornmeal, molasses, salt, pepper, beans, and cheese, our four young men traveled to Moosehead Lake, and then began to row and paddle and sail and portage their way towards Katahdin, through rapids, and over the "carrys," before they headed home--down the West Branch when it was still a wild river.

Based on the true account of a boy's harrowing journey through the vast wilderness of the Katahdin Mountains, Lost on a Mountain in Maine is a gripping survival story for all ages. Twelve-year-old Donn Fendler steps away from his Boy Scout troop for only a minute, but in the foggy mountains of Maine, a minute is all it takes. After hours of trying to find his way back, a nervous and tired Donn falls down an embankment, making it impossible for him to be found. One sleepless night goes by, followed by a second . . . and before Donn knows it, almost two weeks have passed, leaving him starving, scared, and delirious. With rainstorms, black bears, and his fear of being lost forever, Donn's journey is a physically, mentally, and emotionally charged story told from the point of view of the boy who lived it. Don't miss this thrilling survival story, a proven high-interest winner that pulls in readers the way Hatchet, My Side of the Mountain, and the I Survived books do.

Woods Cop: True Stories of the Maine Warden Service is a collection of 21 stories from two former colonels, two lieutenants, two sergeants, four district wardens, a warden pilot, and one currently active duty corporal. Altogether, their cumulative experiences account for more than 300 years of warden experience. Before reality TV cameras, GPS devices, and dashboard computers, these wardens presided over a coming of age era for the Maine Warden Service. It was a time when a compass, map, and their wits were what mattered most in the field. Every day offered the potential for an exciting new adventure, many of which endangered the wardens themselves. This book recreates the full warden experience. In addition to hair-raising, life-and-death scenarios, the collection covers moments such as a child innocently outing his parents as “looking for deer” at night, the doldrums of a stakeout, and the grief of tragedy. The stories have been written in a third person, narrative format to ensure consistency in style and to help readers feel the excitement of a twig snapped in the dark, the frustration of second guessing yourself when lives are at stake, and the duty to do what’s right, even if it means breaking the law.

Donn Fendler's harrowing story of being lost in the Maine wilderness when he was just twelve, was made famous by the perennial best-seller, Lost on a Mountain in Maine. In Lost Trail, more than 70 years after the event, Donn tells the story of survival and rescue from his own perspective. Lost Trail is a masterfully illustrated graphic novel that tells the story of a twelve year old boyscout from a New York City suburb who climbs Maine,s mile-high Mt. Katahdin and in a sudden storm is separated from his friends and family. What follows is a nine-day adventure, in which Donn, lost and alone in the Maine wilderness with bugs, bears, and only a few berries to eat, struggles for survival.