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.

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.

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.

From the publisher of Not Without Peril and No Limits But the Sky, this collection seeks the lessons learned from twenty stories of backcountry incidents, from close-calls to unsolved mysteries. First-hand accounts, route maps, photos, and expert analysis from Search and Rescue professionals illuminate the realities faced in the Northeastern wilds. Readers who immerse themselves in these near misses, methodical searches, and the gut-wrenching clarity of hindsight will be better prepared for whatever the wilderness brings.

Maine Acadia National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the United States. It is an adventure seeker's paradise. Hiking, climbing, snowshoeing, back-country skiing, and ice-climbing are among the activities pursued there; as well as the less extreme sight seeing along the Park Road and Atlantic coast. Death in Acadia gathers the stories of fatalities that have occurred in the park, from falls to exposure to cardiac arrest--even getting swept out to sea--and presents dozens of misadventures.

Winner of the 2014 National Outdoor Book Awards for History/Biography Emma Gatewood told her family she was going on a walk and left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than two hundred dollars. The next anybody heard from her, this genteel, farm-reared, 67-year-old great-grandmother had walked 800 miles along the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail. And in September 1955, having survived a rattlesnake strike, two hurricanes, and a run-in with gangsters from Harlem, she stood atop Maine's Mount Katahdin. There she sang the first verse of "America, the Beautiful" and proclaimed, "I said I'll do it, and I've done it." Grandma Gatewood, as the reporters called her, became the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone, as well as the first person—man or woman—to walk it twice and three times. Gatewood became a hiking celebrity and appeared on TV and in the pages of Sports Illustrated. The public attention she brought to the little-known footpath was unprecedented. Her vocal criticism of the lousy, difficult stretches led to bolstered maintenance, and very likely saved the trail from extinction. Author Ben Montgomery was given unprecedented access to Gatewood's own diaries, trail journals, and correspondence, and interviewed surviving family members and those she met along her hike, all to answer the question so many asked: Why did she do it? The story of Grandma Gatewood will inspire readers of all ages by illustrating the full power of human spirit and determination. Even those who know of Gatewood don't know the full story—a story of triumph from pain, rebellion from brutality, hope from suffering.

On Mount Washington, it’s lack of preparation, not the mountain, that kills. The weather is highly changeable with wind gusts of 140 mph and -35 degree temps. Then there are the avalanches and icefalls. Combine this with inexperienced hikers in t-shirts and flip flops and things can get ugly fast. Death on Mount Washington describes the circumstances behind the tragic tales of those who have lost their lives on the mountain. No one--not even the most experienced mountaineer or pilot--is safe from the mountain's mercurial weather conditions. Learn from the mistakes of others in the comfort and safety of your armchair and remember to respect Mount Washington on your next ski trip.