Customer Reviews

Allagash

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"Allagash" is the first of two books which Maine Master Guide, Gil Gilpatrick, has self-published about the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. The second, "The Allagash Guide," was published about ten months later. The two books serve two separate, but overlapping purposes. "Allagash" is comprised of three parts. The first part is basically how to make an Allagash canoe trip. It is very similar to "The Allagash Guide," absent the packing lists. The second part is a history of the Allagash, told in alternating fact and fiction, the latter serving to fuel the reader's imagination about what life was like for the men working the lumbering operations in the early 20th century. The third part of the book is a fictional rendition of the life of the Wabnaki Indians, which inhabited the headwater lakes from the time of the retreat of the glaciers, some 10,000 years ago. They left no written history, only archeological evidence of their culture. Gilpatrick weaves his story around this evidence and gives voice to those early Native Americans.

Gilpatrick likely realized that this first book, for all its colorful characters and lifelike historical fiction, left potential Allagash adventurers with critical gaps in planning an Allagash trip. The result was "The Allagash Guide," which provides a comprehensive guide and multiple checklists for planning a trip. "Allagash" provides the background information that will help you understand what you are seeing when you stumble across locomotives in the forest, and the remnants of locks, steamships, and derelict farms. And, since the Allagash is now preserved more or less as it was when the earliest inhabitants lived there, why not make the effort to understand just who those people were?

Gilpatrick's two books are complementary. If you are planning an unguided Allagash trip, "The Allagash Guide" is mandatory reading. If you want a little help understanding what you're seeing when you paddle through, then get "Allagash." Also, "Allagash" is wonderfully illustrated with historic photos of the boom times on the headwater lakes.

For further reading pick up a copy of "The Wilderness from Chamberlain Farm" by Dean Bennett, which provides a rigorous history of the Allagash, as well as of the founding of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. If you still haven't had enough, get Henry Thoreau's "The Maine Woods," which describes his remarkable exploration of the East and West Branches of the Penobscot River and their headwater lakes from a naturalist's perspective.

Thoreau's guides were Penobscot Indians. Gilpatrick's two excellent books will be yours.

In 1981 I made my first trip up the Allagash Wilderness Waterway with a friend from Freeport Maine. He loaned me copies of two books written by Gil Gilpatrick, Allagash and The Canoe Guide's Handbook. Reading these two books were the best thing I did to prepare for this trip. They made this trip so much more interesting, while at the same time answering all my questions.

These are Allagash Bibles. I used them to prepare for my next 5 trips up the Allagash. No one knows this Wilderness Waterway better than Gil Gilpatrick. The next time I do this waterway, I will first read the latest updated version of his insightful guides.

having been to the allagash wilderness 6 times to canoe from churchill dam to the end at st. francis, this book is excellent. it gave me info on the area that i previously didnt have, plus reminded me it's time to do the river again. the allagash is unique due to it's remoteness, and of course it's beauty. i sorely miss the clean air, and the wildlife, etc. great book!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went on a trip with the author this past summer and before i went with my dad, we both read the book. It was a very good book and especially useful for anyone planning on going on a trip on the Allagash. Gil has been guiding trips for years, and knows every part of the waterway like the palm of his hand. If you have ever traveled the Allagsh, reading this book will bring you back to the river because the third part of the book is a trip down the river with a modern day family. Great book!