The Allagash Guide [Paperback]

Gil Gilpatrick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2004

If you are thinking about taking an Allagash canoe trip then The Allagash Guide is for you. You will find information about what to take, how much time you will need, where to start, what to do about your vehicle, campsites and much, much more. You will start your first trip with information that would take years to accumulate on your own. The equipment and food lists in the book are extensive and will allow you to make up your own lists with the confidence that nothing needed will be left behind. The lists evolved over many years and will cover a variety of tripping situations. This book, along with Gil’s book Allagash, will make you an Allagash expert the first time out.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gil Gilpatrick has spent his life in outdoor Maine. He has been a Master Maine Guide for over 40 years and has spent more than 30 of those years guiding parties on the Allagash and other of Maine’s wilderness rivers. Gil’s experience on the Allagash has been gleaned from over 100 trips through the Waterway, guiding people from all walks of life. His other occupation was instructor of Outdoor Resources at the Skowhegan Regional Vocational Center where he helped young people to learn to live and love the outdoors. He is also a prolific writer with several outdoor books to his credit and he writes a monthly column for Northwoods Sporting Journal, a magazine about outdoor Maine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: Gil Gilpatrick (January 2004)
• ISBN-10: 0965050777
• ISBN-13: 978-0965050777
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,304,383 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Benefit From Gil Gilpatrick's Experience, May 16, 2008

By 

Ralph White (New England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Allagash Guide (Paperback)

In fewer than a hundred pages of illustrated text, Gil Gilpatrick's "The Allagash Guide" offers his comprehensive reconnaissance for that dream trip through the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Learn from the experience he has garnered in over one hundred Allagash trips ("I never actually kept track of how many."). Of course you'll learn all the basics which you would expect, including canoe selection, arranging transport, put-ins for trips of various durations, all about bears, insects, tents, tarps, portages, and campsites. Then you'll learn the more unexpected lessons, such as the minimum waterflow (400 cubic feet per second) to make the trip, dealing with wind on the headwater lakes, propane stoves with 5 lb. tanks, using reflector ovens, the locations of every spring along the route, and clever tips like using lake water for washing up and spring water for drinking and cooking. You may also be surprised to learn that bears are not a problem, provided a few obvious precautions are employed. Then there are the three appendices, including one with FAQs, one with camp recipes, and one on getting more information. Perhaps the cleverest part of this book is what it doesn't include; Gilpatrick somehow resisted including topics which would interest some, but not all "trippers." This book could easily have been five times longer, reducing its utility in the bargain. Spend some time with the checklists: shopping, pantry box, tool box, food packs, personal packs, and the master list, and you'll be sure you haven't overlooked anything. Canoeing the Allagash Wilderness Waterway can be the trip of a lifetime, or a prolonged agony. Benefit from Gil Gilpatrick's experience and the chances are you'll have the wilderness float trip of a lifetime.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will let you know all you need, December 16, 2007

By 

Gary Gargan (New Hampshire, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Allagash Guide (Paperback)

Gil seems to a legend up this way, he has written several publications about making outdoor equipment, guiding and canoeing rivers up in Maine. This book continues in his easy going style disseminating information as well as stories. We bought this book and a detailed map and canoed the river all the way, just my wife and I. I would recommend the detailed St. John and Allagash map if you plan to canoe the river. Gil is very experienced so if he suggests using caution i would heed the advice. The daily paddling distances we found really easy, but then there was only my wife and I in the canoe and we are used to travelling a long way in a canoe daily. With a larger group or with elderly people and kids you may want to stick to his suggestions for daily distances.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, February 12, 2009

By 

jw "baldmtnbeeman" (Bangor,Maine) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Allagash Guide (Paperback)

this book coupled with an equally quality map, are all the skilled outdoorsman needs to complete the very enjoyable Allagash River trip.