Customer Reviews

North to Katahdin

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Even though I bought this book "by mistake", thinking it had something to do with the video of the same name about thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, I ended up enjoying it a lot. Pinder talks about why we go into the wilderness and what the essentials of the experience are. Having climbed Katahdin a few years ago, and having finished a section-hike of the entire AT recently, I enjoyed comparing my own experiences with his. He does a good job of explaining just why Baxter State Park is so special. Read it if you're on your way to (or back from) Katahdin.

I have no real interest in hiking, but since this book was written by my Cousin Eric, I wanted to read it. I found it to be very interesting, even for someone who has never been to Mt. Katahdin or on the Appalachian Trail. So even if you are a non-hiker, don't be afraid to try this book. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It is easy to read and has some very interesting and touching stories.

After reading a few chapters, I found this book hard to want to read. Pinder's style is dry and slow, and leaves plenty to be desired. The stories he tells are rather uneventful, though I usually enjoy writings about simple events, but only when written well. The cover might lead a potential reader to believe Pinder will criticize yuppy hikers and the flocks of roof-racked Subaru driving granolas that fill the parking lots at his beloved trailheads. Pinder does not, however. He spends a fair amount of time talking with and about the thru-hikers he meets on the trail. I do believe there are better books to buy, and if one if interested in having the most "genuine experience" while out of doors, read some Thoreau.