This Wild Land: Two Decades of Adventure as a Park Ranger in the Shadow of Katahdin

by Andrew Vietze

“An essential campsite read, Andrew Vietze's This Wild Land is a fascinating and intimate account of the triumphs and tribulations faced by a park ranger committed to protecting Maine's premier state park and the colorful characters who visit it.”―Andrea Lankford, author of Ranger Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks Almost twenty years ago, Andrew Vietze made an unexpected career from punk rock magazine editor to park ranger at Baxter State Park in Maine. Home to Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, Baxter State Park sees some 60,000 visitors each summer alone, keeping the park rangers beyond busy. From midnight search-and-rescue missions to trail maintenance to cleaning toilets, Baxter rangers do it all… and, over the decades, Vietze has seen it all.
As he grows from neophyte to old hand, the relationships that Vietze builds with his fellow rangers are illustrated as vibrantly as any attempt to save a lightning strike victim or raid on illegal campers. In This Wild Land, Vietze tells his story with humor, action, and an eye for the compelling details of life as a park ranger, making it the perfect read for outdoor and armchair adventurers alike.
“Eighteen years ago, Andrew Vietze did something many people dream of but few of us have the guts to do; he left a prestigious office job to take an entry-level position working in the Maine North Woods. This Wild Land records his adventures and misadventures as a ranger at Baxter State home to legendary Mount Katahdin, beloved by both Henry David Thoreau and Teddy Roosevelt, and arguably the last wild place in the Eastern US. Vietze's story is at once inspirational, frankly heartfelt, and endlessly entertaining. In other words, it has all the makings of a new Maine classic.”―Paul Doiron, author of The Poacher's Son and Dead by Dawn “When young people ask for advice about becoming a writer, my response is generally as write (and read) all the time. And get a real job. Usually, I recommend plumbing, because it's lucrative and also because there are always good stories to be found in kitchens and bathrooms…Having read Vietze's fine storytelling, I think I might recommend his path instead. Beginning as a magazine writer, Vietze found a real, and really wonderful, job, patrolling and protecting Baxter State Park. One of the most beautiful places on earth, Baxter also boasts Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The work of a Baxter ranger is varied, challenging and sometimes life-saving…and has provided Andrew Vietze with an abundance of good stories. He offers these with humor, verve, an eye for the telling detail and an infectious delight in this rugged corner of the natural world, and its human and non-human inhabitants.”―Kate Braestrup, New York Times bestselling author of Here if You Need Me
"The experience of reading This Wild Land― floating in the eddies of Andrew Vietze's profoundly captivating and elegantly unpretentious prose, seeing through his eyes the natural world's quiet beauty and ruthless tragedy―offers an ideal escape from the unrelenting madness of modern life. Only an observant, gifted writer who has spent eighteen years working beneath the foreboding summit of Katahdin can achieve the humility to write such a perfect tribute to the magnificent park in the middle of Maine."―Michael Finkel, New York Times bestselling author of The Stranger in the Woods

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

207 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

Andrew Vietze is the bestselling author of more than twenty books, including the critically acclaimed This Wild Land (2021), White Pine (2017), Boon Island (Globe Pequot, 2012), and Becoming Teddy Roosevelt (Down East, 2010). Publishers Weekly called Boon Island “a maritime whodunit rife with twists and turns and high drama;” The Portsmouth Herald dubbed it “superb. . . both a well-researched history and a page-turning mystery that begs to be a motion picture.” Co-written with historian Stephen Erickson, it was an Amazon #1 bestseller (US history), won a gold medal at the Independent Publisher Book Awards, was an IndieFab Book of the Year Finalist, and was featured on the hit Travel Channel program “Monumental Mysteries” in June of 2014. Becoming Teddy Roosevelt also won an IPPY, was a Book of the Year Finalist, and was the inspiration for Coastal Maine Botanical Garden's new program for middle schoolers, the Lunder New Naturalists, which is now part of the curriculum at 20 Maine schools. The book was formally honored by decree of the Maine State Legislature in 2010, hailed as “so symbolic of the spirit and unique character of Maine.”

Vietze got his start at the Maine Times in the early 90s, and, in addition to his books, he's written for a wide array of clients, including: NASA, New York Times' LifeWire, Weather.com's “Forecast Earth”, Crawdaddy, Time Out New York, Explore, Big Sky Journal, AMC Outdoors, Popmatters, and American Songwriter. A Registered Maine Guide, he splits his time between his off-grid home in the forest of Waldo County and a cabin in the woods of Baxter State Park, where he works as a seasonal ranger. Find out more at www.andrewvietze.com.

Reviews

[Mary Brundage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable read. I worked on the trail crew at Baxter State Park 30 years ago and visited many times since. The way Andrew describes certain landmarks is familiar and accurate. I felt like I was back at the park! I smiled a bit when he mentioned my old trail crew supervisor. Andrew writes with a bit of suspense without being over the top. He weaves the history of the park throughout his own stories of working at the park. And also talks about his own inner struggle of following your dreams and balancing family life which many of us can relate to.

[Hina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book about a topic we likely all know about- public parks- but from a perspective that not many of us have- as a park ranger. Andrew Vietze has been a ranger at Baxter State Park for over two decades and, in this book, he shares many of his experiences over the years. It certainly was eye-opening to read about all that park rangers do, and there's likely much more that Vietze did not have the space to even touch upon.

Vietze gives the history of Baxter State Park including that, even though its name includes "State Park", it is not part of the Maine State Park program. The land was donated by former Maine Governor Percival Proctor Baxter, who dedicated this land to be forever for the people of Maine. He opines that calling it "Baxter Wilderness" would have perhaps been more appropriate. Baxter State Park covers more land area than most national parks, and far eclipses any of the actual state parks. He explains that people are drawn to Baxter primarily for Katahdin, a large mountain that many seek to climb, which is also near the northern terminus of the AT (Appalachian Trail).

What I got from the book is that there is no "typical day" for a park ranger, but that that is the main draw. And it's hard work. A *LOT* of hard work. From cleaning cabins and outhouses, to going on rescue missions, to dealing with fussy campers, to building and rebuilding equipments, and much, MUCH more, it takes a certain kind of person to want to become, and stay a park ranger. I know that would definitely not be the kind of lifestyle for me, but I can see the appeal of wanting to connect with nature in a very primal way.

(On a humorous note, it reminded me of the end of the show 'Parks and Recreation', when Leslie Knope offers Ron Swanson a job as a park ranger because she knew it would be the perfect fit for him, and it was. Sorry for the spoiler if you haven't seen the show yet, hahaha!)

The nature of this book was as a series of memories, so it wasn't meant to flow from chapter to chapter. The memories and details Vietze provides are great, so I'm not sure how I'd improve on the book. Still, I gave it three stars because it was nice to read once, but I don't think this is something that would be worth re-reading.

[noreast_bookreviewsnh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Wild Land by Andrew Vietze
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The firsthand account of a career writer turned park ranger for the past two decades at Maine’s premier outdoor attraction, Baxter State Park. Protected by Governor Percival Baxter in 1931, over 209,000 acres of pristine Maine wilderness that features the beautiful Mount Katahdin. The author paints a realistic portrayal of the day to day activities of being a park ranger at Baxter State Park. The daily activities of a ranger can vary greatly, from chainsawing brush and trees to fighting wildfires, to search and rescue missions, to cleaning bathrooms and checking in campers and visitors, and so much more. Highlighted in this story is the importance of nature and the preservation of a unique gift to the State of Maine and to the author in particular. We get to see why this place is so special to so many people, specifically the people who protect and preserve it, the park rangers! With ever more creature comforts present in our lives, we could all use more time in nature away from technology and the hustle and bustle of life in order to re charge and remember why we need to fight to preserve these natural areas for our future generations.
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#baxterstatepark #maine #downeast #stateparks #ranger #parkranger #parkrangersofinstagram #read #bookstagram #readersofinstagram

[Sally Melcher mckeagney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book about the life of a Ranger in Baxter State Park. Vietze tells us about the humdrum daily chores and the dramatic rescues of lost hikers. About the animals and plants who live in the Park. The chapters about the history of the park and the surrounding areas are interesting. One thing that bugged me is that he misquoted Thoreau's statement "In wildness is the preservation of the world," saying "In wilderness is the preservation of the world." His editor should have caught that. The other thing is not a criticism of him, but of Baxter--he told the story of the Rangers destroying a beaver dam. I think there are other more scientific and gentle ways of dealing with beavers, and I hope they are no longer simply destroying the dams. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the outdoors.

[Bethany Cousino · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about the duties and life as a seasonal Park Ranger at BSP. It is evident the author loves what he does, and this book gave a great sampling of the situations rangers have to deal with and the responsibilities of their important role. I enjoyed the writing style, and liked the little bits of humor the author added in as well. As I was reading, I kept thinking that this would make a great audiobook, especially if the author was the one reading it. To see his emotions and humor on page, I think to hear him read it would take it to another level.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book difficult to finish because there doesn’t seem to be any sort of narrative arch to it (thanks for that term 9th grade English). I think it would have worked better as a collection of short stories about working in Baxter State Park. Mediocrity aside, I did enjoy reading about a certain one-legged German thru-hiker who I encountered not long after the author—she thought the rangers at Baxter were horrible and it sounds like the feeling was mutual!

[Kartika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

While I have not been fortunate to spend time in the shadow of Katahdin, I have visited Baxter State Park once and fell in love, despite the black flies.

This book was an interesting read, full of the broad range of experiences this long-time seasonal park ranger has had over the years.

Minor errors in details that some may not even notice did not detract from my appreciation of this job that I think I would have found so rewarding as a younger person.

[Greycin Bobola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Vietze tells a wonderful tale of the excitement and horrors of being a park ranger way out in the woods of Maine. He tells a great story of his time as a park ranger that makes one want to go out there themselves. Andrew makes even the simplest of tasks such as outhouse cleaning seem like the adventure of a lifetime. It’s a wonderful read!

[Renee Doucette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this look into Baxter State Park. Vietze provides the history of the park and a load of personal stories about his life rangering there. Each chapter acts as its own story, so that makes it easy to pick up and put down. Reading this got me itching for another visit to the park.

[Lisa English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rugged realism without the drama

This journal style book is a pleasure for outdoor enthusiasts. Andrew's real life accounts are compelling and not over blown. The beauty of Katadin comes thru along with the plusses and minuses of humans in nature. Very enjoyable.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, learning a great deal about Baxter State Park and its unique organizational structure. The real fun was in learning about the day to day life of Ranger Andrew Vietze, his duties and his adventures.

[Larry Harty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book if you are interested in Baxter State Park. If you have been there, want to go there etc. I recommend reading this. If so it is great.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable reading full of interesting insights into the interaction between humans and nature, wildlife, and other humans.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

A maxymoo beach read

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love the wilderness, you'll love this book. Andrews mix of personal experiences and facts about the park are well balanced. I really loved this book and will read it again!

[Vizma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read about being a ranger at Baxter State Park. Bonus was seeing a favorite former ranger in the pictures!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Park ranger Andrew Vietze recounts tales from his time working at Baxter State Park in Maine, at the Northern end of the Appalachian trail.

Overall this was an engaging read. There were many aspects of being a park ranger which I had never considered- treating lightning strike victims, searching for missing hikers, and spending massive amounts of time away from family. I was surprised at the negativity towards some of the patrons and AT trail hikers.