Two articles on Katahdin ascents: the first 12 women and the mysteries of an 1853 winter ascent

"Mount Katahdin - March 1853: Mysteries of a Winter Ascent"

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mainehistory/119

While working on another project using 19th Century Newspapers search engine, I immediately became curious when my eyes picked up the word “Katahdin” in a Cleveland, Ohio newspaper. I was even more curious when I saw the date, March 1853. A check of key sources pertaining to nineteenth century Mount Katahdin ascents revealed no reference to this ascent. The writer’s focus was not about the climb and he did not sign his work, but he did provide clues to his route and who he was. In this document I used those clues in making a circumstantial case for a particular route and the climber’s identity. Perhaps someone at a future point-in-time will solve the mysteries of the person’s identity and the nature of spending a night near the summit of Katahdin in winter in 1853.

"The Mount Katahdin Peaks: the First 12 Women Climbers, 1849 -1855"

http://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mainehistory/118

This article traces the chronology of the first twelve women to climb Mount Katahdin in Maine, using historical accounts and clues to identify women mentioned only with pseudonyms in newspaper accounts during the era of 1849 to 1855.

I wrote a similar article for Appalachia; it can be read via the link below.