Katahdin author to give program at library

FARMINGTON — Author John Neff will give a presentation at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Farmington Public Library.

Neff, author of "Katahdin: an Historic Journey," co-founded the Friends of Baxter State Park. He is a retired minister, active trail maintainer and avid hiker. 

The event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

Of special interest for those with the National Geographic Channel, a program on the Appalachian Trail will be shown on Nov. 10, said Melanie Taylor Coombs, librarian. The trail, which brings hikers to the area and is just south of Rangeley, ends at the summit of Mount Katahdin.

According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Web site, the number of people hiking the entire Trail has risen dramatically over the years. Only 61 hikers are recorded as completing the entire 2,000 mile trail up to 1969. By 1980, the total number had increased more than 10-fold.

The total had doubled by 1990 and again by 2000. The 10,000th hike completion was recorded in 2008, according to the Web site.

Neff's talk on Wednesday was not planned to coincide with the program, it just happened that way, Coombs said.