Rangeley is steeped in tradition. Its history spans centuries and millennia, geographically and through its indigenous past. The generations of families who have built up the area love it as only children can love. Those new to the area (1 to 50 years) chose to move here for the very same reasons why many visit us.

Rangeley is a four-season destination, with a couple of down times, Shoulder Seasons, interspersed in between for recharging our batteries and preparing for the next high season. The Rangeley ethos has been shaped by logging, fishing, hunting, leaf-peeping, Saddleback, snowmobiling, the lakes, the rivers, the people, the superb service industry, climate, and the many modern amenities made available, but never at the expense of Rangeley’s core charm and allure.

There are varied versions of Rangeley tucked away in isolated corners all over the world. Our Rangeley, though, is special to us because it is ours. We have explicitly chosen to visit or to live here, and the reasons why abound, mostly derived from Rangeley’s natural essence. Some of us stumbled upon Rangeley when we were lost and needed a safe harbor. Others have been coming upta camp all their lives. Still others are descendants, multi- generational families with deep roots, so deep that towns, roads, and bodies of water bear their names. And then there are those who have only recently discovered us when typing in the search bar, “beautiful lakes in Maine,” and, of course, up popped Rangeley Lake.

We try to keep life here as simple as possible, with a lot of help from explosive sunrises and oil-painting sunsets. Unplug whenever possible, tune out the 24/7 news cycle and allow the moments to happen. Return to sanity. Listen to the loons. Throw another log on the fire. Breathe in the clean air. Remember the journey is the reason for living. Let us do the dishes. Enjoy nature’s show. Take the chairlift to the top. Skate on the pond. More s’mores! Unplug and focus on what’s in front of you and keeps your mind healthy and your heart beating. This is what Rangeley has the power of doing.

We have parades and fireworks and outdoor music. There’s a theater downtown with a calendar packed with events and first-run movies. The Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust has seen to preserving Rangeley’s bountiful beauty, with more than 16,000 acres conserved and 35 miles of trails to hike. There’s the Maine Forestry Museum, Wilhelm Reich Museum, and the Outdoor Heritage Museum, all curated to add a richer understanding of who Rangeley is as a cultural region. There’s an airport and lake hoppers, with ATV and snowmobile trails. We have a health center for people who would rather walk on a treadmill than in the woods and row on a machine than on the water. There is golf and tennis (or pickleball for the less refined), a basketball court, marinas, a public beach and the state park on the south side. Hell, we even have a bowling alley.

And then there’s Saddleback Mountain, the place where snow dreams come true, and bikers and hikers discover their summertime limits. Beginners and experts swear by Saddleback. The trails are pristine and challenging enough for all comers. The Appalachian Trail cuts across its peak on its way to, or from, Mount Katahdin. The lodge sits at the base waiting to warm you by its large stone fireplace and feed you in its hand-crafted pub. It’s our mountain and we love it.

Rangeley has its local quirks, too, the sort that endear us to strangers and to one another, the strangest. These quirks have an unintended byproduct; they make us distinct and keep the meaner and more dangerous parts of the world at bay. We, like anywhere, are not immune to the vagaries of human society. This may be where people come to leave their daily worries and emotional weight behind, but reality has a knack of insinuating its way back into our bliss. We can make believe only for so long before the bubble bursts and it’s time to pay the bill and leave for home.

Rangeley’s inherent charm can also deliver a sting. Its remoteness can wear on city folk after a couple of weeks just as the thrum of the city can wear on small-town folk after a couple of minutes. That’s also what keeps the less determined away: It’s too damn far and too damn cold, the perfect barriers only the most intrepid of us are willing to overcome.

We accept that Rangeley is not one-of-a-kind, but it’s ours, and we invite you to visit and enjoy your stay. You may decide to never leave and to put down roots. Stick around long enough and we may even name a pond after you.

Comments are not available on this story.