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Authors: Donn Fendler
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of soup.â Then I asked her about Dad, and she said he was right there. Boy, it was good to talk to Dad. I donât know what I said, but I was glad just to know that he was there listening to me and that he wouldnât have to worry anymore.
I guess Mr. McMoarn thought I had talked enough, for he took me away from the phoneâbut I hung onto it as long as I could.
When I was back in bed, and they had all gone out for a little while to let me rest, I remembered God. I hadnât thanked Him for all He had done for me. So I just closed my eyes and said my prayers and thanked God for kind people and for His help back there in the wilderness and for a good Mommy and a good Dad.
AFTERWORD
T HE STORY of Donn Fendlerâs experience would not be complete without some description of what took place in the outside world during the nine days he was lost. Thatstory begins with the significant moment when Donn decided to leave Henry Condon on Baxter Peak and go back down the Hunt Trail, alone, to rejoin his father.
The man near the Knife Edge, to whom Donn refers, was the Rev. Charles Austin. He joined Henry Condon on Baxter Peak, within ten minutes of the time Donn had left that spot to go back down the mountain. Because of the dangerous cloud condition, the two immediately started down the trail. As Donn had had a ten-minute head start, they were not surprised that they did not catch sight of him and, it was not until they had joined Mr. Fendler, about a mile down the mountain at the edge of the plateau, near Thoreau Spring, that they realized Donn was lost.
Mr. Fendler and Donnâs younger brother, Tom, had just left the spring and were starting ahead on the last mile to Baxter Peak. They were waiting there for the return of Donn and Henry Condon and, in the thin mist that surrounded this whole part of the mountain, they mistook Mr. Austin and Henry Condon for Henry Condon and Donn. In fact, Tom remarked to his father, âDoesnât Henry look big in the fog.â
Of course, as soon as they were within clear vision, Mr. Fendler shouted, âWhere is Donn?â After a momentâs consultation, all agreed that Donn had missed the trail. The party immediately started back on the plateau towards Baxter PeakâMr. Fendler and Tom keeping close together and Mr. Austin and Henry Condon separating, so as to cover every bit of terrain possible.
As they hurried back, they called continually for Donn, not believing that he could possibly have wandered off the plateau in so short a time. After about an hourâs frantic search, during which time the sun had gone down and semi-darkness descended, it became evident that Donn had strayed quite a distance from the plateau itself and that more searchers were needed. A quick consultation was held, and Mr. Austin insisted that he stay on the plateau, while the rest of the party go down the mountain to the camp, at the base, for assistance.
Henry, who was thoroughly familiar with the mountain, immediately ran on in advance of Mr. Fendler and Tom, and was soon out of sight. Tom and Mr. Fendler were well worn out and, being unfamiliar not only with Mt. Katahdin but also with mountain climbing in general, had to go down at a much slower rate.
Henry reached the camp at the bottom of the trail and explained to the Forest Rangers what had taken place on the mountain. A small party was organized, and the following account, published in the Revere, Mass., Journal , July 27, 1939, gives a vivid idea of what took place during the next few hours.
âMonday morning, July 17, the party I was with started to climb to Mt. Katahdinâs lofty summit. I had climbed many of the peaks of New Hampshire, including Mt. Washington, both day and night, so I regarded this ascent as just another climb. Before I had reached the summit, I was fully convinced that Mt. Katahdinâs ruggedness had been grossly understated and that I was climbing the toughest mountain east of the
I guess Mr. McMoarn thought I had talked enough, for he took me away from the phoneâbut I hung onto it as long as I could.
When I was back in bed, and they had all gone out for a little while to let me rest, I remembered God. I hadnât thanked Him for all He had done for me. So I just closed my eyes and said my prayers and thanked God for kind people and for His help back there in the wilderness and for a good Mommy and a good Dad.
AFTERWORD
T HE STORY of Donn Fendlerâs experience would not be complete without some description of what took place in the outside world during the nine days he was lost. Thatstory begins with the significant moment when Donn decided to leave Henry Condon on Baxter Peak and go back down the Hunt Trail, alone, to rejoin his father.
The man near the Knife Edge, to whom Donn refers, was the Rev. Charles Austin. He joined Henry Condon on Baxter Peak, within ten minutes of the time Donn had left that spot to go back down the mountain. Because of the dangerous cloud condition, the two immediately started down the trail. As Donn had had a ten-minute head start, they were not surprised that they did not catch sight of him and, it was not until they had joined Mr. Fendler, about a mile down the mountain at the edge of the plateau, near Thoreau Spring, that they realized Donn was lost.
Mr. Fendler and Donnâs younger brother, Tom, had just left the spring and were starting ahead on the last mile to Baxter Peak. They were waiting there for the return of Donn and Henry Condon and, in the thin mist that surrounded this whole part of the mountain, they mistook Mr. Austin and Henry Condon for Henry Condon and Donn. In fact, Tom remarked to his father, âDoesnât Henry look big in the fog.â
Of course, as soon as they were within clear vision, Mr. Fendler shouted, âWhere is Donn?â After a momentâs consultation, all agreed that Donn had missed the trail. The party immediately started back on the plateau towards Baxter PeakâMr. Fendler and Tom keeping close together and Mr. Austin and Henry Condon separating, so as to cover every bit of terrain possible.
As they hurried back, they called continually for Donn, not believing that he could possibly have wandered off the plateau in so short a time. After about an hourâs frantic search, during which time the sun had gone down and semi-darkness descended, it became evident that Donn had strayed quite a distance from the plateau itself and that more searchers were needed. A quick consultation was held, and Mr. Austin insisted that he stay on the plateau, while the rest of the party go down the mountain to the camp, at the base, for assistance.
Henry, who was thoroughly familiar with the mountain, immediately ran on in advance of Mr. Fendler and Tom, and was soon out of sight. Tom and Mr. Fendler were well worn out and, being unfamiliar not only with Mt. Katahdin but also with mountain climbing in general, had to go down at a much slower rate.
Henry reached the camp at the bottom of the trail and explained to the Forest Rangers what had taken place on the mountain. A small party was organized, and the following account, published in the Revere, Mass., Journal , July 27, 1939, gives a vivid idea of what took place during the next few hours.
âMonday morning, July 17, the party I was with started to climb to Mt. Katahdinâs lofty summit. I had climbed many of the peaks of New Hampshire, including Mt. Washington, both day and night, so I regarded this ascent as just another climb. Before I had reached the summit, I was fully convinced that Mt. Katahdinâs ruggedness had been grossly understated and that I was climbing the toughest mountain east of the
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