Thomas Winnett, founder of Wilderness Press, has died. He was 89. Winnett founded the house with the publication of Sierra North in 1967—a groundbreaking book at the time, since no other trail guide like it existed for the Sierra backcountry. Over the next 35 years, Winnett created a publishing program that eventually covered hiking in California, Alaska, Hawaii, the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, New England, Canada, and Baja California. Winnett’s sense of adventure and his guardianship for parks and protected lands made him a noted figure in environmental protection issues.
Winnett and his daughter Caroline sold Wilderness Press in April 2008 to Keen Communications, which is distributed to the trade by PGW. The house has more than 150 backlist titles in print and publishes about 24 new titles (including new editions) annually.
There will be a May 14 memorial service for Winnett in Berkeley, Calif.
