In the area of the Appalachian Trail in Maine where this occurred, what would happen if you picked a compass bearing, any random bearing, and followed it? How long could you expect to hike cross-country before running into some form of civilization - a road, a dwelling, a major trail, a recreational area, etc.

I'm not saying following a random bearing is the best course of action. I don't know what the terrain is in Maine - could one even follow a compass bearing through the landscape up there? But if your plan is to hike out, you should probably follow a natural feature (river, etc.) or lacking that, a steady compass bearing. I'm just wondering how wilderness-y is the wilderness in that area. 5 miles? 20 miles? 50 miles?