If you had asked me in the desert what my most important piece of equipment in my backpack was, I would have told you the dorky, wide-brimmed hat I wore to protect myself from the blazing sun and stave off dehydration. However, way up in the ‘High Sierra’ portion of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), I would have had a surprising answer–a piece of equipment that did not weigh even one ounce and cost less than $20. My mosquito head...

“Why do you want to try to do that?” friends asked in a mixture of curiousity and concern. “Well I read Bill Bryson’s book, A Walk in the Woods. It sounded like there were all kinds of people out there trying to hike the whole thing.” “Yeah, I read that. But he and his friend didn’t make it, did they.” “No, but I can try can’t I.” This was the type conversation I repeatedly had...

In this day and age of mass consumerism, the Christmas shopper is to be pitied. She (he) faces a staggering variety of choices. With that in mind, let me quickly make the case for purchasing hiking narratives. Hiking is something you do because you want to, not because you have to. The same goes for hiking books. They’re not like food, medical services, etc. in the sense they are obligatory. I have always thought of hiking–especially...

https://bay168.mail.live.com/default.aspx?id=64855#n=2073385327&fid=1&mid=1417c609-573f-11e3-8087-00237de49baa&fv=1The Amazon Travel Books Department recommends, Getting High–The Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, by Bill Walker. He is the previous author of other outdoor adventure narratives including, Skywalker–Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail, Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail, and...

  That’s on my list,” is a remark I hear frequently these days. It is spoken in reference to the Annapurna Circuit (APC) in Nepal, now the most popular footpath in Asia. The comment I used to hear is, “I c can’t decide whether to do Everest Base Camp or the APC.” But the APC seems to have gained critical mass. Obviously Everest Base Camp has a special aura simply due to its name and history. However it...