That was flat-out scary last night for the Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. The weather flipped 30 or 40 degrees in a matter of hours. But the bottom line is: bad weather is existential to an AT thru-hike.

"His descriptions of his fellow trailblazers and their various idiosyncracies made his account a delight for both experienced hikers and general readers." "As in his Appalachian account, walker also gives us many fine thrumbnail sketches of his fellow hikers." "Walker's love for his subject and the exuberance of his descriptions make this book a worthy addition to any hiker's library."

"The number of hikers in Asheville blows my mind." "The Carolina Mountain Club has three or four organized hikes every week."

Yes, you read that correctly. Of all the great characters in American literature, the inimitable Stephen Katz, belongs in the annals. Put him up there with Ishmael and Captain Ahab of Moby Dick, in his dramatic pursuit of the American Dream. Perhaps Katz can best be understood in a Shakespearean context. Shakespeare’s motif as a writer was his aversion to absolutes, in favor of multi-hued shades of character. Surely, Katz can be...