"The Trail," by Ethan Gallogly

 "The Trail," by Ethan Gallogly

Set authentically in the High Sierra, The Trail is a moving story of how nature helps us find what’s missing in our lives.

The Trail is fused with humor, philosophy, and trail lore. Woven in is a back story detailing the origins of the John Muir Trail: a 211-mile trail spanning the rooftop of the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States.

The tale begins with Gil, who in the wake of his father’s death and recently fired from his job, agrees to accompany his father’s old hiking partner Syd on a month-long trek on the John Muir Trail. There’s just one problem: Gil hates camping and is woefully unprepared for the rigors of the journey. Moreover, he soon learns Syd may not survive the hike.

Former Sierra Club leader Ethan Gallogly takes you on a wild tour across the Range of Light, describing its glorious scenery in vivid detail while introducing you to a diverse cast of characters drawn from his own personal experiences as a hiker.

It’s a beautifully crafted book, with 43 maps and sketches by acclaimed mountain illustrator Jeremy Ashcroft, showing the topography of each section in clear three-dimensional renderings and peppered with drawings of the trail’s iconic scenery, like the Muir Hut, the Rock Monster, and Evolution Lake.

Whether you’re a hiker, armchair explorer, or someone trying to find what’s really meaningful in life—this book is for you.

If I could have my life over again, I would love to hike the numerous trails around the world.  However, as I love my home comforts, I prefer to be a "armchair explorer."  As I know nothing about the Sierra's this seemed a perfect opportunity to do a bit of that armchair exploring.

This book is beautifully illustrated and Ethan goes into great detail about each part of the trail, day by day.  You can almost imagine yourself walking along with them. The funny thing about this book, is I actually thought it was a true story; that Syd was an actual person.  It is in fact a mish-mash of people and events that have been spun into a story.  It worked perfectly well and was a really good read.

Stars out of 5 : 4  I did find myself skimming over some of Syd's historical stories and I have no idea about Asian philosophy, but overall it was a truly enjoyable read.

I purchased this book.