The Pacific Crest Trailside Reader, California: Adventure, History, and Legend on the Long-Distance Trail

by Rees Hughes, Corey Lewis (Editor)

* Unique woodcut illustrations decorate both volumes
* Trail map to follow story locations in each volume
* For both hikers and armchair adventurers of the PCT


The heart of this anthology is these real trail tales, stories taken from PCT trailside humor and traditions, "trail angels" and "trail magic," encounters with wildlife and wild weather, stories of being lost and found, rescues, and unusual incidents. Revealing a larger context are historical accounts of events such as Moses Schallenberger's winter on Donner Pass and pioneer efforts like the old Naches Road that ended up creating access to today's trails; Native American myths and legends such as that of Lost Lake near Mount Hood; and selections from highly-regarded environmental writers who have captured the region in print, including Mary Austin in The Land of Little Rain ; John Muir in The Mountains of California ; and Barry Lopez in Crossing Open Ground . Readers will also enjoy a few more surprising contributions from the likes of Mark Twain and Ursula Le Guin.

Organized parallel to the actual sections of the PCT and presented in two regional volumes, The Pacific Crest Trailside Reader will entertain everyone from dedicated thru-hikers to lovers of regional lore. Need more from the PCT Readers? Editors Rees Hughes and Corey Lewis are sharing stories from the trail on their website, . Submit your own images or stories from the trail, or simply get lost in the tales from other travelers...

Genres: Outdoors, Travel, Nonfiction

303 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

Reviews

[Maria Jansson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! Only made me more determined to hike the whole PCT. I especially enjoyed the stories about Mt Lassen, and Mt Shasta, my neck of the woods.

[asogi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the contemporary pieces more than the historical ones. A nice sampler and a great introduction to new backpacker-authors whose writing I'll now seek out.

[Robyn]

GoodReads First Reads winner! Very excited about this one, received very quickly, too, 6 days after I was notified I'd won. I will certainly never be a PCT thru-hiker, but I've lived in several areas close to the Trail and have visited many other parts of the Trail and will therefore be very interested to read more about it. Too bad I didn't also win the Oregon/Washington edition ;) if the California is good I'll have to search the other out. Review to come.

Misplaced in the move from CA to ID, didn't find it in the move from ID to MT, I know I still have it but until I locate it, On Hold.

I eventually found this, and was going to give it to my sister's boyfriend because he's fascinated by the PCT, but they split up. So I stuck it somewhere it wouldn't be a reminder to her. When I was packing for the move back to CA I found it again and mailed it to Donna. Kind of too bad, since I'm soon going to start a virtual cycle of the PCT 😂

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sitting down and reading 49 short stories about people getting up and walking has a way of making me feel both guilty and wistful. I long for mountain paths and pretty flowers and wild animals and unpredictable weather but instead I have suburban streets, bare trees, domesticated cats and mild temperatures. Oh, and PCT hikers are insane, but in the best possible sense of the word.
Each story in this collection rocks simply because these people went out there and experienced these crazy-long trails. Some were funny memory stories, some tales of danger and even death. I've never been on the PCT, closest I've been was in the Redwood Forrest when I was in 1st grade, but the California part of it sounds beautiful and haunting. I would love to hike (parts) of this some day! Thanks to givaways, this collection of mountain stories was free. :)

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great compendium of historical and contemporary accounts of travel along the Pacific Crest Trail in California. The Trailside Reader offers a glimpse of the evolution of the California wilderness through US history and offers glimpses into the modern trail experience and culture. Fair warning, though: reading this book will only feed thru-hiking obsessions, and may result in the planning of extended backpacking trips!

[Ana]

Planning to do the AT in 2012 (yes, the Bill Bryson book is on my bedside table waiting for me to finish A Dance with Dragons) and eventually the PCT as well. Will have to pick this one up sometime!

[Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a great collection. i expected to enjoy it but there were a handful of really great stories. i especially enjoyed the ones written some time ago (one that takes place at donner pass takes place the year before the donner party arrived there). I cried reading the condor story. and even still those images are haunting. get out and hike right now!

[Jack Haskel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of the PCT and this book has been outstanding so far.

[Wennifred]

I just won a copy from Goodreads. Looking forward to reading it. I will write a review after I've read it. Thank you.

[Keely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty awesome. Makes you want to hit the trails running. or I guess hiking.

[Shawnté Salabert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trail talk, memories
Tales of California miles
Bring me right back home