To Heights and unto Depths: Letters from the Colorado Trail

by Fr. John Nepil

Genres: Religion, Spirituality

252 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2025

Reviews

[Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Father Nepil provides a distilled version of those concepts he continuously visits on Catholic Stuff You Should Know. Avid listeners will be in familiar territory with quotes from the usual suspects (Communio crew and co.) mixed into real tellings of a demanding, month long through hike.

I liked this but almost think Nepil is good enough to write outside of the confines of an adventure concept. The theological writings were the sandwich while the hike itself at times became the pickle spear served with the sandwich. I’m fine with or without the pickle, but I kept coming back for the pastrami.

Here’s to hoping Father Nepil continues to write as I think he’s a clear voice of American Catholicism in the modern era

[Jack Geise · Rating 4 out of 5]

honored to be the first goodreads review of this very solid book.

each letter is well crafted and the insights are certainly very worthwhile. and then the narrative bits are certainly compelling. big swing to try to combine the forms and i appreciate the boldness. that said....something in the coming together didn't quite work for me. regardless, definitely definitely worth picking it up.

[Kyle Troksa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To encounter the love of God is to step into a wilderness, a wild place that we cannot control and cannot tame.”

This book perfectly blends concepts of nature and theology. In the midst of reading its carefully and tastefully orchestrated chapters, I was immediately transported back to my own experiences on the Colorado Trail. Similar to Teilhard de Chardin’s philosophy, this book supports the notion that the beauty, peaks, valleys, and difficulties of life parallel those of nature and originate in a singular Creator.

Thank you, Father John, for this art piece and may it encourage its readers to explore their faith connection with the outdoors.

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have listened to Father John for years on the Catholic Stuff You Should Know podcast, and I found many of the ideas he has shared in bits on the podcast distilled into this delightful correlation between natural and spiritual journeys. It took some getting used to how he bookends the topics with direct recollections of each day on the Colorado Trail, but I soon came to love how this book was structured. His ideas are lofty but not unreachable, and couched in language often of the same, and even taught me several new words (and I consider myself fairly exposed in the realm of vocabulary). Thank you Father for this collection and I have some people in mind (including some Coloradans) who I will be sharing this book with.

[Jack Gorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Fr. John above and beyond for his Ecclesial and Marian theology! This narritive of his summer on the Colorado Trail sometimes confused me with its switches from storytelling to theological reflection but he settled into gear later in the book. I will return to the chapter entitled “Being as Gift” many times as it a beautifully crafted reminder of how our disposition towards life should be every single day!

[Noah Willsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It challenged my personal philosophy in many cases, and gave a new perspective to me about what catholic world view really is. The insights I’ve taken from this book, I will be chewing on for a while.

That being said, it can be a bit of a slog to get through at certain points. The narrative of the actual trail leaves a little bit to be wanted. I would say it’s more of a 70-30 split on the theology-hiking adventure ratio.

I really enjoyed the organization and constant pulling in of other authors. It really gave the impression of “trailside theology” which is at times disconnected or somewhat repetitive, but to me that fits well with the overall mood. At times the tone came off a little bit arrogant or “tough guy” which was slightly offputting.

Overall I would definitely recommend reading this book. It will challenge your ideas about creation, individuality, self-creation, and relation to God through creation.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every year I spend a week in silence with the Benedictine monks at the Abbey of Gethsemane in Central Kentucky. when I am not praying with the monks I am spending my time walking through the 1400 acres of forest and hills adjacent to the Abbey in prayer.
this book captures many of my feelings as I walk and contemplate what creation God has provided. Thank you Father John for your witness.

[Stanley Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this work up after watching a video with Nepil and Chris Stefanic. I was not disappointed in the book, Nepil described his and his group's traversing the Colorado Trail over a thirty-day period and how his religious reflections built upon his own faith. I made tons of notes for further reflection myself, highly recommended...SLT

[Connor O'Toole · Rating 5 out of 5]

“For as Christians we know the secret to all things: that in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, we have humanity, creation, and God. And this is only a taste of the heights and depths that await us in Heaven.”

This is a book, like the backcountry, that will call me back again and again to rediscover what it means to encounter God in His creation, and thus find our true humanity.