I Probably Should've Brought a Tent: Misadventures of a Wilderness Instructor

by Erik Shonstrom

The author once fell backwards, on skis, at night, into a latrine during a snowstorm in the Rocky Mountains. That’s just one of the stories in this 20-year tale of wilderness education.

This book aims to entertain and edify, captivate and compel. It’s also laugh-out-loud funny, with echoes of Patrick F. McManus and Bill Heavey.

Combining anecdotes of over two decades of outdoor education experience with thoughtful narrative context, the author offers tales of adventure that both experienced mountain guides and armchair enthusiasts can dig into with abandon. From the swampy backcountry of Florida to the soaring Sierra; the chilly gray waters of Puget sound to rocky scrambles in the Green Mountains, this book takes the reader on a hilarious journey through epic landscapes guided by a hapless outdoor teacher.

No matter how suburban or urban our upbringing, we’ve all experienced the fear of strange noises in the night, inedible food cooked outdoors, and surviving when the nearest flush toilet is miles away. We can all relate to the mishaps and exploits experienced in the great wide world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

223 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2022

Reviews

[Eli Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

well done shonstrom! Fun stories that felt genuine, and were diverse enough that kept me engaged. Highly rec!

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was raised on stories of wilderness misadventures, so this book had an almost nostalgic feel for me. I appreciate that Shonstrom clearly loves the outdoors, but does not romanticize it, and I enjoyed his humor.

In these essays he frequently comments that he isn't an introspective, thoughtful person. But I get the sense that maybe he is actually is, but is uncomfortable with it. It reminds me of something the remarkable writer Norman Maclean said in the introduction to A River Runs Through It and Other Stories, in which a friend who read his work told him that in order to move on from good to great, he had to really explore himself. (Something like that anyway). Mr. Shonstrom, if you happen to read this, I hope you take the same advice. I'd love to read what you come up with.

[Poornima · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains a wonderful collection of wilderness adventures. I enjoyed it immensely and grateful to have come across it when I did.

Erik Shonstrom’s writing style is delightful, humourous, insightful, intelligent, quirky, and honest. There is an excellent balance of lightheartedness and depth.

If anyone would like to go on stimulating, evocative, and heart-centred adventures through varying landscapes, this book is for you.

[Katie Desler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both hilarious and philosophical, I didn’t want it to end. The short stories made it an easy read, a book to pick up and set down whenever I needed to. I related to several of the stories and never knew what was coming next.

[Britt McCracken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frustrating to read this as the author never seemed prepared for anything or willing to get the proper education to prevent some of the situations that occurred. Took me forever to finish it and I probably should have just put it down after chapter two.

[Emily Koester · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't finish, didn't even get halfway. Just wasn't feeling it.