Author: BACKPACKER Magazine
Publisher: Active Interest Media
ISBN:
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 169
Book Description
Vanished Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with the joyful excitement of a pilgrim entering the Promised Land. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about. Now her family can’t rest until they know how she disappeared. By Tracy Ross Thru-Hiking: When More is Better For long-haul hikers, time has a way of putting things into perspective. By Casey Lyons X Marks the Spot A hidden box of treasure. A cryptic poem from a wealthy Santa Fe art dealer. Four states’ worth of Rocky Mountain wilderness. Our reporter joins the hunt. By Brian Mockenhaupt The Kids Are Alright The only thing you’ll regret about taking the brood backpacking is not doing it sooner—and more often. By Dennis Lewon Hike Forever After four decades of backpacking and climbing in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, 75-year-old Joe Kelsey is living proof that, while time may stop for no one, it might just slow down for hikers. By Mark Jenkins Depth of Field: Canyoneering Little rain and stable weather make fall the ideal time to play in Utah’s slot canyons. By Steve Howe My Partner Ate My Socks Is goatpacking the ultimate ultralight solution or a surefire way to ruin a good hike? By Casey Lyons Mush! You don’t need to tackle the Iditarod to enjoy dogsledding, a fast and fun winter adventure. By Molly Loomis The Quest The only way to truly appreciate America’s vast wilderness? Hike it all. By Mark Jenkins Bella Vita A trek on Italy’s Alta Via 2 might just be the most romantic hike in the world. If you’re lucky. By Brendan Leonard The Other Himalaya Someday, the Manaslu Loop will be just as famous as the Annapurna Circuit. Better hike it now. By Dougald Macdonald Walk of Ages Past meets present on a trek to Petra, Jordan’s 2,300-year-old desert metropolis. By Rachel Zurer Fresh Tracks It’s prime time to visit Patagonia’s brand new park—before anyone else even knows it’s there. By Tomas Dinges A Ghost Among Us One woman’s journey to the brink of what’s possible on the Pacific Crest Trail. By Megan Michelson
Best of Backpacker 2014
Author: BACKPACKER Magazine
Publisher: Active Interest Media
ISBN:
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 169
Book Description
Vanished Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with the joyful excitement of a pilgrim entering the Promised Land. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about. Now her family can’t rest until they know how she disappeared. By Tracy Ross Thru-Hiking: When More is Better For long-haul hikers, time has a way of putting things into perspective. By Casey Lyons X Marks the Spot A hidden box of treasure. A cryptic poem from a wealthy Santa Fe art dealer. Four states’ worth of Rocky Mountain wilderness. Our reporter joins the hunt. By Brian Mockenhaupt The Kids Are Alright The only thing you’ll regret about taking the brood backpacking is not doing it sooner—and more often. By Dennis Lewon Hike Forever After four decades of backpacking and climbing in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, 75-year-old Joe Kelsey is living proof that, while time may stop for no one, it might just slow down for hikers. By Mark Jenkins Depth of Field: Canyoneering Little rain and stable weather make fall the ideal time to play in Utah’s slot canyons. By Steve Howe My Partner Ate My Socks Is goatpacking the ultimate ultralight solution or a surefire way to ruin a good hike? By Casey Lyons Mush! You don’t need to tackle the Iditarod to enjoy dogsledding, a fast and fun winter adventure. By Molly Loomis The Quest The only way to truly appreciate America’s vast wilderness? Hike it all. By Mark Jenkins Bella Vita A trek on Italy’s Alta Via 2 might just be the most romantic hike in the world. If you’re lucky. By Brendan Leonard The Other Himalaya Someday, the Manaslu Loop will be just as famous as the Annapurna Circuit. Better hike it now. By Dougald Macdonald Walk of Ages Past meets present on a trek to Petra, Jordan’s 2,300-year-old desert metropolis. By Rachel Zurer Fresh Tracks It’s prime time to visit Patagonia’s brand new park—before anyone else even knows it’s there. By Tomas Dinges A Ghost Among Us One woman’s journey to the brink of what’s possible on the Pacific Crest Trail. By Megan Michelson
Publisher: Active Interest Media
ISBN:
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 169
Book Description
Vanished Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with the joyful excitement of a pilgrim entering the Promised Land. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about. Now her family can’t rest until they know how she disappeared. By Tracy Ross Thru-Hiking: When More is Better For long-haul hikers, time has a way of putting things into perspective. By Casey Lyons X Marks the Spot A hidden box of treasure. A cryptic poem from a wealthy Santa Fe art dealer. Four states’ worth of Rocky Mountain wilderness. Our reporter joins the hunt. By Brian Mockenhaupt The Kids Are Alright The only thing you’ll regret about taking the brood backpacking is not doing it sooner—and more often. By Dennis Lewon Hike Forever After four decades of backpacking and climbing in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, 75-year-old Joe Kelsey is living proof that, while time may stop for no one, it might just slow down for hikers. By Mark Jenkins Depth of Field: Canyoneering Little rain and stable weather make fall the ideal time to play in Utah’s slot canyons. By Steve Howe My Partner Ate My Socks Is goatpacking the ultimate ultralight solution or a surefire way to ruin a good hike? By Casey Lyons Mush! You don’t need to tackle the Iditarod to enjoy dogsledding, a fast and fun winter adventure. By Molly Loomis The Quest The only way to truly appreciate America’s vast wilderness? Hike it all. By Mark Jenkins Bella Vita A trek on Italy’s Alta Via 2 might just be the most romantic hike in the world. If you’re lucky. By Brendan Leonard The Other Himalaya Someday, the Manaslu Loop will be just as famous as the Annapurna Circuit. Better hike it now. By Dougald Macdonald Walk of Ages Past meets present on a trek to Petra, Jordan’s 2,300-year-old desert metropolis. By Rachel Zurer Fresh Tracks It’s prime time to visit Patagonia’s brand new park—before anyone else even knows it’s there. By Tomas Dinges A Ghost Among Us One woman’s journey to the brink of what’s possible on the Pacific Crest Trail. By Megan Michelson
The Backpacker
Author: John Harris
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0857653105
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 317
Book Description
John’s trip to India starts badly when he finds himself looking at the sharp end of a knife in a train station cubicle. His life is saved by Rick, who persuades John to abandon his plans and travel to the Thai island of Koh Pha-Ngan where they pose as millionaire aristocrats. Pursued by Thai Mafia, they escape, facing danger at every turn.
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0857653105
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 317
Book Description
John’s trip to India starts badly when he finds himself looking at the sharp end of a knife in a train station cubicle. His life is saved by Rick, who persuades John to abandon his plans and travel to the Thai island of Koh Pha-Ngan where they pose as millionaire aristocrats. Pursued by Thai Mafia, they escape, facing danger at every turn.
A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka
Author: Lev Golinkin
Publisher: Anchor
ISBN: 0385537786
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 278
Book Description
A compelling memoir—"hilarious and heartbreaking" (The New York Times)—of two intertwined journeys: a Jewish refugee family in Ukraine fleeing persecution and a young man seeking to reclaim a shattered past In the twilight of the Cold War (the late 1980s), nine-year old Lev Golinkin and his family cross the Soviet border, leaving Ukraine with only ten suitcases, $600, and the vague promise of help awaiting in Vienna. Years later, Lev, now an American adult, sets out to retrace his family's long trek, locate the strangers who fought for his freedom, and in the process, gain a future by understanding his past. This is the vivid, darkly comic, and poignant story of Lev Golinkin in the confusing and often chilling final decade of the Soviet Union, and "of a Jewish family’s escape from oppression ... whose drama, hope and heartache Mr. Golinkin captures brilliantly” (The New York Times). It's also the story of Lev Golinkin as an American man who finally confronts his buried past by returning to Austria and Eastern Europe to track down the strangers who made his escape possible ... and say thank you. Written with biting, acerbic wit and emotional honesty in the vein of Gary Shteyngart, Jonathan Safran Foer, and David Bezmozgis, Golinkin's search for personal identity set against the relentless currents of history is more than a memoir—it's a portrait of a lost era. This is a thrilling tale of escape and survival, a deeply personal look at the life of a Jewish child caught in the last gasp of the Soviet Union, and a provocative investigation into the power of hatred and the search for belonging. Lev Golinkin achieves an amazing feat—and it marks the debut of a fiercely intelligent, defiant, and unforgettable new voice.
Publisher: Anchor
ISBN: 0385537786
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 278
Book Description
A compelling memoir—"hilarious and heartbreaking" (The New York Times)—of two intertwined journeys: a Jewish refugee family in Ukraine fleeing persecution and a young man seeking to reclaim a shattered past In the twilight of the Cold War (the late 1980s), nine-year old Lev Golinkin and his family cross the Soviet border, leaving Ukraine with only ten suitcases, $600, and the vague promise of help awaiting in Vienna. Years later, Lev, now an American adult, sets out to retrace his family's long trek, locate the strangers who fought for his freedom, and in the process, gain a future by understanding his past. This is the vivid, darkly comic, and poignant story of Lev Golinkin in the confusing and often chilling final decade of the Soviet Union, and "of a Jewish family’s escape from oppression ... whose drama, hope and heartache Mr. Golinkin captures brilliantly” (The New York Times). It's also the story of Lev Golinkin as an American man who finally confronts his buried past by returning to Austria and Eastern Europe to track down the strangers who made his escape possible ... and say thank you. Written with biting, acerbic wit and emotional honesty in the vein of Gary Shteyngart, Jonathan Safran Foer, and David Bezmozgis, Golinkin's search for personal identity set against the relentless currents of history is more than a memoir—it's a portrait of a lost era. This is a thrilling tale of escape and survival, a deeply personal look at the life of a Jewish child caught in the last gasp of the Soviet Union, and a provocative investigation into the power of hatred and the search for belonging. Lev Golinkin achieves an amazing feat—and it marks the debut of a fiercely intelligent, defiant, and unforgettable new voice.
She Explores
Author: Gale Straub
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 1452167672
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
For every woman who has ever been called outdoorsy comes a collection of stories that inspires unforgettable adventure. Beautiful, empowering, and exhilarating, She Explores is a spirited celebration of female bravery and courage, and an inspirational companion for any woman who wants to travel the world on her own terms. Combining breathtaking travel photography with compelling personal narratives, She Explores shares the stories of 40 diverse women on unforgettable journeys in nature: women who live out of vans, trucks, and vintage trailers, hiking the wild, cooking meals over campfires, and sleeping under the stars. Women biking through the countryside, embarking on an unknown road trip, or backpacking through the outdoors with their young children in tow. Complementing the narratives are practical tips and advice for women planning their own trips, including: • Preparing for a solo hike • Must-haves for a road-trip kitchen • Planning ahead for unknown territory • Telling your own story A visually stunning and emotionally satisfying collection for any woman craving new landscapes and adventure.
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 1452167672
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
For every woman who has ever been called outdoorsy comes a collection of stories that inspires unforgettable adventure. Beautiful, empowering, and exhilarating, She Explores is a spirited celebration of female bravery and courage, and an inspirational companion for any woman who wants to travel the world on her own terms. Combining breathtaking travel photography with compelling personal narratives, She Explores shares the stories of 40 diverse women on unforgettable journeys in nature: women who live out of vans, trucks, and vintage trailers, hiking the wild, cooking meals over campfires, and sleeping under the stars. Women biking through the countryside, embarking on an unknown road trip, or backpacking through the outdoors with their young children in tow. Complementing the narratives are practical tips and advice for women planning their own trips, including: • Preparing for a solo hike • Must-haves for a road-trip kitchen • Planning ahead for unknown territory • Telling your own story A visually stunning and emotionally satisfying collection for any woman craving new landscapes and adventure.
THE BACKPACKER'S HANDBOOK
Author: Chris Townsend
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 0071460136
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 449
Book Description
"The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to equipment and technique available anywhere."—Backpack (UK) This enormously practical guide includes everything from essential techniques such as map and compass work to the skills needed for more remote wilderness journeys—such as how to ford rivers safely and how to choose a route through untracked terrain. As a gear advisor, this book is unequaled. You'll find the last word on: How to choose packs and footwear—and make sure they fit What clothing to take on the trail Tents, tarps, stoves, water purifiers, and other gear GPS, cell phones, and other electronic devices And much more Now in its third edition, The Backpacker's Handbook also covers desert hiking, ultralight backpacking, and adventure trekking in distant corners of the globe. Indeed, there is little about backpacking Chris Townsend does not cover. This trusted reference will prepare you for the challenges and excitement of backpacking the wilderness. "A clear and comprehensive primer on backpacking gear. Townsend's knowledge is immense."—Sierra "Belongs in every bookcase dealing with outdoor topics. . . . Chockablock full of useful, practical, commonsense info. . . . If you tramp the outdoors, get this book."—Maine Sportsman "For those thinking of taking a backpack journey, The Backpacker's Handbook is required reading."—Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional
ISBN: 0071460136
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 449
Book Description
"The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide to equipment and technique available anywhere."—Backpack (UK) This enormously practical guide includes everything from essential techniques such as map and compass work to the skills needed for more remote wilderness journeys—such as how to ford rivers safely and how to choose a route through untracked terrain. As a gear advisor, this book is unequaled. You'll find the last word on: How to choose packs and footwear—and make sure they fit What clothing to take on the trail Tents, tarps, stoves, water purifiers, and other gear GPS, cell phones, and other electronic devices And much more Now in its third edition, The Backpacker's Handbook also covers desert hiking, ultralight backpacking, and adventure trekking in distant corners of the globe. Indeed, there is little about backpacking Chris Townsend does not cover. This trusted reference will prepare you for the challenges and excitement of backpacking the wilderness. "A clear and comprehensive primer on backpacking gear. Townsend's knowledge is immense."—Sierra "Belongs in every bookcase dealing with outdoor topics. . . . Chockablock full of useful, practical, commonsense info. . . . If you tramp the outdoors, get this book."—Maine Sportsman "For those thinking of taking a backpack journey, The Backpacker's Handbook is required reading."—Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Backpack Gourmet
Author: Linda Frederick Yaffe
Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN: 0811759237
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 178
Book Description
Improve your backpacking experience by creating the delicious and healthy home-dried meals and snacks featured in this book.
Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN: 0811759237
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 178
Book Description
Improve your backpacking experience by creating the delicious and healthy home-dried meals and snacks featured in this book.
Lost Lake
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250019818
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 303
Book Description
Now a New York Times Bestseller From the author of the beloved bestseller Garden Spells comes a beautiful, haunting story of old loves and new, and the power of the connections that bind us forever... The first time Eby Pim saw Lost Lake, it was on a picture postcard. Just an old photo and a few words on a small square of heavy stock, but when she saw it, she knew she was seeing her future. That was half a life ago. Now Lost Lake is about to slip into Eby's past. Her husband George is long passed. Most of her demanding extended family are gone. All that's left is a once-charming collection of lakeside cabins succumbing to the Southern Georgia heat and damp, and an assortment of faithful misfits drawn back to Lost Lake year after year by their own unspoken dreams and desires. It's a lot, but not enough to keep Eby from relinquishing Lost Lake to a developer with cash in hand, and calling this her final summer at the lake. Until one last chance at family knocks on her door. Lost Lake is where Kate Pheris spent her last best summer at the age of twelve, before she learned of loneliness, and heartbreak, and loss. Now she's all too familiar with those things, but she knows about hope too, thanks to her resilient daughter Devin, and her own willingness to start moving forward. Perhaps at Lost Lake her little girl can cling to her own childhood for just a little longer... and maybe Kate herself can rediscover something that slipped through her fingers so long ago. One after another, people find their way to Lost Lake, looking for something that they weren't sure they needed in the first place: love, closure, a second chance, peace, a mystery solved, a heart mended. Can they find what they need before it's too late? At once atmospheric and enchanting, Lost Lake shows Sarah Addison Allen at her finest, illuminating the secret longings and the everyday magic that wait to be discovered in the unlikeliest of places.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250019818
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 303
Book Description
Now a New York Times Bestseller From the author of the beloved bestseller Garden Spells comes a beautiful, haunting story of old loves and new, and the power of the connections that bind us forever... The first time Eby Pim saw Lost Lake, it was on a picture postcard. Just an old photo and a few words on a small square of heavy stock, but when she saw it, she knew she was seeing her future. That was half a life ago. Now Lost Lake is about to slip into Eby's past. Her husband George is long passed. Most of her demanding extended family are gone. All that's left is a once-charming collection of lakeside cabins succumbing to the Southern Georgia heat and damp, and an assortment of faithful misfits drawn back to Lost Lake year after year by their own unspoken dreams and desires. It's a lot, but not enough to keep Eby from relinquishing Lost Lake to a developer with cash in hand, and calling this her final summer at the lake. Until one last chance at family knocks on her door. Lost Lake is where Kate Pheris spent her last best summer at the age of twelve, before she learned of loneliness, and heartbreak, and loss. Now she's all too familiar with those things, but she knows about hope too, thanks to her resilient daughter Devin, and her own willingness to start moving forward. Perhaps at Lost Lake her little girl can cling to her own childhood for just a little longer... and maybe Kate herself can rediscover something that slipped through her fingers so long ago. One after another, people find their way to Lost Lake, looking for something that they weren't sure they needed in the first place: love, closure, a second chance, peace, a mystery solved, a heart mended. Can they find what they need before it's too late? At once atmospheric and enchanting, Lost Lake shows Sarah Addison Allen at her finest, illuminating the secret longings and the everyday magic that wait to be discovered in the unlikeliest of places.
The Line Tender
Author: Kate Allen
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735231613
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
Funny, poignant, and deeply moving, The Line Tender is a story of nature's enduring mystery and a girl determined to find meaning and connection within it. Wherever the sharks led, Lucy Everhart's marine-biologist mother was sure to follow. In fact, she was on a boat far off the coast of Massachusetts, collecting shark data when she died suddenly. Lucy was seven. Since then Lucy and her father have kept their heads above water--thanks in large part to a few close friends and neighbors. But June of her twelfth summer brings more than the end of school and a heat wave to sleepy Rockport. On one steamy day, the tide brings a great white--and then another tragedy, cutting short a friendship everyone insists was "meaningful" but no one can tell Lucy what it all meant. To survive the fresh wave of grief, Lucy must grab the line that connects her depressed father, a stubborn fisherman, and a curious old widower to her mother's unfinished research on the Great White's return to Cape Cod. If Lucy can find a way to help this unlikely quartet follow the sharks her mother loved, she'll finally be able to look beyond what she's lost and toward what's left to be discovered. ★"Confidently voiced."—Kirkus Reviews, starred ★"Richly layered."—Publishers Weekly, starred ★"A hopeful path forward."—Booklist, starred ★"Life-affirming."—BCCB, starred ★"Big-hearted." —Bookpage, starred ★“Will appeal to just about everyone.” – SLC, starred ★"Exquisitely, beautifully real."—Shelf Awareness, starred
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735231613
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
Funny, poignant, and deeply moving, The Line Tender is a story of nature's enduring mystery and a girl determined to find meaning and connection within it. Wherever the sharks led, Lucy Everhart's marine-biologist mother was sure to follow. In fact, she was on a boat far off the coast of Massachusetts, collecting shark data when she died suddenly. Lucy was seven. Since then Lucy and her father have kept their heads above water--thanks in large part to a few close friends and neighbors. But June of her twelfth summer brings more than the end of school and a heat wave to sleepy Rockport. On one steamy day, the tide brings a great white--and then another tragedy, cutting short a friendship everyone insists was "meaningful" but no one can tell Lucy what it all meant. To survive the fresh wave of grief, Lucy must grab the line that connects her depressed father, a stubborn fisherman, and a curious old widower to her mother's unfinished research on the Great White's return to Cape Cod. If Lucy can find a way to help this unlikely quartet follow the sharks her mother loved, she'll finally be able to look beyond what she's lost and toward what's left to be discovered. ★"Confidently voiced."—Kirkus Reviews, starred ★"Richly layered."—Publishers Weekly, starred ★"A hopeful path forward."—Booklist, starred ★"Life-affirming."—BCCB, starred ★"Big-hearted." —Bookpage, starred ★“Will appeal to just about everyone.” – SLC, starred ★"Exquisitely, beautifully real."—Shelf Awareness, starred
Backyard Roots
Author: Lori Eanes
Publisher: Skipstone Press
ISBN: 9781594857119
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"Along the West coast, a range of people--from families with young children, to immigrants recapturing their homeland culture, to idealistic twenty-somethings seeking community--are turning their urban backyards into modern-day homesteads. Lori Eanes reveals the lives of 35 of these urban farmers through her photographs and stories"--P. [4] of cover.
Publisher: Skipstone Press
ISBN: 9781594857119
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"Along the West coast, a range of people--from families with young children, to immigrants recapturing their homeland culture, to idealistic twenty-somethings seeking community--are turning their urban backyards into modern-day homesteads. Lori Eanes reveals the lives of 35 of these urban farmers through her photographs and stories"--P. [4] of cover.
Leave Only Footprints
Author: Conor Knighton
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 1984823558
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A delightful sampler plate of our national parks, written with charisma and erudition.”—Nick Offerman, author of Paddle Your Own Canoe From CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Conor Knighton, a behind-the-scenery look at his year traveling to each of America's National Parks, discovering the most beautiful places and most interesting people our country has to offer NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY OUTSIDE When Conor Knighton set off to explore America's "best idea," he worried the whole thing could end up being his worst idea. A broken engagement and a broken heart had left him longing for a change of scenery, but the plan he'd cooked up in response had gone a bit overboard in that department: Over the course of a single year, Knighton would visit every national park in the country, from Acadia to Zion. In Leave Only Footprints, Knighton shares informative and entertaining dispatches from what turned out to be the road trip of a lifetime. Whether he's waking up early for a naked scrub in a historic bathhouse in Arkansas or staying up late to stargaze along our loneliest highway in Nevada, Knighton weaves together the type of stories you're not likely to find in any guidebook. Through his unique lens, America the Beautiful becomes America the Captivating, the Hilarious, and the Inspiring. Along the way, he identifies the threads that tie these wildly different places together—and that tie us to nature—and reveals how his trip ended up changing his views on everything from God and love to politics and technology. Filled with fascinating tidbits about our parks' past and reflections on their fragile future, this book is both a celebration of and a passionate case for the natural wonders that all Americans share.
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 1984823558
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A delightful sampler plate of our national parks, written with charisma and erudition.”—Nick Offerman, author of Paddle Your Own Canoe From CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Conor Knighton, a behind-the-scenery look at his year traveling to each of America's National Parks, discovering the most beautiful places and most interesting people our country has to offer NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY OUTSIDE When Conor Knighton set off to explore America's "best idea," he worried the whole thing could end up being his worst idea. A broken engagement and a broken heart had left him longing for a change of scenery, but the plan he'd cooked up in response had gone a bit overboard in that department: Over the course of a single year, Knighton would visit every national park in the country, from Acadia to Zion. In Leave Only Footprints, Knighton shares informative and entertaining dispatches from what turned out to be the road trip of a lifetime. Whether he's waking up early for a naked scrub in a historic bathhouse in Arkansas or staying up late to stargaze along our loneliest highway in Nevada, Knighton weaves together the type of stories you're not likely to find in any guidebook. Through his unique lens, America the Beautiful becomes America the Captivating, the Hilarious, and the Inspiring. Along the way, he identifies the threads that tie these wildly different places together—and that tie us to nature—and reveals how his trip ended up changing his views on everything from God and love to politics and technology. Filled with fascinating tidbits about our parks' past and reflections on their fragile future, this book is both a celebration of and a passionate case for the natural wonders that all Americans share.