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Reading List: Mindfulness

March 14, 2017March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

Mindfulness by Mark Williams & Danny Penman
If you are curious about mindfulness but not really sure what exactly it is or where to start, this is a great introduction. This is basically an 8-week mindfulness class in a book, explaining the different types of mindfulness, why it works, and how to practice it throughout your day. Mindfulness is not just about meditating, its about being deliberate with your actions and paying attention to how they make you feel. It’s all about living in the present and having gratitude. I love the “habit-releasers” assigned weekly that encourage you to change up your daily routines to gain a different perspective. The book provides a link to download audio files of the meditations in the book to guide you along.

Step Into Nature by Patrice Vecchione
Poet and teacher, Patrice Vecchione, takes you on an adventure of creativity, imagination, and inspiration with her stories of exploring around her hometown of Monterey. She encourages her students and readers to approach nature with new eyes and ask inspiring questions. The book is sprinkled with little prompts to spark your creativity. These can be used for inspiration for your art, or it can just be a way to perform mindfulness on your next outing. One of my favorites is, “imagine ‘translating’ a conversation between two parts of nature- between a tree and its leaves, the mountain lion and her cub, the rain and the soil. Or a conversation between you and a part of the natural world.”

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
After a chronic illness bounds Bailey bedridden, a friend brings her some violets and a woodland snail. She appreciates the live plant as something she can care for and prefers it over cut flowers, but she wasn’t sure what to make of the snail. But as it took up residence on her bedside table, she quickly became enamored with the little gastropod and eagerly awaited its next move. Bailey then spent her time diving deep into the science and behavior of her little friend and found a bit of joy in her days. This quiet and beautiful rumination on the life of a snail reminds us of what there is to discover when we slow down and observe.

Settled in the Wild by Susan Hand Shetterly
After growing up in the suburbs, Shetterly, along with her husband and her infant son, moved to a cabin outside of a neighborhood in Maine with no electricity or plumbing. The essays in this book focus on her observations of how nature, animals, and humans coexist and influence each other on the outskirts of town. She shares stories of discovering insects with her son, rescuing a bird, and the paving of a beloved dirt road. She speaks of resilience but issues a word of caution in our changing landscapes. Like other books in this post, this book illuminates the wonder of observing our surroundings.

Wild Comfort by Kathleen Dean Moore
After the deaths of several loved ones in quick succession, Moore seeks out the solace and healing powers of nature. Her sense of calm and meditation is palpable in her stories of solitary walks in the forest, canoeing in the snow, wading among migrating salmon in the dark, and cooking breakfast in the desert. Moore has the ability to paint a picture with her words and has ingrained her stories into my mind that I will recall for time to come. Moore’s powerful introspection puts her solidly in the ranks of Annie Dillard and Rachel Carson. Solace can be found in nature, but also in the comfort of Moore’s words.

You may also enjoy:

Mindful Birthing

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Reading List: Best of 2016

December 31, 2016March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

As I sit here with my newborn baby girl, I realized I can’t let the end of the year go by without posting my favorite outdoor books of the year. I could say that the end of the year snuck up on me, but pregnancy has the magical power of slowing down time, especially in the third trimester. But I can say that my reading has skewed a bit toward Babylit, S is for Salmon and books that tell you all the things that can go wrong while delivering a baby. But here and there I got in a little outdoor time and a few outdoor books to satisfy my cravings. Here are my favorites from 2016.

To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey
When I found out that a new book by Eowyn Ivey was coming out this year, I marked it my calendar. Her novel, The Snow Child, is one of my very favorites and this newest historical novel, also set in her home state of Alaska, does not disappoint. Set in 1885, Colonel Allen Forrester leaves his pregnant wife, Sophie, behind to embark on a mission to explore the Wolverine River valley, an uncharted part of the Alaskan Territory. It is a difficult and trying journey as they map the valley and collect local knowledge from reluctant native tribes. With little news of her husband’s well being, Sophie distracts herself by learning photography. The intertwined stories are told in journal and letter forms with lovely photos throughout. In typical Ivey fashion, there is just a hint of magical realism that is oh so satisfying. I really enjoyed living just for a little bit in Ivey’s adventurous and rugged Alaska again.

The Hour of Land by Terry Tempest Williams
Terry Tempest Williams’ essays about her experiences in our National Parks, need I say more? She shares deeply personal stories of her time with her father in the Grand Tetons, thoughts of her brother in the arctic of Alaska and ponders the state of racism in our country while she visits Gettysburg. Her brilliant and humble voice breathes life into these places and reminds us why they are so important. At a time when our Parks are under-funded and over-visited, this book gives us much needed wisdom and perspective. Terry Tempest Williams is one of the most important writers and activists of our time, and we are so lucky she gave us this book.

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
I so loved visiting Hope Jahren’s world for just a little while. She is a renowned scientist who grew up exploring her father’s science lab while he was a professor. She found her comfortable space, a place where she felt welcome and safe. So naturally she set out to become a scientist and have a lab of her own. But years of budget cuts and writing grant proposals wore on her and breakdowns were frequent. She enlists an eccentric friend to take on her dream with her and they travel the country in search of a home base. Hope’s memoir is one that seeps into your bones and never leaves you. I highly recommend listening to the audio book, read by the author herself, for a more intimate experience. I adored every minute of it.

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube by Blair Braverman
Braverman left her California home at age 18 to learn to drive sled dogs in Norway. She fell in love with the Arctic amidst her fears and reservations of being a young woman in a man’s world. When she later worked as a tour guide on an Alaskan glacier, she braved whiteouts, unprepared guests, and an abusive relationship with a fellow guide. This memoir is a fast paced, yet quiet and reserved, coming of age story of a resilient and determined woman who found her place in the white world of the North.

Fast Into The Night by Debbie Clarke Moderow

Debbie fell in love with mushing after a friend gave her an old sled dog, Salt, for a pet during a hard time in her life. She was in her forties and a mother of two when she finally decided to run the Iditarod. She had experience running other races and had the full support of her family, all mushers in their own right, but unfortunately had to scratch on her first try. Two years later, Debbie was back on the trail with her memorable dogs Kanga, Juliet, Lil’ Su, Piney, Creek, Zeppy, Nacho and Taiga. This time, her tenacity and resilience got her to the finish line on Nome. This is a beautiful story of love and dedication between a family and their dogs.

On Trails by Robert Moor
Moor has hiked many miles on the trails and in 2009, he completed the Appalachian Trail. But this is not just a memoir of his trips, it’s a historical and philosophical look at why trails are formed, how they form and what motivates beings to want to travel them. Over seven years, he traveled the world to visit well-beaten trails to answer these questions. He visits ancient trails that span continents formed by the first organisms to migrate as well as well-beaten Native American trails and trails that served as precursors to our highway system. I greatly enjoyed reading this unique and quizative look into my favorite pastime and appreciated Moor’s brilliant and thought-provoking writing.

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
This book blew my mind from the very beginning. Wohlleben pulls together the latest scientific research to make a case that trees are social beings and work together to create livable forests. He argues that trees communicate with each other, share nutrients and even warn each other of danger. He says that trees can be friends and share their space by growing their branches away from each other and they even talk to each other through their roots. I have to admit, it all sounds a bit magical. But, if you’ve ever walked through a forest and felt its energy, you might just recognize the magic.

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Reading List: Summer 2016

July 10, 2016March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

There are so many great new releases to read this summer that I had to share a list. These are perfect for reading around the campfire. Enjoy and happy summer!

Barkskins by Annie Proulx
A 700 page saga spanning the globe and multiple centuries about deforestation? Yes, please! Maybe it’s just me but I could not resist this book. This is my first Proulx novel and I now know this- man, she can construct an exquisite sentence. I’m only about 100 pages into it and I’m sold. The book begins in the late 17th century following a group of French wood-cutters, or barkskins, in “New France” or what we now know as Quebec, Canada. There is violence, intrigue and revenge. More than anything, Proulx really sets the scene and makes you feel like you are really there. When I’m not reading the book I’m thinking about it, and I have a feeling I’ll be thinking about it all summer as I savor it in small chunks.

The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church
This novel begins in 1941 with a young budding ornithologist named Meridian. She has great ambition in her field but her trajectory is thrown off when she falls in love with a professor. They marry and move west to Los Alamos so he can work on an important secret project, which of course is later revealed as the atomic bomb. Meanwhile, Meridian studies the local crow population and dreams of grad school and a career. Years later in the 1960’s, when she meets a young man on her daily walk through the nearby canyons, her life is changed forever. This is a book about love, but also about staying true to yourself and that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

Under the Stars by Dan White
What is better to read while sitting around a campfire than a history of sitting around the campfire? Dan White takes on the grand story of one of America’s favorite pastimes. He sets out to camp all over the country while searching for the answers to camper’s burning questions, like when did the night forest turn from terrifying land of demons to cozy camping spot? He highlights famous campers like Thoreau, Roosevelt, and Muir and discovers the origins of Leave No Trace. This is a must read for any and all curious campers.

A Woman’s Guide to the Wild by Ruby McConnell
Are you new to hiking? Is this your first summer on the trails? Or are you considering taking your skills a little further? Maybe you want to try backpacking or solo hiking? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions then I highly recommend this guide book. I must admit that I was skeptical of a handbook for women in the wild, but Ruby does it flawlessly. She breaks down what you really need to know and what to not waste your time on. With the exception of one chapter on how to pee in the woods, this book could really be for anyone, but it’s knowing that the advice is coming from a woman with expansive knowledge and experience that lets you know that you are in good hands. If you are looking for a great resource for all things outdoors, including how to pitch a tent, build a fire, and cook food on a campfire this is the book for you.

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Reading List: River

April 11, 2016November 22, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

North of Hope by Shannon Huffman Polson
Shannon Polson bravely shares her story of grief and healing in the wilderness of Alaska. After her parents are killed by a grizzly bear on a river in the far reaches of Alaska, Polson searches for ways to heal. She turns to the music and the wilderness and eventually goes to raft the river where he parents died to find peace. This is a raw and beautifully written memoir of searching for meaning after loss.

Paddlenorth by Jennifer Kingsley
Kingsley and five companions were looking for adventure when they decided to paddle the Back River in the northern reaches of arctic Canada. It was a 54 day journey and they battled high winds, stubborn ice, and for some, their haunting pasts. The history of the river’s exploration is weaved throughout the book and a more current story is uncovered when they find an abandoned camp, canoe and backpacks. Meanwhile the team is constantly on the lookout for migrating caribou and grizzlies as they navigate the river and the relationships of the team. This compelling adventure memoir is raw, satisfying, and impossible to put down.

The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko
This is a true, fast-paced wild ride of a story through the Grand Canyon. In 1983, a massive flood on the Colorado River presented challenges unimaginable. While the engineers were dealing with how to manage the Glen Canyon Dam, a man in a rescued small wooden dory named “The Emerald Mile” went out to run the entire river in record time and almost lost his life in the seemingly impossible feat.

Riverwalking by Kathleen Dean Moore
I’ve just recently discovered Kathleen Dean Moore’s work and she is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. In this collection of essays, she ruminates on spending time on a river with stories of getting lost in a boat and finding her way in the dark, a harrowing river crossing, rafting rapids and simply walking the shoreline. Moore is a philosopher and nature lover and her provocative writing always leaves me feeling satisfied and thinking about life’s big questions.

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Annie Dillard is a queen of nature writing. She was in her 20’s when she published Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and it gained wide praise and won her a Pulitzer Prize. The book is comprised of her wanderings and thoughts throughout the year along Tinker Creek near where she lived in Virginia’s Blue Mountains. She includes her observations, thoughts on religion, solitude and nature in beautiful and thought-provoking metaphors. This is a classic that every nature-lover should read. Already read this one and want more? Dillard’s newest collection of essays, The Abundance, is now out in hardcover.

Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
This is the charming children’s story we all read as kids. It begins with Mole giving up on his spring cleaning and going out for a walk. He discovers the nearby river and meets Rat, who lives and plays there. Rat teaches Mole how to row a boat and ultimately sows the seeds of a friendship. They go to visit Badger in the Wild Wood and are always trying to keep their reckless friend Toad out of trouble. This warmhearted tale of friendship, nature and adventure was published in 1908 and drew from Grahames own experiences growing up on the River Thames in England.

Reading List

Reading List: Antarctica

March 7, 2016March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

Antarctica: An Intimate Portrait by Gabrielle Walker
This book is a great place to start for all things Antarctica. Walker spent a year on the white continent visiting several bases to see what it’s really like to live and work there. She follows scientists searching the Dry Valleys for tiny bacterial life that may give clues to what life might be like on Mars. She scanned the snow in harsh conditions searching for meteorites and visited the Dark Sector where the telescopes live. Walker gives the best descriptions that I’ve read of what it really feels like to be there over the winter with the isolation and feelings of madness and cabin fever. The history of Antarctic exploration woven throughout completes the book and gives the reader a thorough overview of the continent. If you only read one book on the list- make it this one.

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Shackleton’s unintended voyage across the south Atlantic was incredible indeed. He and his crew set sail in 1914 to Antarctica with the intention of crossing the entire continent by foot. Only a day before they were scheduled to arrive, they found themselves locked in pack ice. After ten months, the ship was finally crushed and the crew were forced to make a decision. They decided to brave the frigid ocean in a small lifeboat to find the tiny island of South Georgia, 850 miles away, a seemingly impossible endeavor. What followed is a survival story for the history books, retold in this classic.

Empire Antarctica by Gavin Francis
This is a thoughtful meditation on Francis’ year in Antarctica working as a basecamp doctor. He lived at Halley Research Station, nicknamed “Starbase Halley” where “it is said to be easier to evacuate a medical casualty from the International Space Station than it is to bring someone out of Halley in the winter.” He speaks to life without the distractions of everyday life during the long Antarctic winter. He also fulfills his lifelong dream of spending time with Empire penguins as they overwinter while protecting their precious eggs huddled in a pack. This is a lovely meditation of life in Antarctica and quietly delightful.

Alone on the Ice by David Roberts
This is the little known and amazing story of Douglas Mawson, a geologist who led the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) to an unexplored section of Antarctica from 1911 to 1914. The purpose of the expedition was to chart 2000 miles of the coastline to the south of Australia and to gather scientific data. Mawson’s journey was eclipsed by the race to the South Pole that was occurring at the same time, an endeavor that Mawson had no interest in. Mawson and two others formed a survey team and had a successful five weeks of exploring when suddenly one of the men, six dogs, the tent, food rations and other crucial gear fell into a crevasse. This epic story of exploration, survival and tenacity is a must read for any Antarctic adventure lovers.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
This is one of the funniest novels I’ve read in a long time. It’s about Bernadette, a woman in Seattle dealing with the chaos of motherhood, career, ambitions, a Microsoftie husband and passive aggressive private school moms. What does this have to Antarctica? Bernadette’s daughter, Bee, is promised a family trip to Antarctica if she aces her report card. And Bernadette, who is fraught with anxiety and agoraphobia, can’t think of anything worse than a trip to the end of the world.

Reading List

Reading List: Best of 2015

December 30, 2015March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

Phenomenal by Leigh Ann Henion
After becoming a new mother, Leigh Ann set off on a quest to observe seven natural phenomena around the world: a butterfly migration, bioluminescent waters, Catatumbo lightning, a volcanic eruption, the northern lights, the great migration of Tanzania, and a total solar eclipse. This is a compelling travel story on it’s own, but Leigh Ann gives us so much more. She looks for meaning in these unexplained wonders, learning not just the scientific explanations but also the cultural aspects and the overlapping of the two. She contemplates spirituality, mythology and ultimately what it means to be human.

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens
This is the fictional story of an 18-year-old boy named Wolf who, on a cool November day, rides a gondola to the top of a mountain to end his life. But on the way he meets some unprepared hikers and the four of them become lost on the mountain. In the following days the hikers learn about each other and their secrets. This riveting adventure story will have you double checking your ten essentials before going out on your next hike and staying up all night reading about these fascinating characters.

The Mountain Can Wait by Sarah Leipciger
The novel opens with a late night hit-and-run where a girl is injured and then jumps back and forth in time revealing the story of a man and his two kids making their way in the logging country of Canada. The father must come to face the difficulties of being a single father and the duties that go along with it. The story weaves through time with vivid descriptions of nature and the realities of a rugged lifestyle. It will leave you wanting more.

Headwaters, Poems & Field Notes by Saul Weisberg
As I read this collection of poems I got the same feeling I get when I think of my favorite hikes. The poems are short and succinct and evoke a sense of place with every word. This is the type of poetry I’ve been looking for, the type that I can understand and doesn’t try to be anything more than it is. Saul writes about the North Cascades and is the executive director of the North Cascades Institute. He has worked in the Northwest as a climbing ranger, field biologist, fisherman and fire lookout and lives in Bellingham, WA.

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
After the devastating loss of her father, Helen pours all that is left of herself into training a goshawk. She revisits old books for guidance, The Goshawk and The Once and Future King by T.H. White and draws on the parallels to her own journey to find solace. The writing in this book is beautiful and touching and looks to answer one of life’s big questions: can nature help to sooth our deepest sorrows?

The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf
It’s likely that you’ve heard his name before as it has been lent to counties, towns, rivers, mountains and lakes all over North America. But the story of Humboldt’s life is more fascinating and impressive than I could have imagined. He was a famous world traveler, mountain climber, volcano lover, and naturalist. He was a revolutionary thinker of his time and was one of the first to draw parallels throughout nature- he believed that everything is connected. This little remembered scientist influenced our most treasured scientists and writers: Darwin, John Muir and Thoreau among many others. This is a must read for anyone who loves history and nature.

Paddlenorth by Jennifer Kingsley
Kingsley and five companions were looking for adventure when they decided to paddle the Back River in the northern reaches of arctic Canada. It was a 54 day journey and they battled high winds, stubborn ice, and for some, their haunting pasts. The history of the river’s exploration is weaved throughout the book and a more current story is uncovered when they find an abandoned camp, canoe and backpacks. Meanwhile the team is constantly on the lookout for migrating caribou and grizzlies as they navigate the river and the relationships of the team. This is a compelling adventure memoir is raw, satisfying, and impossible to put down.

Reclaimers by Ana Maria Spagna
Spagna travels up and down the west coast to the Panamints, the Sierra, and the Cascade Mountains to bring us stories of reclamation. She visits the Timbisha Shoshone in Death Valley and the Mountain Maidu in Humbug Valley both looking to take back parts of their sacred homelands. And she visits the Friends of the White Salmon River who fought to remove the inefficient Condit dam obstructing traditional salmon runs. These beautiful stories reflect the intricate relationship between people and nature and provide hope in a time of unsettling change.

All The Wild That Remains by David Gessner
Gessner follows in the footsteps of two iconic Western writers: Edward Abbey and Wallace Stegner. Both men left lasting imprints on their favorite parts of the Western landscape but in very different ways. Stegner, once Abbey’s writing teacher, took a traditional and disciplined approach to conservation and land use. In contrast, Abbey’s dramatic and hostile approach led him to acquire a cult following with his classics The Monkey Wrench Gang and Desert Solitaire. Gessner relates the men’s perspectives to current day issues as he travels from Stegner’s birthplace in Saskatchewan to Abbey’s burial place in the Southwest.

Rain: A Natural and Cultural History by Cynthia Barnett
Whether it is too much or not enough, humanity has a complicated relationship with the ever-important phenomenon of rain. Barnett starts at the beginning and paints a picture of Earth’s very first showers and the formation of the oceans. The timeline between then and now is weaved with science from Noah’s flood to Thomas Jefferson: our first forecaster, climate change and everything in between. Humans have attempted to control the flows with dams and levies, cloud seeding, rain dances and sacrifices but we have yet to conquer it. It has brought us together and torn us apart and will always be a part of our everyday life.

Reading List

Reading List: Halloween

October 29, 2015March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

When I was a kid I had an obsession with Halloween books. Anything about ghosts, werewolves and vampires excited me (this was well before the Twilight craze, btw). I vividly remember circling all the creepy books in my 3rd grade Halloween Scholastic book order pamphlet and begging my dad to buy them all for me and then reluctantly narrowing it down to one or two choices. I frequented our local bookstore, The Lexicon, and bought all the Goosebumps and Fear Street books with my allowance. I just loved being scared. These days I am still drawn to creepy books, not the full-on horror kind, but the ones that keep me up at night because I want to finish them with my heart racing just a bit. Here are some of my favorite chilly and creepy books with an outdoor theme perfect for the season.

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens

Oh my, this book is so good. Its the fictional story of an 18-year-old boy named Wolf who, on a cool November day, rides a gondola to the top of a mountain to end his life. But on the way he meets some unprepared hikers and the four of them become lost on the mountain. In the following days the hikers learn about each other and their secrets. This book will have you double checking your ten essentials before going out on your next hike and staying up all night reading about these fascinating characters. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year and a perfect autumn read.

Haunted Hikes by Andrea Lankford

There is nothing better than ghost stories from the trails. Lankford, a former National Park Ranger, sets out to tell you what they don’t tell you the travel brochures, muhahahaha. These true stories of disappearances, hauntings and even murder span the country’s most famous National Parks. But be careful, it will certainly put terrifying images in your head on your next foggy hike.

St Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves & Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell

Karen Russell is one of my favorite authors. Her stories are dark, mystical and creepy, just what I love. I read these books a few years ago and I still have vivid images in my mind from their pages. Her stories are usually about kids and mostly take place in the outdoors – a plane crash site on a glacier, a stormy seaside or a magical Florida swamp and they are topped with just a touch of magical realism. I don’t want to spoil the stories too much, I just encourage you to go discover them for yourself.

The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac by Sharma Shields

Many words have been used to describe this debut novel by Spokane-based author, Sharma Shields: weird, dark, fantastical, whimsical, bizarre, surreal and spooky are just a few. The book follows the life of Eli, a young boy who watches his mother run away with a sasquatch by the name of Mr Krantz and grows up obsessed with proving the beast’s existence. There are many monsters in this book but the humans are real and their emotions are relatable. This book will stick with you in a strange, haunting and wonderful way.

Wildwood by Colin Meloy
I adore this kids series that has been called “hipster Narnia.” Sure, it’s a little hipster, I mean, it is written by a Portland musician and all, but the story is compelling and I loved spending time in this enchanted world. On a foggy September morning Prue’s baby brother is stolen by a murder of crows and taken across the Willamette River to the Impassable Forest. She and her friend Curtis bravely follow, determined to rescue the baby. They go on to enter an unknown world full of talking coyotes, owls and eagles, and of course, an evil governess. Northwestern trees, plants and animals fill the pages, and even the pesky english ivy makes an appearance. Kids and adults alike will love these whimsical books filled with beautiful, if not hipster, illustrations.

Reading List

Reading List: Outdoor Work

October 8, 2015March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

I’ve been thinking a lot about my career choices lately and sometimes feel like I should be working outdoors. So I found all the books I could find written by people who work outdoors. Well, now I am a bit more hesitant to give up my comfy cubicle- working outdoors is incredibly hard work. These people are a bit rough around the edges, often lonely, marginalized, underfunded and under appreciated. Most people think these jobs are easy and can be done by anyone with no particular skill. They would be very wrong. If you’ve ever considered working outdoors or think they have it easy, you should read these books.

Ranger Confidential by Andrea Lankford

If you think that National Park Rangers have an easy job, you would be very wrong. Lankford dispels this myth as she shares her stories from 12 years as a Ranger at Cape Cod, Yosemite and Grand Canyon, some of the busiest parks in the country. Rangers are not only historians, plant, wildlife and trail experts, they are also law enforcement officers, trained first responders and rescuers. They are often misunderstood and sadly under appreciated. In a time when the Parks are suffering from understaffing and budget cuts, this is a must read.

Smokejumper by Jason A. Ramos

This newly released book is a timely memoir of a smokejumper in the Pacific Northwest after another summer of epic wildfires. Ramos traces his history in the field from the beginning including details of the rigorous boot camp style training program to stories from the field. He also pays tribute to other famous firefighters over the years and discusses the controversial shift in wildfire fighting, deciding when to fight them and when to let them burn. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like for the amazing smokejumpers that risk their lives in the fiery wild, this book is the complete package.

Lives in Ruins by Marilyn Johnson

As a kid, I went through a phase when I wanted to be an archaeologist when I grew up. I don’t think I was the only one under the spell of the Indiana Jones affect. It seemed like such an exciting job in the outdoors and making breakthrough historical discoveries. But the truth is that life as an archaeologist requires the patience of a saint along with a high tolerance of dirt, uncomfortable locations and low wages. Johnson highlights some dedicated archaeologists and sheds a light on the realities of this fascinating field.

A Mile In Her Boots by Jennifer Bove

If you read only one book on this list, make it this one. This is a compilation of stories from women who have worked in all aspects of the outdoors. There are stories from forest service workers, park rangers, trail workers, ski instructors, hunters, smokejumpers, wildlife researchers and rafting guides. My favorite stories are about a cloud collector (yes, it’s a thing) and a story from a fire lookout who gets an unexpected late night visitor. I love these stories and I love that there are women out there doing these jobs. They are truly inspiring.

Now Go Home by Ana Maria Spagna

This collection of essays is a raw and beautiful rumination on what it means to work in the outdoors. Ana Maria doesn’t want a normal 9-5 job so she moves to Darrington, WA to work for the forest service and do trail work. She shares the ups and downs and contemplates how she ended up in this role. She often questions her career decisions but ultimately decides that her calling is to the outdoors and she moves to the isolated town of Stehekin to continue her life of service and to write. Ana Maria is an important outdoor writer and we are lucky to have a new book from her this fall, Reclaimers.

A Hunger For High Country by Susan Marsh

Susan Marsh worked 20 years for the forest service in the 1980’s and 90’s in Montana and Wyoming. She dealt with the usual sexism of the time, being singled out and undermined. She often struggled with the paperwork and the monotonous daily tasks that ate at her and many times she wanted to quit. But she didn’t quit. Instead she put everything into her work. She spent her days exploring and documenting places that she fought to save, she worked with conservationists and environmentalists to come up with solutions to problems of loving the outdoors to death and she became an integral player in the management of our forests and parks. She shows by example that it is important to fight for what you love, even if it takes sacrifice.

Pickets and Dead Men by Bree Loewen

Bree’s account of her time as climbing ranger on Mount Rainier is harrowing and intense. As a women she is constantly battling for respect from the other rescuers and even those being rescued. She learns to keep her cool while recovering dead bodies from the mountains and when her colleagues put her in difficult situations. I was exhausted reading this book. I felt the aches and coldness she described while climbing back and forth to Camp Muir in the snow without a jacket. Bree’s efforts as a ranger were heroic, and as with most of these jobs, not appreciated nearly enough.

See Also: Lookouts

Reading List

Reading List: Lookouts

July 17, 2015March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

Some of my very favorite trails in the Cascades switchback through meadows to the top of a bare ridge with a little wooden shack plunked on top like a delicious cherry. Thousands of fire lookouts popped up on the mountain tops in the early 1900’s in an era of western expansion and dominance, and the men and women that staffed the lookouts became heros. Some tiny solitary huts were graced with the presence of conservationist Edward Abbey and the zen buddhist poets of the beat generation: Gary Snyder, Phillip Whalen, Jack Kerouac.

These days only a small number of lookouts still stand in the Cascades and an even smaller number of them are still staffed. The once rough and solitary lifestyle of a fire lookout has been romanticized in later generations and hopefully the love of these historic buildings will continue to aid in the restoration and preservation of them. I like to think that someday I will quit my job and work as a lookout for a summer. I will finally master proper posture by doing yoga everyday perched upon a rock. I will make tea and do as Gary Snyder did: “wrap up in a blanket in cold weather and read” and patiently wait for the first silent snow flakes of the fall. But more realistically I will forget the yoga, have terrible posture and will slowly go crazy making a list of ways to die in or around a lookout. But hey, a girl can dream…

This edition of camp reads kicks off a special series of posts dedicated to some of my favorite lookout hikes in the Cascades. Look for these additional posts throughout the summer and fall!

Fire Season by Philip Connors

In 2001 Connors was a copy-editor at the Wall Street Journal in New York City. After 9/11 he quit his job and visited a friend in New Mexico. She was a fire lookout in the Gila National Forest and was looking for someone to take over her spot. Connors has been working there every summer since. The book is a memoir of his time in the lookout and a love story to the Gila National Forest, one of the largest National Forests and includes more wilderness area than any other National Forest. The most famous of these is the Aldo Leopold Wilderness named for the conservationist. This is a great account of the modern fire lookout. You can see his photos from the lookout and check out his new book on his website.

Poets on the Peaks by John Suiter

It all started when Gary Snyder walked into the Marblemount forest service office in 1952 and requested to be sent to the “highest, most remote, and most difficult-of-access lookout” in the North Cascades. They all laughed and sent him up a miserable trail to Crater Mountain. The now famous poet influenced many famous writers of the era with the likes of Phillip Whalen and Jack Kerouac. They all spent time alone in the lookouts of the North Cascades and studied zen buddhism, practiced yoga and wrote poems and books. Written from unpublished letters, journals and interviews with Snyder and Whalen, this book tells of the lives of these men centered on their time as lookouts.

Mountains of Memory by Don Scheese

Like Fire Season, Scheese portrays the ways of the modern fire lookout in his memoir. He was a lookout for over a decade in the rugged wilderness of Idaho. When he’s not on the lookout he’s backpacking, climbing mountains and rafting the Salmon River and always contemplating the role of humans in the forest. As a nature writer he studies Thoreau, Snyder and Abbey and notes the wildflowers blooming about the lookout. He now spends his days as an English and Environmental Studies professor.

The Big Burn by Timothy Egan

In 1910 a massive forest fire ripped through Montana, Idaho and Washington. It was the biggest fire ever seen in the west and over ten thousand men fought it. Egan tells the story of the “Big Burn” and the events leading up to it through the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and his chief forester, Gifford Pinchot. The story has been documented on the PBS show American Experience and can be watched on the PBS website. Egan, who grew up in Seattle, has written extensively about the history of the west. His latest book, Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher is about the fascinating life of the legendary photographer Edward Curtis.

Lookouts by Ira Spring and Byron Fish

This is the ultimate handbook for the Cascades & Olympics lookout lover. It chronicles all of the lookouts built in the cascades and gives a little history and photos for many of them. Reading through the book you’ll get a good sense of the importance of the lookouts to our mountains and the crazy places they perched these little houses on. The complete list of lookouts in the back of the book lists when they were built and if they are still standing (as of 1996 for the 2nd edition). It’s the perfect starting point to build a list of lookouts to visit.

Additional info on lookouts:

National Historic Lookout Register (with interactive maps of lookouts in every state)
Washington Fire Lookout Sites (with historic photos)
List of Fire Lookouts Currently Standing in Washington

See Also: Tatoosh by Martha Hardy

Reading List

Reading List: Long Distance

May 29, 2015November 21, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

Now that Memorial Day has passed and we got our first barbeque under our belts, it’s officially summer! It’s time for long hot slogs up mountains, weird hiking boot tan lines and eating gorp while reading books! Here are some great adventure stories to add to your summer reading list. Have any favorites to add? I would love to hear about them in the comments!

I Hike by Lawton Grinter

Lawton Grinter takes out the monotony of his over 10,000 hiking miles and gives us his best stories from his thru-hikes. These include an ice cream eating contest on the AT that goes terribly wrong (I do not recommend reading this one while enjoying your trail food), to learning to pee while walking to save time (all those minutes spent leaving the trail for privacy just wastes time), to the heart-felt story of losing the person who influenced his long-distance hiking and a harrowing story of a lost hiker on the PCT. Anyone with a trail name will find a comrade in Grinter and all others will find a great story teller. You can get more of Grinter on the monthly podcast, The Trail Show and his trail documentary, Walkumentary.

Almost Somewhere by Suzanne Roberts

At the age of 22, Suzanne and two girlfriends from college set off to hike the 210 mile long John Muir Trail through the High Sierra in California. The trip is harder than any of them imagined and they were mired by rain, hunger, aching muscles and personality differences. Suzanne, a big fan of John Muir, naively thought that the beauty of the mountains would simply propel her along the trail and speak to her in a profound way. Instead, she learns important lessons about dedication, friendship and about what it means to be a woman on the trails.

I Promise Not to Suffer by Gail Storey

After a career crisis, Gail’s husband Porter decides to crisscross the country with two long distance bikes rides and hiking the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. Gail commits to the bike riding, but she was not much of a hiker. She gives up on the AT, promising that she would do the PCT. Finally the time came and she couldn’t back out. Now in their fifties, the couple, dubbed by their trail mates as Porter-and-Gail struggle to make their way. Gail loses too much weight and has trouble carrying her load as Porter is increasingly impatient. The two make their way all the while contemplating their life issues- Porter was weighing his career options and Gail’s mother was dying of cancer. They are ultimately contemplating their reasons for being on the trail and how to reconcile these reasons with what was happening off trail. The pain, struggle and passion can be felt in Gail’s writing as she does her best to keep to the trail for the deep love of her husband. Porter-and-Gail’s adventures continue on her blog.

Walking the Big Wild by Karsten Heuer

Karsten and his wife Leanne are no strangers to the long distance way of life. They spent their honeymoon chasing migratory caribou on foot for five months in northern Canada and Alaska . They also paddled, walked, and sailed across Canada with their two-year-old toddler to meet Farley Mowat (one of my favorite authors!). This book tells the story of another long distance journey, this time through the Rockies from Yellowstone to the Yukon in search of the grizzly bear. Karsten is a wildlife biologist and he set out to determine how human development and deforestation effects the migratory routes of wildlife in this important corridor. His goal is to study and bring attention to the obstacles to wildlife in this area keeping them from completing traditional migrations. This book does just that while also telling a compelling story of adventure.

A Long Trek Home by Erin McKittrick

Erin, a Seattle native, met her husband Hig in college and they have been adventuring since. After graduation they decided to set off to Alaska. They did not fly or drive there like us normal people would do. They got there completely self-powered by boat, ski and foot over a staggering 4000 miles. They wanted to find adventure, but they also wanted to raise awareness of the deforestation, mining operations and loss of salmon habitat that plagued their route. Erin helped found the non-profit Ground Truth Trekking that works on conservation issues in Alaska. She, Hig and their two kids live off the grid in a yurt on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. She writes about their life on her blog.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Ok, I know this book is on all the hiking book lists and Bryson’s trip on the trail was a short one in comparison to the journeys of the others on this list, but this book is just downright entertaining. I remember reading the whole book on a rainy spring day and I couldn’t wait to get my feet in my boots. It’s become a classic of sorts, and coming this fall it will be a movie starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. It looks kind of reminiscent of that bucket list movie: a feel-good movie about some old guys going on an adventure. I don’t exactly have high hopes for the movie, but I will definitely watch it.