Classic Hikes of North America by Peter Potterfield
Good friend and veteran adventure journalist Peter Potterfield has traversed an entire continent to compile an essential guide to twenty-five of the most magnificent trails across the United States and Canada. Beautifully photographed and eminently practical, CLASSIC HIKES OF NORTH AMERICA [W. W. Norton & Company; August 6, 2012; $39.95 hardcover] analyzes spectacular vistas with both beginners and avid hikers in mind.
Three decades have passed since Potterfield “succumbed to the irresistible appeal of the wilderness,” and in that time, he’s mastered a critical skill: identifying where to go. There are an infinite number of breathtaking patches of wilderness and, understanding that it would take lifetimes to see them all, Potterfield undertook the task of prioritizing the routes that brought the greatest return on time, effort, and expense.
Illustrated with more than 200 full color photographs and hiking directions, this volume awakens our wanderlust and demands a journey into the wilderness. The dazzling images and Potterfield’s lush prose offer provocative glimpses at the “sublime experience” of roaming through iconic landscapes and storied peaks. The routes included in this guide cover the Northern Loop in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, the Sawtooth Traverse in Idaho, the Coyote Gulch in the Canyons of the Escalante in Utah, the Hermit-Bright Angel Loop in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona the Slate Range in the Canadian Rockies, and many more.
In addition to providing inspiration, THE CLASSIC HIKES OF NORTH AMERICA is an indispensable source of practical knowledge for those who are ready to venture into the backcountry. Potterfield provides detailed information on each trail and the result is a uniform, accessible guide to the American wilderness. Each chapter contains wisdom such as: level of difficulty, trail conditions, recommended seasons, potential hazards and difficulties, resource information, and detailed maps of hiking routes.
Potterfield, who first journeyed into the backcountry in the 1970s, has hiked and photographed hundreds of trails, learning invaluable lessons along the way. He shares his remarkable wealth of knowledge in CLASSIC HIKES OF NORTH AMERICA, offering his expertise to future generations of hikers and adventurers. This beautiful and informative book truly shows the North American wilderness at its best.
Catch Peter for an engaging slide show & discussion of Classic Hikes of North America at the following locations:
August 3 @ 3:30: Debut booksigning in the Magellan booth at the Outdoor Retailer show, Salt Lake City, Utah
Sept 23: Bend Oregon Great Outdoors Store
Oct 9: Boston Reading REI
Oct 10: Boston downtown REI
Oct 11: DC—Rockville REI
Oct 12: DC—Fairfax REI
Oct 16 Redmond (Seattle) REI
Oct 17 Seattle Flagship REI
Oct 25 New York SoHo REI
Oct 30 Saratoga REI
Oct 31 Corte Madera REI
Nov 1 Berkeley REI
Nov 2 San Carols REI
Nov 7 San Diego REI
Nov 8 Los Angeles Santa Monica REI
Nov 14 Chicago Downtown REI (Lincoln Park)
Nov 28 Minneapolis Flagship REI (Bloomington)
Dec 5: Portland Downtown REI (Oregon)
Dec 6: South Puget Sound REI (Olympia, WA)
