For the first time since 1984, we have a new edition of the classic book that Field & Stream called “the Hiker’s Bible.” For this version, the celebrated writer and hiker Colin Fletcher has taken on a coauthor, Chip Rawlins, himself an avid outdoorsman and a poet from Wyoming. Together, they have made this fourth edition of The Complete Walker the most informative, entertaining, and thorough version yet. The eighteen years since the publication of The Complete Walker III have seen revolutionary changes in hiking and camping equipment: developments in waterproofing technology, smaller and more durable stoves, lighter boots, more manageable tents, and a wider array of food options. The equipment recommendations are therefore not merely revised and tweaked, but completely revamped. During these two decades we have also seen a deepening of environmental consciousness. Not only has backpacking become more popular, but a whole ethic of responsible outdoorsmanship has emerged. In this book the authors confidently lead us through these technological, ethical, and spiritual changes. Fletcher and Rawlins’s thorough appraisal and recommendation of equipment begins with a “Ground Plan,” a discussion of general hiking preparedness. How much to bring? What are the ideal clothes, food, boots, and tents for your trip? They evaluate each of these variables in detail—including open, honest critiques and endorsements of brand-name equipment. Their equipment searches are exhaustive; they talk in detail about everything from socks to freeze-dried trail curries. They end as they began, with a philosophical and literary disquisition on the reasons to walk, capped off with a delightful collection of quotes about walking and the outdoor life. After a thoughtful and painstaking analysis of hiking gear from hats to boots, from longjohns to tent flaps, they remind us that ultimately hiking is about the experience of being outdoors and seeing the green world anew. Like its predecessors, The Complete Walker IV is an essential purchase for anyone captivated by the outdoor life.

The remarkable classic of nature writing by the first man ever to have walked the entire length of the Grand Canyon.

Whether you're a first-time backpacker, an occasional weekend warrior, or a seasoned long-distance trekker, this guide is a must for any backpacking, hiking, or camping trip. Supreme long-distance hiker Andrew Skurka—accomplished adventure athlete, speaker, guide, and writer—shares his knowledge in this essential guide to backpacking gear and skills. Skurka recounts what he's learned from more than 30,000 miles of long-distance hikes, including the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails, and the 4,700-mile Alaska-Yukon Expedition. A show-and-tell guide to clothing, footwear, backpacks, shelter and sleep systems, camp stoves, and more, as well as tips on foot care, campsite selection, and hiking efficiency, this single book contains all the knowledge you'll need to hit the trail. This second edition features 16 new pages (including food on the trail and other essentials), and updates all gear recommendations.

Jorgen Johansson was a traditional backpacker for decades until he started using and adapting ultralight and lightweight backpacking techniques to the demanding circumstances of the tundra mountains of northern Europe. Apart from his books he also contributes articles to outdoor magazines and holds courses and lectures on lightweight hiking techniques. More info can be found at www.smarterbackpacking.com -- from publisher.

Spells and prophecies sew havoc in the fight for humankind in the 4th novel of the #1 New York Times bestselling author’s epic fantasy series. Having taken his rightful place as Lord Rahl, ruler of D’Hara, Richard must once again postpone his wedding to Kahlan Amnell in order to face the fearsome Imperial Order in a fight for the New World and the freedom of humankind. But while Richard has the brave people of D’Hara at his command, Emperor Jagang of the Imperial Order has a significant advantage: he doesn’t fight fair. Jagang invokes a prophecy that binds Richard and Kahlan to a fate of pain, betrayal, and a path to the Underworld. At Jagang’s behest, a Sister of the Dark gains access into the fabled Temple of the Winds and unleashes a plague that sweeps across the lands like a firestorm. To stop the plague, Richard and Kahlan must risk everything they have—and everything they’ve hoped for.

Walking Man is the only biography of Colin Fletcher, the man who walked through time. He was an iconic American folk hero best known as the first person to force a passage through the length of Grand Canyon National Park in one arduous solo journey. He was the world's most famous long-distance walker. He was the first thru-hiker. Called the father of modern backpacking by Backpacker Magazine and others, Fletcher was the one who showed us the way--more than a million people followed his shadow into the green world. Born in Wales, he was in the first wave of British Marines to hit the beachhead in Normandy on D-Day. After the war he farmed in Kenya, prospected in British Columbia, and then began his writing career in California where he wrote and published ten books. Fletcher's was a preeminent and powerful voice for environmental concerns on par with Edward Abbey and John Muir. He was to the outdoor world and its preservation, what Leonard Bernstein was to music, or Walter Cronkite to reporting. When Colin Fletcher had something to say, people listened. The impact of his work, while unacknowledged, is seen far and wide today. Although most of them don't know it, the hordes of hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail today would not be there without Fletcher's pioneering work.

An exploration of the soul in the form of a final meditation on self-understanding and isolation.