More college students than ever are majoring in Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor Education, or Adventure Education, but fewer and fewer Americans spend any time in thoughtful, respectful engagement with wilderness. While many young people may think of adrenaline-laced extreme sports as prime outdoor activities, with Outdoors in the Southwest, Andrew Gulliford seeks to promote appreciation for and discussion of the wild landscapes where those sports are played. Advocating an outdoor ethic based on curiosity, cooperation, humility, and ecological literacy, this essay collection features selections by renowned southwestern writers including Terry Tempest Williams, Edward Abbey, Craig Childs, and Barbara Kingsolver, as well as scholars, experienced guides, and river rats. Essays explain the necessity of nature in the digital age, recount rafting adventures, and reflect on the psychological effects of expeditions. True-life cautionary tales tell of encounters with nearly disastrous flash floods, 900-foot falls, and lightning strikes. The final chapter describes the work of Great Old Broads for Wilderness, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, and other exemplars of “wilderness tithing”—giving back to public lands through volunteering, stewardship, and eco-advocacy. Addressing the evolution of public land policy, the meaning of wilderness, and the importance of environmental protection, this collection serves as an intellectual guidebook not just for students but for travelers and anyone curious about the changing landscape of the West.

More college students than ever are majoring in Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor Education, or Adventure Education, but fewer and fewer Americans spend any time in thoughtful, respectful engagement with wilderness. While many young people may think of adrenaline-laced extreme sports as prime outdoor activities, with Outdoors in the Southwest, Andrew Gulliford seeks to promote appreciation for and discussion of the wild landscapes where those sports are played. Advocating an outdoor ethic based on curiosity, cooperation, humility, and ecological literacy, this essay collection features selections by renowned southwestern writers including Terry Tempest Williams, Edward Abbey, Craig Childs, and Barbara Kingsolver, as well as scholars, experienced guides, and river rats. Essays explain the necessity of nature in the digital age, recount rafting adventures, and reflect on the psychological effects of expeditions. True-life cautionary tales tell of encounters with nearly disastrous flash floods, 900-foot falls, and lightning strikes. The final chapter describes the work of Great Old Broads for Wilderness, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, and other exemplars of “wilderness tithing”—giving back to public lands through volunteering, stewardship, and eco-advocacy. Addressing the evolution of public land policy, the meaning of wilderness, and the importance of environmental protection, this collection serves as an intellectual guidebook not just for students but for travelers and anyone curious about the changing landscape of the West.

A collection of landscape design ideas based upon 12 actual projects.

* More than 100 hikes included * Includes lesser-visited Dinosaur National Monument, Salinas National Monument, Snow Canyon State Park, and northern San Rafael Swel, as well as the major parks and wilderness areas * Includes trips in more recently designated national monuments and wilderness areas such as Grand Staircase-Escalante, Canyons of the Ancients, Black Ridge Canyons, and more Hiking the Southwest Canyon Country will take you from the Colorado Plateau to the Grand Canyon to the banks of the Rio Grande. Perfect for hikers off all levels, this guidebook features trips that highlight the dramatic scenery of the Four Corners Region, from waterfalls and natural bridges to slot canyons. Each itinerary offers options such as day hikes, backpacking trips, scenic drives, raft trips, and visits to archaeological sites. You'll find a "Best Places Adventure Chart" that compares features of hikes such as rock art, arches, and serene rivers.

The Resource for the Independent Traveler For over forty years Let's Go Travel Guides have brought budget-savvy travelers closer to the world and its diverse cultures by providing the most up-to-date information. Includes: · Entries at all price levels for lodging, food, attractions, and more · Advice for adrenaline sports, including rock climbing and mountain biking · Essential advice for getting around and maintaining a car in the desert · In-depth coverage of Native American culture and life in the region · Opportunities to make a difference through study, work, and volunteering · Detailed maps of cities, towns, and the outdoors Unique Adventures for Adrenaline-Seekers: · Shred the world-famous mountain bike trails of Moab's Slickrock · Climb the dunes of White Sands National Monument by moonlight · Push 70 mph down the Olympic bobsled course near Park City, Utah · Camp under green waterfalls on the floor of the Grand Canyon · Preserve native artifacts on a New Mexico archaeological dig Get advice, read up, and book tickets at www.letsgo.com

While on a camping trip, Ted Kerasote met a dog--a Labrador mix--who was living on his own in the wild. They became attached to each other, and Kerasote decided to name the dog Merle and bring him home. There, he realized that Merle's native intelligence would be diminished by living exclusively in the human world. He put a dog door in his house so Merle could live both outside and in. A deeply touching portrait of a remarkable dog and his relationship with the author, Merle's Door explores the issues that all animals and their human companions face as their lives intertwine, bringing to bear the latest research into animal consciousness and behavior as well as insights into the origins and evolution of the human-dog partnership. Merle showed Kerasote how dogs might live if they were allowed to make more of their own decisions, and Kerasote suggests how these lessons can be applied universally.

Welcome to Bushwhack, New Mexico: home to tourists, the great outdoors, and murder... Tourist season has hit Bushwhack and Andie Sullivan--owner of Sullivan's Adventure Company--is ready for her town to fill up with city slickers, snotty teens, and the dollars she needs to keep her business afloat after her messy divorce from Bucky Gunn--local celebrity rafting guide and Sullivan's main competition. With all her guided tours booked, it finally seems lady luck is on her side. But then Bucky is found dead. Not great. And she's the prime murder suspect. Double not great. Being framed for murder sucks worse than a rabid chipmunk bite. Andie's determined to clear her name, and this time her survival training skills won't be used to fetch an ice pack. But how long can she stay one step ahead of a killer before she becomes the final victim?