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Required Reading

© Karen E. Lynn

There’s nothing more satisfying than spending the night in the mountains of New England. After a long day on the trail reaping the many rewards of being outdoors in the fresh mountain air, hikers enjoy taking a load off, satiating their calorie deprived bodies with a hot delicious meal, and crawling into a warm soft sleeping bag for a restful night under the stars.

As picturesque as my little fantasy sounds, it oftentimes is just not like that. I love camping and hiking as much as the next person, but after 6-8 hours on a highly technical trail, my feet hurt. My legs are so damaged from the extreme abuse, they stop responding to direction from the brain. Each muscle I own is sore and spent. Cramping is eminent, after the piercing pain of settling lactic acids in muscle tissue makes you cry in pain. With this reality in mind, I often find it difficult to unwind after a hard day on the trail. Sometimes it’s impossible to sleep, and all those mysterious sounds coming out from the darkest corner of the wood, just a few short feet from where you pitched you tent can be quite distracting. To remedy this, I turn to one of the simple pleasures I use at home to unwind after a hectic day at work. Reading. Here are some great books that help keep your perspective of why you’re out in the wild in the first place. They’re also a terrific substitute for when you can’t make it out on the trail.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson Available now in paperback (nice and lightweight for your backpack), this hysterical account of Bryson’s adventures hiking the Appalachian trail. Complete with trail history and environmental points, this book is a joy to read.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer The fascinating story of Chris McCandless, a young man who was drawn to the beautiful and dangerous Alaskan wildernesses in search of a “blank spot on the map.” Expertly reconstructed by Krakauer and a must read for anyone who has felt the unexplainable pull of the wilderness.

Backwoods Ethics by Laura and Guy Waterman A superb reference for environmentally minded hikers and campers, this book seeks to teach low impact use of the wilderness. Laura Waterman and her late husband Guy have long since established themselves as leaders in the area of stewardship in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I highly recommend this for any nature lover. This book makes a difference.

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