Book Reviews

Book Review: Survival Book Roundup

Book Review: Survival Book Roundup

Survival Book Roundup   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published article here and the companion blog here   When it comes to resourcefulness in the outdoors, you don’t need to learn everything by trial and error. There are plenty of great books that can help you sharpen your skills and become a more prepared hiker. Here are some we recommend—and our favorite tips to get you started. Bushcraft 101 By Dave Canterbury Best For: Survival Skills Get ready for whatever nature could throw your way with this guide on bushcraft, (the art of surviving in the woods with as little modern gear as possible). Detailed lessons include firemaking, manufacturing your own tools and gear, foraging, and trapping and processing game. Top Tips: Stones...

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Media Review: Best Outdoor Apps for 2015

Media Review: Best Outdoor Apps for 2015

Best Outdoor Apps for 2015   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published magazine article here and the companion blog here   Smartphones aren’t just for angry avians and hunting zombies. Put your device to work on your hikes with any of these mobile apps. Get links at wta.org/bestapps. Hiking WTA Trailblazer: Explore 1,000s of Washington’s trails and the latest Trip Reports without being tethered to your computer. Bonus points: This app can read your GPS location and suggest trails near you. Best for: iPhone, Android, Windows; Free Field Guides Skyview: Point your smartphone at the sky to identify stars, constellations and satellites. Once downloaded, can be used without cell service. Best for: iPhone, iPad; Free. Have an...

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Book Review: Adventure Round-Up

Book Review: Adventure Round-Up

Adventure Round-Up: Walking Distance and Microadventures   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published article here   Feel inspired to get outside but don’t know where to start? Here are some great books to help turn your dreaming into doing. Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People By Robert and Martha Manning If your hiking goals for next year include logging some international trail miles, make your trip planning a little easier with a copy of Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People. This colorful coffee-table book includes pictures, maps and route descriptions for 30 of the most incredible long-distance hikes around the world. The best part? All of the trails covered in the book are well...

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Book Review: The Adventure Gap (Online Version)

Book Review: The Adventure Gap (Online Version)

Changing the Face of the Outdoors: Q&A with Author James Edward Mills   Written for the Washington Trails Association blog   Visit the published blog here and the companion magazine article here   James Edward Mills is an outdoors journalist, the creator/producer of The Joy Trip Project and the author of upcoming book The Adventure Gap, a new book set to be released by Mountaineers Books in October 2014. In it, Mills chronicles Expedition Denali—the first all-African-American summit attempt on Alaska’s Mount Denali—and creates a compelling case for all Americans to embrace their place in the great outdoors. WTA recently spoke with Mills about his upcoming book. What is the adventure gap? James Edward Mills: We’ve often heard of the...

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Book Review: The Adventure Gap (Print Version)

Book Review: The Adventure Gap (Print Version)

Changing the Face of the Outdoors: Q&A with Author James Edward Mills   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published magazine article here and the companion blog here   James Edward Mills is an outdoors journalist, the creator/producer of The Joy Trip Project (joytripproject.com) and the author of The Adventure Gap, a new book set to be released by Mountaineers Books in October 2014. In it, Mills chronicles Expedition Denali, the first all-African-American summit attempt on Alaska’s Mount Denali and creates a compelling case for all Americans to embrace their place in the great outdoors. We spoke with Mills about the book; below is a short selection from that conversation. To read more from the conversation, visit...

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Book Review: Dirt Work

Book Review: Dirt Work

The Down and Dirty   Written for Washington Trails magazine   Visit the published article here   It’s an intoxicating thought: trade in an office for a forest, a suit for a hard hat, a computer for a shovel. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to quit your day job and do trail maintenance for a living, you’re not alone. Dirt Work: An Education in the Woods tells the true story of Christine Byl. She forewent graduate school in favor of trail work and has since made a career out of 16 seasons spent building trails. Byl’s narrative begins before she ever holds her first Pulaski, back when she’s just a new college graduate who’s broke and looking for a life change. Moving from Michigan and an intellectual upbringing to Montana and manual...

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