Thousands of hiker's traverse the Appalachian Trail. For most, it's an enjoyable experience. A chance to reconnect with nature, meet interesting people and get a great workout. For some, it can be a nightmare. Multiple women have been raped, ravaged and terrorized, along a 40 miles stretch, in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Authorities are stumped. Unable to find the perpetrator, he strikes again. Eric Lance has a sickness. His heart desires power and control. His perverse appetites know no bounds. Can Rob Stone stop him from wrecking another life along the Appalachian Trail? He's out of shape, has a bum knee, and hiking farther than ever before. His faithful canine companion, Terrance, will have to help him out during a critical time. Finding the perpetrator, and stopping him, could cost both of them dearly. This harrowing thriller is a battle of good versus evil.
Three longtime friends and their wives go on vacation together in the Smokey Mountains. During the vacation, the guys had pre-planned to take a two day hiking trip by themselves on one of the more remote section of The Appalachian Trail. That hike turned out to be the adventure of their lives. It ultimately tested not only their friendship and their wilderness skills but their will to survive. They found themselves being stalked by a killer bear that has been driven mad by rabies. In their efforts to get away from the bear, the unthinkable happens and they loose the trail. During their second encounter with the bear they wind up getting separated from each other. This forces one of them to deal with the terror of two seperate bear attacks while all alone in the middle of the night. In all, either individually or as a group, they experience seven terrifying bear encounters. It ultimately turns into a story of courage, teamwork and overcoming one’s fears. It is a testament to their ingenuity and absolute refusal to be intimidated in the face of terror.
The gripping first-person account of one woman's survival in Joshua Tree National Park against the odds. "A vibrantly physical book"—The Guardian • "Uplifting and brave"—Stylist • "A riveting account of loneliness, anxiety and survival"—Cosmopolitan In 2018, writer Claire Nelson made international headlines when she fell over 25 feet after wandering off the trail in a deserted corner of Joshua Tree. The fall shattered her pelvis, rendering her completely immobile. There Claire lay for the next four days, surrounded by boulders that muffled her cries for help, but exposed her to the relentless California sun above. Her rescuers had not expected to find her alive. In THINGS I LEARNED FROM FALLING Claire tells not only her story of surviving, but also her story of falling. What led this successful thirty-something to a desert trail on the other side of the globe from her home where no one knew she would be that day? At once the unbelievable story of an impossible event, and the human journey of a young woman wrestling with the agitation of past and anxiety of future.
An exciting and deeply moving story of survival, courage, and friendship on the Appalachian Trail. Toby has to finish the final thing on The List. It's a list of brave, daring, totally awesome things that he and his best friend, Lucas, planned to do together, and the only item left is to hike the Appalachian Trail. But now Lucas isn't there to do it with him. Toby's determined to hike the trail alone and fulfill their pact, which means dealing with little things -- the blisters, the heat, the hunger -- and the big things -- the bears, the loneliness, and the memories. When a storm comes, Toby finds himself tangled up in someone else's mess: Two boys desperately need his help. But does Toby have any help to give? The Trail is a remarkable story of physical survival and true friendship, about a boy who's determined to forge his own path -- and to survive.
National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Jennifer Pharr Davis unlocks the secret to maximizing perseverance--on and off the trail Jennifer Pharr Davis, a record holder of the FKT (fastest known time) on the Appalachian Trail, reveals the secrets and habits behind endurance as she chronicles her incredible accomplishments in the world of endurance hiking, backpacking, and trail running. With a storyteller's ear for fascinating detail and description, Davis takes readers along as she trains and sets her record, analyzing and trail-testing the theories and methodologies espoused by her star-studded roster of mentors. She distills complex rituals and histories into easy-to-understand tips and action items that will help you take perseverance to the next level. The Pursuit of Endurance empowers readers to unlock phenomenal endurance and leverage newfound grit to achieve personal bests in everything from sports and family to the boardroom.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The disappearance of a beautiful, charismatic mother leaves her family to piece together her secrets in this propulsive novel for fans of Big Little Lies—from the bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted Was Everything and the upcoming Pretty Things. “Watch Me Disappear is just as riveting as Gone Girl.”—San Francisco Chronicle Who you want people to be makes you blind to who they really are. It’s been a year since Billie Flanagan—a Berkeley mom with an enviable life—went on a solo hike in Desolation Wilderness and vanished from the trail. Her body was never found, just a shattered cellphone and a solitary hiking boot. Her husband and teenage daughter have been coping with Billie’s death the best they can: Jonathan drinks as he works on a loving memoir about his marriage; Olive grows remote, from both her father and her friends at the all-girls school she attends. But then Olive starts having strange visions of her mother, still alive. Jonathan worries about Olive’s emotional stability, until he starts unearthing secrets from Billie’s past that bring into question everything he thought he understood about his wife. Who was the woman he knew as Billie Flanagan? Together, Olive and Jonathan embark on a quest for the truth—about Billie, but also about themselves, learning, in the process, about all the ways that love can distort what we choose to see. Janelle Brown’s insights into the dynamics of intimate relationships will make you question the stories you tell yourself about the people you love, while her nervy storytelling will keep you guessing until the very last page. Praise for Watch Me Disappear “Watch Me Disappear is a surprising and compelling read. Like the best novels, it takes the reader somewhere she wouldn’t otherwise allow herself to go. . . . It’s strongest in the places that matter most: in the believability of its characters and the irresistibility of its plot.”—Chicago Tribune “Janelle Brown’s third family drama delivers an incisive and emotional view of how grief and recovery from loss can seep into each aspect of a person’s life. . . . Brown imbues realism in each character, whose complicated emotions fuel the suspenseful story.”—Associated Press “When a Berkeley mother vanishes and is declared dead, her daughter is convinced she’s alive in Janelle Brown’s thriller, calling to mind Big Little Lies and Gone Girl.”—Variety
A murderous specter is stalking the wooded trails nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northeast Georgia. His deranged, cunning, and ingenious stealth are the reasons why numerous trekkers have vanished into thin air while hiking the famed Appalachian Trail. The series of unexplained disappearances baffle law enforcement officials for years, until a sudden rash of grisly homicides bearing eerily similar characteristics occur within days of each other. Suddenly, a quiet mountain community is transformed into a panic-stricken nerve center teeming with news reporters and terrified citizens demanding action from the local Sheriff. Completely unaware of the terror in the mountains are life-long friends Atcher McEwen and Ben Warner, who are on a two-week hiking trip to escape the tension and stress of corporate life in Atlanta. Scheduled to rendezvous at an overnight trail shelter with Ben's fiancé, a renowned outdoor photographer who is on assignment and hiking alone on the trail, the two men begin to panic when she fails to arrive as planned. Suddenly, a much needed vacation turns into a frantic hunt for the missing woman. After several exhausting days of searching, Atcher and Ben take refuge in a trail shelter where they quickly fall into a deep sleep. In the early morning hours of the dark night, a silent figure quietly enters the shelter and the unthinkable occurs. Atcher McEwen suddenly finds himself alone, badly injured and frantically running for his life. After being rescued and briefly hospitalized, he learns the terrifying truth that a serial killer is on the loose high in the mountains. Angered by the tragic events that have altered his life forever, Atcher makes a fateful decision to return to the Appalachian Trail to hunt down the deranged murderer. In a stunning conclusion that literally brings Atcher and the woman he loves face-to-face with the killer in a grueling test of physical strength and human resolve, the absolute unthinkable occurs again. Based on actual events, THE HIKER is a suspense thriller that takes the reader on a winding trail of terror, dread and intrigue.
For every woman who has ever been called outdoorsy comes a collection of stories that inspires unforgettable adventure. Beautiful, empowering, and exhilarating, She Explores is a spirited celebration of female bravery and courage, and an inspirational companion for any woman who wants to travel the world on her own terms. Combining breathtaking travel photography with compelling personal narratives, She Explores shares the stories of 40 diverse women on unforgettable journeys in nature: women who live out of vans, trucks, and vintage trailers, hiking the wild, cooking meals over campfires, and sleeping under the stars. Women biking through the countryside, embarking on an unknown road trip, or backpacking through the outdoors with their young children in tow. Complementing the narratives are practical tips and advice for women planning their own trips, including: • Preparing for a solo hike • Must-haves for a road-trip kitchen • Planning ahead for unknown territory • Telling your own story A visually stunning and emotionally satisfying collection for any woman craving new landscapes and adventure.
"I really loved it...Appalachian Trials is full of specific tactical tips for mental preparation, which is key well beyond the AT." - Tim Ferriss, author of New York Times Best Selling The 4-Hour Workweek and The 4-Hour Body Each year, it is estimated that more than 2,000 people set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, yet seven in ten ultimately fall short of their goal. Given the countless number of how-to books and websites offering information about logistics, gear, and endurance training, one would think that more people would finish this 2,200 mile trek. Why then, do so many hikers quit prematurely? After successfully thru-hiking the AT in five months with zero prior backpacking experience, author, Zach Davis, is convinced he's discovered the answer. Aspiring thru-hikers, Davis tells readers, are preparing the wrong way- sweating on the StairMaster, meticulously plotting each re-supply box, or obsessing over the a synthetic or down sleeping bag or perfect pair of socks. While the AT undoubtedly presents extraordinary physical challenges, it is the psychological and emotional struggles that drive people off the trail. Conquering these mental obstacles is the key to success. This groundbreaking book focuses on the most important and overlooked piece of equipment of all- the gear between one's ears. Filled with first-hand, touching yet humorous vignettes and down-to-earth advice that both instructs and inspires, Appalachian Trials gives readers the mental road map they'll need to hike from Springer Mountain to Mt.Katahdin. In Appalachian Trials readers will learn: Goal setting techniques that will assure hikers reach Mt. Katahdin The common early stage pitfalls and how to avoid them How to beat "the Virginia Blues" The importance of and meaning behind "hiking your own hike" 5 strategies for unwavering mental endurance The most common mistake made in the final stretch of the trail Tips for enjoying rather than enduring each of the five million steps along the journey Strategies for avoiding post-trail depression and weight gain In addition, the Bonus Section of Appalachian Trials includes: A thorough chapter on gear written by thru-hiker of the AT and Pacific Crest Trail, and professional backpack gear reviewer Information about the trail's greatest and most unknown risk and how to guard against it 9 tips for saving money before and during your thru-hike A thorough FAQ section including information ranging from how to obtain sponsorship, to the best stove for the trail, to avoiding chafing, and much more
