Steep Trails
A collection of wilderness essays and tales
Published on 25. October 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
170 pages
978-1-911342-08-3 (ISBN)
Description
'When a man plants a tree, he plants himself. Every root is an anchor, over which he rests with grateful interest, and becomes sufficiently calm to feel the joy of living.'
Steep Trails encompasses a delightful mix of John Muir's essays and adventure narratives, spanning a period of twenty-nine years. The selections included in this book are varied: ranging from geological studies to stories of the people and towns he encounters throughout his exploits. As Muir expert Terry Gifford observes in the foreword, 'Most of Steep Trails' chapters are dispatches from Muir as travelling correspondent with a mixture of insights into local cultures, criticism of pollution and enthusiasm for everything wild.'
Muir's refreshing philosophy of being 'at one' with nature shines through every account he details, as does his agenda for environmental activism - to treat wildness lovingly, rather than selfishly for material greed. Covering mostly the western regions of the states, California, Washington, Nevada, The Grand Canyon, Oregon and Utah; Steep Trails showcases Muir's passion continuously as he climbs mountains, bathes in lakes, and sketches his findings. Muir's classic extended metaphors and knowledgeable tone are present throughout, making for both an enjoyable and educational read.
The enthusiasm contained within these pages is infectious, and as well as simply describing the beauty he sees, Muir will inspire you too, to 'go and see for yourselves' the rewards of studying the endless gift of nature:
'Surely faithful and loving skill can go no farther in putting the multitudinous decorated forms on paper. But the colours, the living, rejoicing colours, chanting morning and evening in chorus to heaven! Whose brush or pencil, however lovingly inspired, can give us these? And if paint is of no effect, what hope lies in pen-work? Only this: some may be incited by it to go and see for themselves.'
Steep Trails encompasses a delightful mix of John Muir's essays and adventure narratives, spanning a period of twenty-nine years. The selections included in this book are varied: ranging from geological studies to stories of the people and towns he encounters throughout his exploits. As Muir expert Terry Gifford observes in the foreword, 'Most of Steep Trails' chapters are dispatches from Muir as travelling correspondent with a mixture of insights into local cultures, criticism of pollution and enthusiasm for everything wild.'
Muir's refreshing philosophy of being 'at one' with nature shines through every account he details, as does his agenda for environmental activism - to treat wildness lovingly, rather than selfishly for material greed. Covering mostly the western regions of the states, California, Washington, Nevada, The Grand Canyon, Oregon and Utah; Steep Trails showcases Muir's passion continuously as he climbs mountains, bathes in lakes, and sketches his findings. Muir's classic extended metaphors and knowledgeable tone are present throughout, making for both an enjoyable and educational read.
The enthusiasm contained within these pages is infectious, and as well as simply describing the beauty he sees, Muir will inspire you too, to 'go and see for yourselves' the rewards of studying the endless gift of nature:
'Surely faithful and loving skill can go no farther in putting the multitudinous decorated forms on paper. But the colours, the living, rejoicing colours, chanting morning and evening in chorus to heaven! Whose brush or pencil, however lovingly inspired, can give us these? And if paint is of no effect, what hope lies in pen-work? Only this: some may be incited by it to go and see for themselves.'
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Illustrations
Black and white photographs
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
292 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-911342-08-3 (9781911342083)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2018
Vertebrate Digital
€2.39
Available for download
Persons
Born in 1838, John Muir was a Scottish-American naturalist, author,
environmental philosopher and ahead-of-his-time advocate of preservation
of wilderness in the United States. Muir's works tell of his adventures
in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada of California. His activism
helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other
exquisite wilderness areas. He founded The Sierra Club, and petitioned
the US Congress for the National Park bill that was passed in 1890,
establishing Yosemite National Park. The 211-mile John Muir Trail - a
hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada - was named in his honour, as was the
John Muir Way in Scotland, and many other places including a beach,
college and glacier. Muir married Louisa Strentzel and they had two
daughters together, living on a fruit orchard in California. Today he is
referred to as the 'Father of the National Parks' and has a legacy as
one of the most influential naturalists in America.
environmental philosopher and ahead-of-his-time advocate of preservation
of wilderness in the United States. Muir's works tell of his adventures
in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada of California. His activism
helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other
exquisite wilderness areas. He founded The Sierra Club, and petitioned
the US Congress for the National Park bill that was passed in 1890,
establishing Yosemite National Park. The 211-mile John Muir Trail - a
hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada - was named in his honour, as was the
John Muir Way in Scotland, and many other places including a beach,
college and glacier. Muir married Louisa Strentzel and they had two
daughters together, living on a fruit orchard in California. Today he is
referred to as the 'Father of the National Parks' and has a legacy as
one of the most influential naturalists in America.
Content
Series introduction by Terry Gifford; Foreword by Terry Gifford; 1 Wild Wool; 2 A Geologist's Winter Walk; 3 Summer Days at Mount Shasta; 4 A Perilous Night on Shasta's Summit; 5 Shasta Rambles and Modoc Memories; 6 The City of the Saints; 7 A Great Storm in Utah; 8 Bathing in Salt Lake; 9 Mormon Lilies; 10 The San Gabriel Valley; 11 The San Gabriel Mountains; 12 Nevada Farms; 13 Nevada Forests; 14 Nevada's Timber Belt; 15 Glacial Phenomena in Nevada; 16 Nevada's Dead Towns; 17 Puget Sound; 18 The Forests of Washington; 19 People and Towns of Puget Sound; 20 An Ascent of Mount Rainier; 21 The Physical and Climatic Characteristics of Oregon; 22 The Forests of Oregon and Their Inhabitants; 23 The Rivers of Oregon; 24 The Grand Canyon of the Colorado.