cover image American Discoveries: Scouting the First Coast to Coast Recreational Trail

American Discoveries: Scouting the First Coast to Coast Recreational Trail

Ellen Dudley. Mountaineers Books, $24.95 (301pp) ISBN 978-0-89886-437-3

Under the aegis of the American Hiking Society and Backpacker magazine, Dudley and Seaborg set out on an eight-month, 4000-plus mile journey seeking links between long-distance trails on public lands across 12 states. They kept detailed notes in preparation for guidebooks to the trail, which are to be available in 1997. Here, they tell their stories alternately, achieving a nice balance. A third member of the team (the personnel changed) drove the support vehicle. We get a refreshing view of the countryside and the people the authors met, as well as a hiker's reaction to varied terrain. To their surprise, they found Nevada and Kansas favorite places. They faced extremes of temperature, a forest fire, poachers, poison oak; on occasion, they got lost. They began on California's coast (June), went through the heart of the country and ended on the coast of Delaware (late July). Some 3000 miles are now marked. This is fine adventure, superb Americana. Photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)