The Trail

This was the first book I picked up after I decided to set my phone down. It appealed to me for several reasons.

The first was simply because I was anxious to turn my attention away from social media. Reading was the easiest replacement for that activity. This book was readily available, so I picked it up.

The second was the content. I love hiking and being outside. Some of the pics I’ve added to my gallery demonstrate that, but I’m sad to say that I’ve never made it to the Sierra. Yosemite in particular is a place I’ve always wanted to visit, but for one reason or another, I’ve never gotten there. Someday soon, I hope.

It’s without argument that Ethan Gallogly understands the history of the Sierra. His expertise on the John Muir Trail, in particular, is clearly evident. Syd, the older gentleman in the story, acts as a teacher for the younger Gil, educating him on the historical significance of the trail as they traverse it together. All the information he conveys is informative and interesting, to the point that the novel could almost be interpreted as a guidebook or nonfiction publication. The book also includes sketched topographical maps at the start of every chapter showing the route, distance, and elevation gain the character’s take on each day. I felt the visuals were a nice touch that helped put the two’s journey into perspective.

Although I found the historical context of the John Muir Trail fascinating, I’m not sure others will. This book will likely not appeal to folks who don’t enjoy hiking or don’t want to deep dive into the formation of our national parks. It’s a somewhat specific topic and likely to bore those who aren’t outdoor-oriented.

Additionally, the plot line of the two characters, although engaging at times, was mostly aggravating. Syd's character as a wise sage is an overplayed cliche but tenable. His plan to hike himself into the woods as a terminally ill cancer patient and possibly die there felt incredibly irresponsible, given his positioning as a steward of the outdoors and role model as a teacher.

Gil was a difficult character to like altogether. I found him annoying and immature. Crass to the point that some of the dialogue was hard to digest. Although he “finds himself” along the way, it comes off as predictable and shallow. I appreciate Gallogly’s attempt to add some moral lesson to the story, but the character was unlikeable from the start and never really recovered for me.

All in all, I would recommend this book to others. The story kept me occupied and entertained enough to finish. Again, the facts provided on the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra were sufficient to make up for any shortcomings with the characters or the plot line, but if you have no appetite for that kind of information, then this book might not be for you.