Pacific High: Adventures in the Coast Ranges from Baja to Alaska (A Shearwater Book) - Hardcover

Palmer, Tim

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1559636491 ISBN 13: 9781559636490

Publisher: Island Press, 2002

Synopsis

On a crisp January morning, the first day of a new year, writer Tim Palmer and his wife set out in their customoutfitted van on a nine-month journey through the Pacific Coast Ranges. With a route stretching from the dry mesas of the Baja Peninsula to the storm-swept Alaskan island of Kodiak, they embarked on an incomparable tour of North America's coastal mountains high above the Pacific. In Pacific High, Palmer recounts that adventure, interweaving tales of exploration and discovery with portraits of the places they visited and the people they came to know along the way. Bringing together images of places both exotic and familiar with profiles of intriguing people and descriptions of outdoor treks on foot, skis, mountain bike, canoe, and whitewater raft, Palmer captures the brilliant wonders of nature, the tragedy of irreversible loss, and the hope of everyone who cares for this extraordinary but threatened edge of North America. At the heart of the story is the author's concern for the health of the land and all its life. Nature thrives in many parts of the Coast Ranges - pristine rivers and ancient forests that promise refuge to the king salmon and the grizzly bear - but with a human population of 36 million, nature is under attack throughout the region. Oil spills, clearcutting, smog, sprawling development, and more threaten even national parks and refuges. Yet Palmer remains hopeful, introducing readers to memorable people who strive for lasting stewardship in this land they call home.

About this title

About the Author

Tim Palmer's fourteen books include The Heart of America (Island Press, 1999), which won the best travel and essay book of the year from the Association of Independent Publishers, and The Columbia (Mountaineers Books, 1997), which won the National Outdoor Book Award. Also an accomplished photographer, he frequently speaks and gives slide shows to public audiences and college classes nationwide.

Edition details

• Publisher: Island Press
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1559636491
• ISBN 13: 9781559636490
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 488