A Visual Compendium...
By Howard Shapiro
Joshua M. Powell “southpaw” hiked the PCT between April and September of 2014. His favorite sections were those in Washington. Now he has come out with a book published by Sasquatch Books that takes a different approach than many books about the PCT. His book is divided into two parts; ‘The PCT at a Glance’ and ‘Thru-hiking the Trail’. The author has created a series of interesting lists, graphs, images and reflections that will draw the attention of any former, current, or future Pacific Crest Trail hiker. One of many examples is the collection of various PCT signs he noticed on his hike. So often we take these for granted and when they are absent we long for their presence. Seeing his collection reminded me of all the signs I have noticed over the years and all the abuse they take most notably from humans. He notes that he wishes people would leave their Sharpies at home and their hiking poles on the ground when it comes to the PCT signs. I would agree.
Among the many notes and observations there are descriptions of the various hiker personalities he encountered on his thru-hike. These will resonate with a lot of readers no matter how much time you have spent on the PCT. He makes particular note of those hikers that don’t acknowledge your simple greeting when passing along the trail. He suggests they are just too spent by their experience or just not interested in interacting. Either way, it can feel disconcerting. Again, I would agree.
Powell shows us the various flora and fauna he discovered along the trail. Everything from pileated woodpecker to lupine. Paintbrush to rattlesnake and many, many more. He doesn’t stop there and goes on to create illustrations of notable buildings found in trail towns and illustrates an alphabet from scripts seen along the trail. This is a small sample of what the author has included in his book. All of the the illustrations are simple but evocative of their subjects and stimulate the reader to turn the next page.
In the second section he details both the big and little things that left an impression on him. He describes his mental struggles, landmarks, weather, and specific trail notes. There are numerous easy to read charts and graphs. Everything from elevations of various sections to traits shared by thru-hikers and characters in Steinbeck novels. Steinbeck was a touchstone for the author so this particular graph makes a world of sense.
I am a visual person so this book really feeds that part of me. Powell’s descriptions of the trail are both obvious and unique. If you have any interest or have any personal memory of your time on the PCT then you will find this book to be a very pleasing addition to your PCT library. As more people hike the Pacific Crest Trail many are posting movies, blogs, and publishing books describing their experiences. I found this book to be a real standout and a treasure trove of insight and information. The ‘Pacific Crest Trail a Visual Compendium’ is a little bit of trail magic.