Customer Reviews

High Adventure Eric Ryback

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having read Rybacks' book as a youth after its initial publication, I decided to read it a second time from the perspective of a 35 y/o outdoorsman.

I admire Ryback for surviving the hike, and regardless of weather he hitched rides or not, this guy was out there long before PCT thru-hiking was "hip". However, for someone considering imitating Rybacks' feat I have a few recommendations that will make their journey safer and more enjoyable.

1- Plan more food drops so your pack doesn't weigh 80 lbs.

2- Begin at Mexico in the Spring and work your way North. That way much of the snow in the Northern sections will be gone by the time you get there.

3- Avoid cotton clothing like the plague! Take advantage of the marvelous high-tech synthetic clothing available today.

4- A syntetic fill sleeping bag will still keep you warm when soggy wet where a wet down bag (except those with Dryloft shells) has NO insulation value whatsoever.

5- DON'T drink untreated water! Always use a filtering system or at least iodine tablets.

6- When hiking in snow country, beg, borrow, or steal an ice axe and learn how to use it. Don't rely on the frame of your pack to save you from a fall!

7- It would also be a good idea to have the following items along: Sunglasses, sunscreen, a lightweight full-brimmed hat, a good supply of bug repellant, gloves or mittens, a stocking cap, a decent flashlight or head lamp, and if you don't mind the extra weight, a GPS unit.

8- Protection from predators, both animal and human. If you don't like the idea of packing a large caliber side-arm, get some of the new foam-type pepper spray. While still not lethal it is much more effective than the aerosol spray.

This book inspired me to take up a pack in my teen years and hit the trail. Though it is out of print, you can find used copies through Amazon. It is very well written and flows very well from chapter to chapter. There is some who dispute Eric's claim of the first to solo the PCT. I tend to believe he truly earned the right to say he was the first solo hiker. This is a good book for all ages but I highly recommend it to teens who need some inspiration in their life!

Eric Ryback's book has inspired more long distance backpackers than any other single book. I walked cal pct in '77, ore-wash in '84, and all in '91 because of this man's book. Give him a break. Who cares if he may have taken a few rides. Anyone who has done the trail (espically north to south starting may or june) knows the impossibility of staying even close to the trail. Anyone who says they walked a thousand miles in snow and completed the PCT in one season lies. Eric I love you. Thankyou for sharing your spirit which allowed me to become a man. It's been 25 years I've owned that book and I still read sections to remind me of what the trail was like before todays guide-book freeway PCT spoiled the unkown of it.

Eric Ryback wrote the story about his adventures on the Pacific Crest Trail, but failed to mention why he was able to hike 30 miles a day. He was catching rides from people along the way and taking short-cuts without documenting them in his book. Eric Ryback is somewhat of a phony in the PCT hikers community. Nobody has a problem with catching an occasional ride, but you had better make that part of your story if you do.

Basically the story is an excellent adventure and it will keep you on the edge of your seat but read it with the knowledge that he was doing 30 miles a day for a reason, he was hitchin' rides.

This story was extremely vivid and detailed. It is very well written and was inspired. It told of both the good and the bad of his challenging adventure

This book was pivotal in inspiring me to become a backpacker and mountaineer; I hadn't remembered much of the story - it was my summer read at 4-H camp in the 70s! After reacquiring the book, I was sad to discover how much of it is a primer on how NOT to go hiking in the winter! Technological advances have made Mr. Ryback's clothing and gear choices charmingly antiquated, but his dangerous lack of preparation and forethought in many situations overshadow what the book strives to say about his personal experience in nature.

I was clearing some stuff in our garage when I came across Erics' book that was last read 30 some years ago. At that time I was laid up with an illness but found I could imagine myself on the walk. I enjoyed his story many times. Now we live next to yosemite and my son and I hike and camp often. I wonder what Mr. Ryback is doing now?