Customer Reviews

Journey on the Crest: Walking 2600 Miles from Mexico to Canada

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

 

 

I left this book wishing Cindy Ross wrote more about her travels. She comes across as very likeable, though at times slightly goofy, but very authentic, respectful of others, and deeply appreciative of the wonders of the California desert, the High Sierras, and the mountains of Oregon and Washington. You will leave this book wishing to visit Muir's Sierras in particular. My wife read and enjoyed it just as much as I did. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Her explanation for why the rattlesnakes of the southermost PCT are all silent (they really are), and her description of hiking through their land, will make your hair stand on end.

This book read like an eighth-grader's diary. Easy to read, but more frustrating and irritating than entertaining and informative. I wanted to vomit everytime the author spoke of how much she loved her trail mates, and especially the second half of the book when she gushes puppy love about her new husband. The author spends too much time discussing her fear of snow, and not enough time telling the history of the trail. I wanted to learn about the development of the trail, and the history of the many national parks the trail runs through. I guess I have been spoiled by other books. If your goal is to get a feel for the day-to-day of being on the trail, and want something that doesn't challenge your mental facilities, then this is the book for you. If you want something that is informative and humurous, in the mold of Bryson, skip this book. For a more informative read about the PCT, take a look at "Along the Pacific Crest Trail."

Cindy is to be commended for her accomplishment. Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is quite a feat. While I would say I liked reading the book, I felt it spent too much time on interpersonal relationships and not enough on the grandeur of the trail. Too much petty bickering, not enough mountain. When Cindy does write of the physical dangers and beauty, the book is at its best. Overall this is probably a good book about the Pacific Crest Trail, if you want a great book read Karen Berger.

I admire Cindy's extraordinary edurance and her finally fulfilling her goal although I cannot relate to her need to do such a thing. Cindy wrote of her experiences with clarity. Also, it was interesting and humorous and I enjoyed the book very much. For anyone who comtemplates doing the same thing, I heartily recommend they read her book first and for anyone not thinking of doing the same thing, I recommend it anyway just for the great entertainment, education and enjoyment of reading about a grand adventure.

First, I must firmly say that hiking the entirety of the 2600-mile Pacific Crest Trail is a remarkable journey worthy of telling, even if the author is not focused on relating the journey and even if the author found many negatively tinged experiences and challenges. There are very few books detailing a hike of the PCT, though there are many good ones that describe a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail and one good one about the Continental Divide Trail. I have read all of the PCT thru-hike stories, even the one out of print book. They total 3 and this book ranks 2nd among them (ranking first is the wonderful coffee table Smith/Berger book). After my own PCT thru-hike attempt in which I walked over 1/3 of the trail over the course of several months, I can say that Ross' account -- aside from mediocre writing -- is edgy and overly negative. I disagreed with many of her opinions and could not relate to her severely oppressive mental struggles to stay out there. To me, the trail was a joy, a love and a constant source of energy and enthusiasm. I always wanted to keep going and see what lay around the next bend. This book is Cindy Ross' experience, only one of many. Unfortunately, few people record their adventures in a book. For her effort, I commend Ms. Ross. However, I caution the reader that my opinion, as another thru-hiker, is that many thru-hikers have a MUCH more positive, enlightening journey than is described here, albeit a tough and challenging journey both mentally and physically. But at its root, a long distance hike is a joy and privilege to experience first hand for those who love the adventure. Take this book as a gift -- a unique story about a trail few ever thru-hike and few have ever recorded on paper. But also, take the story with a grain of salt. It is only one story of many more positive, enlightening stories that have never been written.

I really wanted to like this book. After all, it was written by a woman who hiked the PCT - something I dream of doing. Most of the books about such long-distance hiking trips seem to written by men, so I was excited to find one written by a woman. I found it so hard to get through this book because of all the weepy whiny writing. If this were my first exposure to the idea of through-hiking the PCT, it would have definitely made me give up the idea! If I didn't know that hiking the PCT can be an uplifting experience, I certainly wouldn't have felt that after reading Cindy Ross' book. This book reads like a long conversation with one's therapist.

Having through-hiked the PCT myself in 1985, which was the year following Cindy's hike of the second half of the PCT, I really enjoyed this easy-to-read trip down memory lane. Both of us being women, Cindy's trail experiences were different than mine in many ways, but also very similar in the most important ways! As humans walking through the most strikingly beautiful country in the US, we all share in the same wonder and awe of God's incredible creation. If you are interested in long distance hiking stories and want a taste of that life without having to sell everything you own and disappear off the grid for six months, then this is a great book to read! Or, it might be just the thing to convince you to go ahead and hike the PCT yourself.

While I greatly admire Cindy Ross in accomplishing a thru-hike of the PCT (albeit over 2 years), I was quite disappointed in her writing style. Of particular annoyance was the High School gushing over her husband, whom she married halfway through the book. That became so irritating it nearly made me nauseous. I came to this book with a desire to learn about her hiking experiences, the trail conditions, the stories of resupplying in town, the physical effects of the trek and whatever spiritual satisfaction she gleaned from such an arduous journey. Instead we are regaled with endless (and pointless) tid-bits about her husband and other trail mates.

In short, too much extraneous information and not enough of the actual trail experience. Other reviewers have noted that Cindy seems short on humor, and I would concur. While I would never minimize her tremendous accomplishment, her writing style is sophomoric, whiny in long stretches and overly sentimental about relationships and puppy love. Call me a cynic, but this thru hiker didn't move me, even though her accomplishments are inspiring.

I read Cindy's book about 4 years ago. I found the book very motivating, aswell as an excellant read. I have since hiked alot of the PCT legs Cindy and Todd have covered. I recommend this book to several people a year and usually giving it as a gift. I recommend this book to anyone thinking about going an a long hike, both men and women. I am male, age 49 and felt better prepared for the long hikes having red this book. I ran into a young man last month (August) hiking in the Threes sisters Wilderness area who actully new Cindy and Todd. He had the same feelings about Cindy's book as I do. He was a skinny red haired beared wild man of Bornio type dude. Gotta read it, gotta share it. Tim Danaher Redmond WA.

Even if you never hike,translate the underlying message of this book to your own life. When the immediate future seems hopeless, you're physically and/or mentally exhausted, push on toward your goals. Cindy Ross and Todd did. Follow their example. Don't lose the passion! PS I've backpacked in Arizona Canyons. Rattlesnakes there rattle.