Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon's Wilderness [Paperback]

William Sullivan (Author), William L. Sullivan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

On August 17, 1985, William Sullivan kissed his wife and two children goodbye and embarked on a 1,300-mile walk across Oregon. The journey would begin on the western edge of the continent where Pacific breakers batter Cape Blanco and conclude on the rim of Hell's Canyon overlooking the Snake River. His route would "traverse four mountain ranges and eighteen designated Wilderness Areas. It would lead through fog-bound rain forests, windswept glacial cirques, and sunbaked desert canyons." Averaging 20 miles per day, Sullivan completes the trek in just over two months, reporting his progress in the daily entries that make up Listening for Coyote. Equal parts trail log, regional history, and personal memoir, Sullivan's recorded journey is also a captivating look at Oregon's natural heritage and the conservation efforts to safeguard its treasures. Entering the Rogue River Canyon, for instance, Sullivan meets a pair of contract loggers clearing a road for a timber harvest; he observes darkly that he's in the "largest roadless forest in Oregon," a place being fought over at that very moment, and one can only wonder what has happened to it since. Elsewhere along the way Sullivan recounts past Indian wars, outlaw exploits, and gold-mining boondoggles. More immediate are his surprise encounters on the trail with wildlife, hunters, environmental activists, and other hikers. Deep in the Cascades' Three Sisters Wilderness, he meets a couple of backpackers who turn out to be engaged in an even more ambitious adventure than his--a hike clear across the country that "could take years." And of course there is the inspiring coyote chorus--perhaps to be rivaled by the howling of wolves in the not-so-distant future.

Since the publishing of Listening for Coyote, the "New Oregon Trail," as it's now called, has been added to the state's long-range trail plan, although many sections remain undeveloped; Sullivan's pioneering work will be of special interest anyone considering the trek.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oregon State University Press; 1st OSU Press ed edition (May 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870715267
• ISBN-13: 978-0870715266
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #593,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The author of three novels and a dozen nonfiction books, Sullivan grew up in Salem, Oregon. He completed his B.A. degree in English at Cornell University under Alison Lurie, studied linguistics at Germany's Heidelberg University, and earned an M.A. in German at the University of Oregon. He reads in a dozen languages, plays the pipe organ, and enjoys backcountry ski expeditions.
Sullivan is known in the American West as the author who backpacked more than a thousand miles across Oregon's wilderness in 1985. His journal of that adventure, "Listening for Coyote," has since been chosen one of Oregon's "100 Books," the most significant books in state history.
In summer he writes at the log cabin that he and his wife Janell Sorensen built by hand in the wilds of Oregon's Coast Range, more than a mile from roads, electricity, and telephones. The rest of the year they live in Eugene, Oregon, where he volunteers to promote libraries and literature.
A list of Sullivan's books, speaking engagements, and favorite adventures is at www.oregonhiking.com .

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than "A Walk in the Woods", December 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon's Wilderness (Paperback)

This is a great book! I've had my copy for several years, and I think I have re-read it once a year since I got it. If you sometimes appreciate living vicariously through the adventures of others, pick up this book. It might even spur some real adventures of your own. It's similar to "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill what's-his-name, only Bill Sullivan walks across Oregon (on a diagonal), and the background and history in this book is even more interesting. Includes funny adventures, and insights into long-distance hiking. If you want to hike in Oregon, check out some of Sullivan's excellent guide books.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real adventure, June 23, 2001

By 

Jeffery L. McCadden (Coos Bay, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon's Wilderness (Paperback)

I've read and reread this book several times. For any adventurer or would-be adventurer, this book is the one to read. William Sulivan's other books and trail guides are easily the best available on Oregon hiking. Read the books, and if you get the chance, visit Mr. Sullivan at one of his book signings. Love that Cardiac-Arrest French Toast!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, insightful, inspiring book, April 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon's Wilderness (Paperback)

Reading this book felt a lot like taking a very long walk with a smart, aware, brave and sensitive friend. Here is someone who really knows how to live in the present. It's so inspiring that after I'd finished reading the book, I just wanted the journey of discovery and insight to continue. So today I'm going out to see what new paths I can discover on the outskirts of the city of Ashland. This is a book I know I'll revisit again and again.