The Advanced Backpacker: A Handbook of Year Round, Long-Distance Hiking (Paperback)

by Chris Townsend (Author) "The first bright rays of the sun are just touching the jagged rim of the mountains silhouetted high above as you open your eyes..." (more)
Key Phrases: running supply box, basic pack weight, high daily mileage, Pacific Crest Trail, Canadian Rockies, High Sierra (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
With thousands of all-weather miles to his credit, from North America, Europe, and Asia, Chris Townsend is the ultimate guide for backpackers of all levels. The Advanced Backpacker is an invaluable fusion of expert information and unlimited inspiration, featuring detailed discussions of everything from finding routes and choosing locations to planning, financing, equipping, and supplying oneself for the long haul.

Offering readers unprecedented insight into the extensive preparations required to develop the body and psyche of a long-distance hiker, Townsend addresses the specifics of hiking in all climates, from deserts and mountains to the arctic tundra and the tropics. The Advanced Backpacker offers top-level navigation techniques as well as specific safety and health precautions for extreme heat and cold.

From the Back Cover
You already know the basics of backpacking. Now your goal is to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, make a solo trip through Denali, or see the far corners of the globe on your own two feet--you're ready to wander right off the map.

No matter where in the world you aim for--the Sierra Nevadas, Scandinavia, or beyond--there's a good chance that Chris Townsend has been there before you. With over 20,000 long- and short-distance hiking miles to his credit, Townsend shares with you the secrets he's learned while backpacking the world's most challenging and rewarding terrains: Nepal, the desert Southwest, the Scottish Highlands, the Yukon, the Pyrenees, and much more. The Advanced Backpacker explains everything there is to know about hiking on terrains from the desert to the arctic and in all kinds of weather. It gives you the tools you need for group or solo hiking on the long trail, the trackless wilderness, or the most remote and exotic corners of the planet.

Praise for The Backpacker's Handbook:

"Townsend's time-honored recommendations draw extensively from his often intense field experiences. . . . Every imaginable topic is covered thoroughly and engagingly."--Backpacker

"An clear and comprehensive primer."--Sierra

"Belongs in every bookcase dealing with outdoor topics. . . . Chockablock full of useful, practical, common-sense info. . . . If you tramp the outdoors, get this book."--Maine Sportsman

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (August 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071357564
• ISBN-13: 978-0071357562
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #614,664 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent descriptions from experience, June 6, 2002

By	Jim Morrison (Hansville, WA) - See all my reviews

The author's experience in long distance backpacking is obvious when he shares his knowledge in an honest and enlightening way.
The section on inspiration and reality is well worth reading. He gives a nice little description of the long trails, with his comments and experiences. His food choices and ideas alone make the book worth the price. He includes the best description of chemical purification I have seen in some time. He covers boot fitting (one of the most important items, I think, in backpacking) like no one else I have ever read. Not a rehash of what has already been written (I admit I haven't read his other books), but some critical and important original views on the subject.
This book delivers excellent information for the long-distance hiker.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars unnecessary?, March 19, 2002

By	tim "primitivteknology" (Kalamazoo, MI United States) - See all my reviews

The first time i glanced at this book I thought that i was looking at 'The Backpackers Handbook', also by Townsend. This seemed, and still seems to be, more or less a duplication of that previous guide. If you don't own the 'Handbook', then definitely check this out, I really like Chris' open-minded writing and hiking style.

The only new information in 'Advanced Backpacker' is brief; and can be found on the internet or in your library for free. But if you really want a wholesome guide to carry with you, then this should be the one.