Mountain Harmonies: Walking the Western Wilderness

Rating:
Summary: Trailside Adventures
Review: A sunset, moonrise, early morning at Pine River, a snow-covered
trail to Summerland, rambling along rainforest paths, view
Emerald Lake, places with a magic all their own.
These are true adventures, unforgettable beauty, nature.
Follow as Smith travles the seldon-used trails, experience
Mountain Harmonies.

Rating:
Summary: Memories rekindled
Review: Growing up I traveled frequently to the West and Southwest with my parents (a geologist and an anthropologist) on trips to complete field work. Mountain Harmonies captures the wonderful spirit of the West that I came to know on those many forays. The many fine stories in this book brought back fond memories of those trips with my parents. Of all the rales I really enjoyed the encounters with grizzly and black bears because for me they symbolize natures purity. This is an engaging and enjoyable book.

Rating:
Summary: Harmonies for all of us
Review: What a delightful read. Although I am not a hiker, I enjoy being an armchair explorer and Smith's book brings nature close to hand. The unique and insightful perspectives on hiking makes one believe they are also experiencing his awe of the wilderness. Although many books have been written about nature, Smith is able to see and share the unique in what others would describe as common. His encounters with wild animals are related to the reader in such a way as to impact on all your senses. His book also exposes the reader to the Native American culture in the Southwest, including new vocabulary and traditions. One of the most interesting aspects of Smith's book, for an armchair explorer, is the accessibility of his experiences rather than the exotic, available to the few. It feels as though I could experience everything he has by following in his footsteps.

Throughout Smith's book, there is an underlying theme of camaraderie, showing nature can be shared with others and yet he is able find moments of solitude at the same time. If you wish to explore nature in the Southwest, there is no better guide than Smith. His writing style is very conversational and filled with images you can recreate very easily in your own mind. For those of us who are not ardent hikers, this is a great way to have a very memorable vicarious experience with nature. Do yourself a favor, take some time from your busy schedule and enjoy the outdoors through the eyes of a marvelous writer.