The Last Best Adventure

Some experts argue that adventure is dead because few places on this magnificent planet have escaped explorers' snowboards, boot steps, parachutes, paddles, skis, or bicycle tires. However, a growing number of respected adventurers claim that the future of adventure isn't solely about being there first, achieving the most enormous physical goal, or surviving extreme conditions at the edge. It is increasingly about cultivating personal discoveries that lead to uniquely insightful epiphanies or revelations - the last best adventure. The Last Best Adventure focuses on attention-grabbing revelations discovered when exploring wild country - that unique moment when adventure attains a higher level of meaning because someone has a gripping revelation, discovery, epiphany, paradigm shift, or other soul-altering realization; they transcend being first on an ice-throttled peak or first at careening down a raging river. This book examines the pinnacle of extraordinary moments in the wild, yet it also explores more universal adventures. Join Howard Smith as he penetrates the remote hinterlands of Mt. Rainier, survives winter blizzards when snowshoeing, confronts a grizzly bear and her three cubs in the Tetons, dances down the Deschutes River on a rafting trip poised for disaster, and treks through the lonesome alpine country of Glacier Peak. He provides a passionate recollection of hard-core backcountry quests and outdoor recreation soulfully tempered by the power of epiphany. Come explore adventure's final frontier.