This blog is not directly related my own hiking. It is a book review. Don't worry. It is still related to hike. Even better, it is a story happened in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. More specifically, it is a story about a backcounty ranger Randy Morgenson in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI).
This is a book of 335 pages written in English, which is not my favorite language. I don't usually turn the page of English book with excitement wanting to know the next. Most of the time, I don't finish English book more than 100 pages. This book was an exception. I finish chore of the day and ran to this book every night.
Randy was a very experienced backcountry ranger. Indeed he served 28 seasons in SEKI. This legend ranger, on his 28th season, he went missing in the middle of nowhere. Having missing own ranger in SEKI, they conducted biggest ever search and rescue (SAR), but he remained missing.
Throughout the book from numerous stories from his family, his fellow rangers, his wife, letters from park visitors, it is easy to visualize his passion and philosophy into mountains and beauty of remote nature. I have common thing with him, loving remote nature, it was nice to dive into it. More pleasantly, it is nice to remember my John Muir Trail trekking and countless hikes in Sierra by reading about stories in Yosemite Valley, Mount Dana, LeConte Canyon, McClure Meadow, Bench Lake, Tenaya Lake, Rae Lakes, and so on. It is easy to read books where the stage is wilderness I have hiked in.
Story is not that simple as you imagine from beginning. Even in the remote beautiful place, human beings is human beings. Things could get ugly or complicated. It is ironic since some people go to remote wilderness to escape from ugly human relationships.
I don't tell the detail since I want individual to read and find out, but I recommend this, especially if you are a hiker.
