A short hike was the beginning of a long career in wilderness living for Finis Mitchell of Rock Springs, Wyoming. He has scaled 244 peaks, including four times to the trop of Gannett Peak, the highest mountain in the state. A vigorous supporter of wilderness, the mountain man pours out his philosophy at meetings and slide shows with amazing attention to detail. He has taken 105,345 pictures as a hobby and uses them in his slide shows to show people their own public lands.

He has drawn on his vast experience in the Wind Rivers to describe, in this guide book, the trails, routes, wildlife, glaciers, 4,000 lakes and 800 miles of streams in Wyoming's fabulous two and a quarter million acre Wind River Range.