In The Thousand Mile Summer, author and adventurer Colin Fletcher embarks on foot to explore the eastern edge of California from the Mexican border to the Oregon line.

A native Welshman new to America in 1958, Fletcher awoke one night in his San Francisco apartment with a burning desire to walk from one end of California to the other. He began his sojourn along the Colorado River, continuing through the Mojave Desert and Death Valley, and on to the High Sierra Mountains in the north.

The author chronicles his six-month trek with vivid portrayals of the landscape and the people he encounters, and, in the telling, relates as much about himself and his quest to experience a life without attachments. As with his subsequent work, The Complete Walker-the how-to manual for generations of backcountry trekkers-Fletcher provides meticulous detail in the planning and execution of a long-distance walking expedition.

Written in the informal style of an old friend, Fletcher cordially invites you to join him on his travels. The Thousand-Mile Summer is a captivating read for hikers, campers, explorers, and all who love the great outdoors.

This book is also available from Echo Point Books as a hardcover (ISBN 1648373755).