Eric Ryback

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and thought it presented such a different perspective of the trail. To start, I find it fascinating that the first thru-hiker of the PCT was a southbounder. All of the PCT narratives I’ve read up to this point were NOBOs, so it already was unique by being about a SOBO hike. Ryback had to face circumstances much different than what thru-hikers do today. He had to carry an 80 lbs pack due to the extremely limited places to resupply, navigate places where there wasn’t a trail yet, didn’t hitch (I know there is controversy about this but read page 86 where he talks about turning down a ride back to the trail), barely went to any towns, and had to grapple with loneliness from the isolation. Ryback never got a trail name because the PCT community really wasn’t a thing yet. He also observes pollution and the effects people not following Leave No Trace principles has on the environment which is something I feel more recent narratives still fail to fully grapple with. His reasons for doing the trail were also refreshing. He simply was young and had a desire to do it. Ryback wanted to experience the wilderness and was not using the trail to try to process grief or discover personal redemption (which are fully valid and beautiful reasons for doing the PCT). He just reflects a different approach toward the trail than other PCT narratives. I see why his book was a bestseller and helped popularize the trail.… (mer)

With the current attention being given to the Pacific Crest Trail -- see Cheryl Strayed's "Wild" -- I thought I'd re-read the story of the first through-hiker. While Eric Ryback doesn't give us too much insight into his inner drive to hike from Canada to Mexico, we do get glimpses of his thoughts on dealing with miles of snow, running low on food, feeling lonely, and his final push through the southern California desert. I have to give Eric some slack, as he was only 19 years old when he did his hike and much of the PCT was only a line on a map and not a trail on the ground.… (mer)