Pacific High: Adventures in the Coast Ranges from Baja to Alaska

Tim Palmer is an excellent writer - his evocative imagery, jaunty pace, and contagious enthusiasm pervades this book. Truly one for adventure, Palmer and his wife set out to explore the coast ranges from Baja, Mexico to Kodiak Island, Alaska. Palmer prefers mountain to ocean and it is among the mountains and about the trees that he waxes most eloquently. Firmly left of center, the author seems to struggle with himself to keep his book from descending into mere ideology. He is largely successful, though there are places where one wishes he'd keep to the scenery. Environmentalism is a crucial cause - one for which Palmer advocates aggressively - but his dogmatism occasionally overflows it's banks bringing an awkward bitterness aimed well beyond the theme. Nevertheless, Pacific High is a page turner. I returned to it often, reading large chunks at a time. It's vicarious, though informative nature makes for a pleasurable piece of travel writing. From mountaintops to river runs, I've been given more places I need to see. 4+ stars.

Great book. Who says we have to travel to far away places for adventure? Tim Palmer had what for most of us would be a lifetime of adventures on this 9 month journey. At the same time the people he introduces us to and the observations he shares about all that he sees will make any reader think harder about our place on and responsibilities to this world.