Four Boots-One Journey: A Story of Survival, Awareness & Rejuvenation on the John Muir Trail

by Jeff Alt

Newlyweds Jeff and Beth Alt could not be more different. Jeff, an avid hiker, prefers long, exhausting thru-hikes and sleeping under a canopy of stars. Beth, on the other hand, prefers hotels, hot showers, and ending the day in a warm, clean bed.

But when Beth’s brother dies tragically by suicide, Jeff convinces Beth to join him on a 218-mile hike along the John Muir Trail to honor her brother’s memory and spread awareness about depression.

Their journey is never short of surprises, and they encounter everything from menacing bears, lightning bolts, and mountain lions to food shortages and altitude sickness. But as they pass through three national parks—Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Park—including the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mt. Whitney, Beth discovers the joys, trials, and extraordinary beauty of exploring nature with just a backpack to your name.

A Hike for Mike,  Four Boots One Journey  is a heartwarming, humorous tale of one couple’s adventurous journey to healing, rediscovering nature, and falling more in love with each other every step of the way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Outdoors

223 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

www.jeffalt.com

Jeff Alt's adventures, books, and advice have been featured on ESPN, Discovery Channel.com, Hallmark Channel, in Backpacker Magazine, the AP, Fitness RX for Men, LA Times, Women's Health, Shape, Scholastic Parent & Child, and more. Alt is a celebrated author and a talented speaker. Alt's book, A Walk for Sunshine, won the Gold "Book of the Year" awards sponsored by Foreword Reviews, it took first place winner in the National Best Books Awards Sponsored by USA Book News and won a Bronze in the Living Now Book Awards. Alt's book, Get Your Kids Hiking, won the bronze in both the Living Now Book Awards and the IndieFab Award in Family and Relationships. Alt has now created an award-winning children's National Park series, The Adventures of Bubba Jones. The fourth book in the series released in 2020 and the fifth book will release in 2023. He is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA). Alt has walked the Appalachian Trail, the John Muir Trail with his wife, and he carried his 21-month old daughter across a path of Ireland.

Reviews

[Saar The Book owl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was interesting: hike the John Muir Trail to create more awareness for people who suffer from depression.
The step from idea to book, well, it lost a bit of it's 'magic'. As a nature lover I found the information about the John Muir Trail very interesting, but the author talked too much about himself. It's his wife Beth that lost her brother due to suicide, because of depression. Maybe it would be a whole better book if she wrote it from her perspective: if she found healing, peace, what the hike did mentally/emotionaly...In the book Beth feels like a side character, who sits along in the book while Jeff talks about his previous hikes, what he now encounters with Beth during the JMT. The story isn't about him: it's about 'Hike for Mike' and Mike was Beth's brother. It's a good initiative to raise awareness for depression and suicide, but the focus wasn't on that.I've found the author patronizing with his attitude to Beth and that wasn't needed at all. The writing was simple and the ebook had a lot of typo's in it.

[Diana · Rating 1 out of 5]

A sexist, racist rant from a bully who bosses his wife as they hike the John Muir Trail in California. The author ruminates on rape as an alternative for over-sexed young men, and the fact that he does not speak enough "Mexican" to save himself from pot growers. I cannot warn readers enough: STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK!

[Helen Dunn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this on one of the cheap e-book deals over at Amazon. Whatever I paid for it still was too much.

This is a story about a man and his wife who hiked the John Muir Trail together about 10 years ago. I didn't get anything from the book about survival or rejuvenation and there was barely any useful information about depression awareness and suicide prevention - the whole reason they were hiking the trail!

At the time, they were updating a blog via satellite phone and I think this book must be those blog posts cobbled together. It is an odd combination of disjointed anecdotes, boring updates of this sort: "we walked 16 miles, set up the tent, changed our clothes and went to sleep" and PSAs about how walking can help depression. Unfortunately, there is no useful information about how to recognize and help those in your life who might be sufferring from depression.

The descriptions of the trail itself are flat and uninspiring, the couple hiking have almost no personality and their is little to no information about how they pulled together and planned their trip. In fact, what struck me most about it, was how poorly prepared they were about some things.

Save your time and money and read a better book. I know they are out there!

[Chelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really excited for this one after finding in a National park book shop. From the description it sounded like a very powerful book, but unfortunately found the narrator annoying and also condensing toward his wife who was the one actually grieving.

[Katie W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about their hike and learned some more about depression, something that many people suffer from. It's interesting that in most cases depression is treatable just like any disease yet unfortunately there are a lot of stigmas and misconceptions surrounding it that keep people from seeking treatment. This book definitely made me want to do some more hiking!

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a favorite. I did enjoy it but wasn't a story I would recommen

[asogi · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining and helpful book for preparing for the JMT. I read it in two sittings. On the subject of the trail conditions, it was to-the-point while still providing useful and interesting details omitted in other memoirs. Mainly, information about lightning, fording streams, and stranger danger. The author's brother-in-law was a victim of suicide, and the author dedicated the hike and a trail blog to him for depression awareness. Set in 2004, it definitely shows its age whenever the author brings up his blog and its impact. The discussions about hiking for depression awareness were a bit repetitive and awkward, a bit clumsy like a college application essay. The memoir aspect felt at odds with the campaign at times. The author reminds us every once in a while that the hike they were on really was, and still is, for depression awareness, without adding much more to the conversation and then moving on. Reading this ~20 years after the writing of the book, it may just be that we have more common language around mental health now, which is a good thing. Perhaps we can give the author some credit for that. I do wish I could have read the book from his wife's point of view. She deserved more credit and she spoke better for the cause in her few pages at the end than her husband did in the entirety of the book. I can't argue against the sentiment though, by raising money and making the effort, they still did something. Even if only to process their own grief, they did a good thing.

[Jan Middendorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with Jeff Alt’s first book, “A Walk for Sunshine,” his writing made me feel I was peering down on his and Beth’s ( his wife) hike on the John Muir Trail. Imagine having him tell you this story, little by little, personally. Granted, I may have been influenced by the fact that I know both Jeff and his wife, having worked with them at a
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, as a Speech-Language Pathologist.

[Mark Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Read!

Jeff Alt has done it again! I highly recommend!

Mark Bowser
Author of “Some Gave It All” with Danny Lane (endorsed by Chuck Norris)

[E. L.]

My expectations were high after reading his book on the AT. This was good but not as good I expected.

[Harmony Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have any Wanderlust in your heart, you will enjoy this book!

[Lori Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Jeff's way of adding meaning to outdoor adventures, led by powerful family influences.

[Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

So bad it could even be good. A young, squeaky clean, all American, god fearing couple hike the JMT and the story is narrated by Jeff the pompous, overbearing and, it has to be said, somewhat tedious husband. This book is so close to a parody that after a while I started to fill in missing sentences with my own words, turning it into a Pythonesque romp through the Sierra Navada in the style of The Ascent of Rum Doodle. I laughed out loud on several occasions as Jeff relates his dramatic tales of...forgetting his clothes, catching the bus, and brushing his teeth. Jeff is a real man, never failing to tell us about his extensive outdoor experience, while at the same time relating every minor hurdle as if it is completely new to him. He fearlessly guides his 'little lady' Beth through the wilderness, teaching her to do everything from peeing in the woods to pulling her socks up. It's fun to reimagine a second version of the journey from Beth's point of view. She can barely hold in her exasperation at Jeff's patronising behaviour and is liberated by a one night stand with a lesbian lover on the trail, before meeting a man who treats her as an equal. Beth finally realizes she has many more choices in life than Jeff.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Hike for Mike is a detailed description of the author and his wife's 218-mile hike on the John Muir Trail. This mountainous wilderness trail travels through the Sierra Nevada of California. The author had previously hiked other long distance wilderness tracks before his marriage. However, his wife had been wary of going on a long term hike.

This particular excursion was the direct result of a family tragedy. The author's brother in law, Mike, committed suicide. Mike had unknowingly suffered from undiagnosed depression. In an effort to raise awareness about depression, the couple decided to undertake the Hike for Mike campaign based on the premise that exercise, particularly hiking, is beneficial to those suffering from depression.

For the most part, A Hike for Mike is about the actually wilderness hike and the couple's adventures and misadventures while on the trail. However, the last chapter of the book does include information about depression: statistics, the symptoms, various types of treatments, and where individuals can seeks help.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff, an avid hiker and backpacker, has married a wonderful woman. But Beth's idea of a vacation includes a hot shower and soft bed. So when he tries to convince her to join him she isn't interested. Several years after their wedding they experience the loss of a loved one. This spurs Beth to hike the John Muir trail with Jeff to raise awareness about depression.

I enjoy the author's style of writing. It reminded me a bit of the book A Walk in the Woods. He tells the story in an honest and refreshing way that makes me want to lace up my hiking boots and find some trails. The author tells of their experiences, while also peppering the story with his thoughts about life and about the aspects of depression. It was a fun and informative little book to read.

I received this book free of charge from Direct Contact in exchange for my honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book ... I am an armchair adventurer and particularly enjoy these tales of hiking/climbing anywhere in the world. Mr. Alt writes in a straightforward fashion and takes you along on his journey with his wife to hike the John Muir Trail in memory of her brother who committed suicide due to depression. The story truly focuses on the hike though references to the "Hike for Mike" awareness campaign is always close to the heart of the tale. While it's not quite "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson, the Alts journey was still a captivating read.

[Jan Spohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff Alt is not an inspired writer but certainly does enjoy the outdoor life. When his brother in law commits suicide he convinces his athletic wife to come backpacking with him. I am not a backpacker but did enjoy his recounting of the scenery and events in this journey to bring greater awareness to depression and suicide.

[George Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as someone who has worked on Backcountry trail crews maintaining sections of the John Muir Trail in Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks. Alt's book brought me back to places in which I had some of the best times of my life. I know several of the places he writes about, and he gets it right. This was a great read.

[Vicki Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it because I had just read Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. This couple walked the John Muir Trail, a portion of the PCT. Infact it is a portion of the trail Cheryl could not walk due to heavy snowfall and treacherous hiking conditions. Now I feel I have walked the PCT!

[Eileen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Many typos in the e-book to start with. The writing is facile and naive. His patronizing attitude towards his wife was sickening, but I'm glad he explained in detail who Amelia Ehrhart, Thomas Edison and Charles Darwin were to me.

[Thebestdogmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book. Light reading. Nice travel memoir. It is a good follow up to Alt's first adventure. Nice for his wife to go with him and help her heal from her brother's suicide.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea that this was a hike with a purpose (to raise awareness of depression after losing his brother in law to suicide) but the story left much to be desired(in my opinion).

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another masterpiece by Jeff Alt and this time he brings his wife along with him! Again, an amazing and inspiring adventure that any reader will gladly take! You will love it!

[Lkaehall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This may not have been the most exciting book I have ever read, but it describe the beauty of the Sierras. It is also an important reminder to get out and take a walk.

[Michele Finnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Amazing self determination. I really enjoyed this!