Soul of Wilderness: Mountain Journeys in Western BC and Alaska

by John Baldwin, Linda Bily

"Linda and I are fortunate to live near the western mountains of British Columbia, which contain some of the last wilderness areas in North America outside of the arctic. This is an area that supports grizzly bears and wolverines, where salmon run wild and the wolves and mountain goats roam through areas that have not changed since the arrival of Europeans to North America. This book is a look at those wilderness areas: their beauty, their essence, their soul."--John Baldwin

In this modern world, where it is estimated that three quarters of the earth's ice-free land mass has been altered by humans, how many people have ever been somewhere they could truly experience pristine wilderness?

Few mountain ranges in the world are as wild or beautiful as BC and Alaska's Coast Mountains. From remote fjords to soaring summits, North America's westernmost mountains offer innumerable challenges and sublime delights. And yet they remain relatively unexplored.

Partners, co-authors and photographers John Baldwin and Linda Bily have ventured into the magical landscapes of the Coast Mountains. Travelling by foot and ski, their goal was simply to experience and document as much of these remote places as possible--to wander across the high meadows, ski from mountain tops and revel in the artful patterns of new-fallen snow. This stunning coffee-table book is sure to inspire readers to discover and connect with the intense beauty of this mountain wilderness.

176 pages, Hardcover

Published October 17, 2015

Reviews

[Michael Coyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew Linda, we used to go on backcountry ski trips like the ones in this book. She always had her camera, she was always taking photos. She was fun to be with, and an excellent companion on a 10 day trip over icecaps and mountains. I remember navigating whiteouts, building snow walls, and hunkering down to make it through wild blizzards. And seeing her telemark with a huge backpack was awe inspiring.

[Bill Leach · Rating 4 out of 5]

An overview of the ski trips that Baldwin, Bily and friends had done through the Coast Range icefields. They write convincingly on the attractions of traveling through wilderness, and of its appreciation.