River Hippies & Mountain Men: Adventures of a 21st Century Mountain Man

by Patrick Taylor

River Hippies & Mountain Men is the latest non-fiction adventure from Patrick Taylor (the Texas Yeti). It chronicles Taylor's two-year apprenticeship as a stockman and backcountry packer in the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho. Working with land and river outfitters, he tapped into a collective consciousness; a way of thinking that valued a curious and adventurous spirit above all things material and mundane. It is the second book in a 3-part series on 'the 21st Century Mountain Man'.

I spent my adult life pursuing all types of adventure all over the world; shark-diving in Burma, caving in Borneo, alpine adventures on big rock and ice, and 'social adventure'​, too. It started in the Marine Corps, blossomed in the international oilfield scene, and matured in the mountains on long solo treks.

I crossed the Rocky Mountains alone on foot in the winter of 2013. I spent the next two years immersed in the mountain man way-of-life. I became a stockman and backcountry packer, and learned to leverage my alpine experience to become a self-sufficient trapper. I spent the winter of 2016 alone in an old cabin in the the Frank Church Wilderness, and finished the adventure in early March by walking 33 miles up & over the mountains with nothing more than a tarp, a sleeping bag, and a few bags of instant oatmeal.
Leaving my business life behind, I have committed to a life of adventure. I have become an author of non-fiction adventure books. I share my adventures hoping to inspire my peers to challenge themselves and embrace adventure in their lives, too.

Patrick Taylor
'The Texas Yeti'
taylor@thetexasyeti.com

The Texas Yeti is Patrick Taylor, who writes non-fiction adventure
stories. He is a former Marine and technology entrepreneur with a treasure chest
of memories from a lifetime of adventure all over the world. Now
retired, he is an author and adventurer, most recently credited with walking across the Rocky Mountains alone in the winter of 2013. He writes to inspire others to embrace adventure in their lives. However they define it.

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 23, 2017

About the author

Patrick Taylor is an adventurer, author, & world traveler. In his late 50s, he solo'ed Lewis & Clark's route across the Rocky Mountains in winter & his published journal became a Kindle #1 Bestseller in four catergories (Adventure Travel, Solo Travel, Mountaineering, & Extreme Sports). It was the first book of the 'Real-life Adventures of the Texas Yeti'; a unique collection of non-fiction adventures blazing 11 Kindle #1 Bestsellers across 6 Amazon categories... every book spending time as #1 Bestseller in Solo Travel. Each of his off-beat adventures is unique; the antipode of Walter Mitty, Taylor actually lives the lives he imagines.

In a world where 'action movies' are faked entirely on green screens & 'reality shows' contort the truth, the 'Real-life Adventures of the Texas Yeti' are refreshingly authentic, entertaining, & inspiring. Pat Taylor's atypical adventures are underdog bestsellers & trending to a wider audience... his books inspire readers to embrace adventure in their lives.

Reviews

[Carrie L. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventures Await!

Ride along and learn something new as 'Woodie' takes you backcountry for an eventful excursion in a beautiful wilderness. Meet the hardworking outfitters who differ dramatically in characters and backgrounds.

[Peter Hendrycks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a number of Pat's books, and come to appreciate his love for the wilderness, his ability to go for days on a spoonful of peanut butter and a pack of tuna, and the spirituality he gets from his experiences. This book is different from those books, in that it focuses less on Pat's solo treks, but a new endeavor that requires a lot of hard work, learning to be a packer and guide. Despite his advanced age, ( 58 as it is finally discosed later in the story) he begins as a greenhorn apprentice learning the ropes, where the washout rate is high. This book seems to focus on 2 things, the relationship of a man with his stock, which have personslities, and the relationships of those team members who are the rare breed that embrace this lifestyle. His writing style vividly describes the situation, whether trying to coax a reluctant horse across a creek, a solo trip up a drainage previously unexplored, or his relationship with Ron, and the other members of the outfit. I envy that life. I also noted that his experiences and relationships made in the book opened the door to future adventures! This book may not be for everybody, but I found a kinship in it, and thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Bruce Forrester · Rating 2 out of 5]

Give this one a pass.

I tried to finish this book and got about 90% through it before I lost interest and bailed. There is far too much detail regarding things that are just not important,not interesting, like describing what everyone wore to a party. I find killing animals disgusting, as do most people and this book if full of it.

[darrell jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating , captivating

This book is a joy to read .
I could feel the path beneath my feet, the cook crisp air , smell the forest , and see the sunrises and sunsets as Woody described his days .
His description of each character, each creature and insights of what makes them tick is masterful.
Do not rush yourself , you're going to enjoy this adventure !

[Ricky D. McDaniel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't care for the authors writing style. Partly because he seems kind of full of himself, partly because I don't need to read about every breath he takes and every time he had to pee. I read about half way through and put it down. Very disappointing, as I bought it to read during a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon and I thought a good adventure story would be a perfect companion.

[Gerald Caffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much foul language for me.

I know these are rough men who do this kind of work, but the use of profanity was too much for my taste. Did not finish the book. It's a good story just the language a problem.

[john a allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Round 2

This is not the book the first one was, not even close. But still a good read, I like his style. Gave this one 4 stars simply for the fact there was not a lot of exploration involved.

[Melissa Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining fun.

This is a well written story. The adventure of the story is highlighted by great descriptions and good story telling.

[James Burge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done!

Very relaxing and informative reading. Looking forward to the next book by Patrick Taylor. Painted a great picture of the life.

[Jessica Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was just enough to keep me reading till the end, but I think that’s only because I kept waiting for something to happen…

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the best writing but fascinating lifestyle

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Taylor is a natural storyteller and his relating his adventures as a guide and packer in the wild mountains of Idaho becomes an incredible tale of magical experiences.

[Mike Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring book. An ode to the simple life of nature, hard work, and laughter.

[Orion · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great story

Great telling of life in the backcountry by a great author. This is the second book of his I have read and he does a great job of writing.

[JEREMY SMITH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but long and rambling in places.
It says they used bait to attract bears and allow clients to shoot them which is illegal and not at all sporting.