Adventures in the Wilderness

Book excerpt: Known as the “Father of the Outdoor Movement,” William HH Murray’s writings have been appreciated by generations of readers looking to nature as an escape from our daily lives as well as a portal to our past, perhaps none more so than his classic Adventures in the Wilderness: Or, Camp-Life in the Adirondacks. Published in 1869 and widely hailed as the first book on recreational camping ever published in America, this groundbreaking resource informed readers how to live in the woods: what equipment to bring, where to set up camp, how to cook, fish, and hunt, and most importantly insights on the profound connections to be made between humankind and the outdoor world around us. Besides introducing readers to the great outdoors, the book would go on to lay the foundation for the conservation movement. With a Foreword by Laura Rice, the Chief Curator of the Adirondack Experience Museum, this edition of Adventures in the Wilderness revisits Murray’s timeless tips and stories of north country camping with modern-day context and clarity, showing that the profound power of nature has only grown.