PRAISE FOR
“Beautiful and deftly written and intimate and searing in its honesty, Anish’s is a quest to conquer the trail and her own inner darkness.”
—Foreword Reviews, *starred review
“With humility and vulnerability, Heather ‘Anish’ Anderson reminds us that the most impressive feats of strength and endurance are entirely human endeavors, achieved one step at a time. Thirst takes the reader to the trail, but also to the heart.”
—Ben Montgomery, author of Grandma Gatewood’s Walk
“Heather Anderson’s book is much like her extraordinary trail accomplishments: extremely personal yet universally inspiring. She exposes the value of following a path apart from the mainstream, and convinces readers of their own ability to unleash personal reserves of endurance to push beyond mental limitations and cultural expectations.”
—Jennifer Pharr Davis, author of The Pursuit of Endurance
“Just like Heather thru-hikes the PCT from Mexico to Canada, you will thruread Thirst cover to cover for insight into her impressive accomplishments.”
—Gina Lucrezi, founder of Trail Sisters
“Thirst is the kind of book that sits in your bones. It makes you want to push harder at whatever it is you do. Anish is possibly the greatest athlete in the world, but she didn’t start that way. This book gives you hope and courage by showing that no matter who you are or where you are at now, you can do more.”
—Liz “Snorkel” Thomas, author of Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-Hike
“In no uncertain terms, Heather ‘Anish’ Anderson is a legend in the long-distance hiking community. Thirst delivers an emotional, inspiring, and beautifully written narrative about the achievement that first put her on this map.”
—Zach Davis, editor-in-chief of The Trek
HEATHER “ANISH” ANDERSON
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MOUNTAINEERS BOOKS is dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and enjoyment of outdoor and wilderness areas. |
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Copyright © 2019 by Heather Anderson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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Printed in the United States of America
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Copyeditor: Laura Lancaster
Design and layout: Jen Grable
Cartographer: Martha Bostwick
Cover photograph: Pacific Crest Trail, Washington © UT07/iStock
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file for this title.
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ISBN (paperback): 978-1-68051-236-6
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-68051-237-3
TO THE TRAIL
for being my comfort when I was broken,
my crucible when I needed to become strong,
and my home without fail.
Map of Important Places on the Pacific Crest Trail
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1Mission Creek, California
CHAPTER 4San Felipe Hills, California
CHAPTER 5Cleveland National Forest, California
CHAPTER 6San Jacinto Mountains, California
CHAPTER 7Mission Creek, California
CHAPTER 8San Gorgonio Wilderness, California
CHAPTER 9Angeles National Forest, California
CHAPTER 10Mojave Desert, California
CHAPTER 11Tehachapi Mountains, California
CHAPTER 12Piute Mountains, California
CHAPTER 13Owens Peak Wilderness, California
CHAPTER 14Kennedy Meadows, California
CHAPTER 15South Sierra Wilderness, California
CHAPTER 16Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California
CHAPTER 17Yosemite National Park, California
CHAPTER 18Mokelumne Wilderness, California