Beyond the Trees Audiobook By Adam Shoalts cover art

Beyond the Trees

A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic

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Beyond the Trees

By: Adam Shoalts
Narrated by: Adam Shoalts
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A mesmerizing odyssey through an unforgiving landscape, and the rich history it reveals.

What does it mean to explore and confront the unknown? Beyond the Trees recounts Adam Shoalts's epic, never-before-attempted solo crossing of Canada's mainland Arctic in a single season. It's also a multilayered story that weaves the narrative of Shoalts's journey into accounts of other adventurers, explorers, First Nations, fur traders, dreamers, eccentrics, and bush pilots to create an unforgettable tale of adventure and exploration.

Interspersed with his stories of navigating mazes of shifting ice floes, facing down snarling bears and galloping musk-ox, and portaging along knife-edge cliffs above furious rapids, are the fascinating legends, historic persons, and incredible anecdotes that make up the lore of the North. They include the saga of the Mad Trapper, a man whose feats of endurance and ingenuity were almost as legendary as his violent end; the story of the controversial Vilhjalmur Stefansson, a redoubtable dreamer but also one who was blamed for the deaths of his companions; the tale of the "Lost Patrol" of the Mounties who perished in a blinding blizzard; the formidable Tyrell brothers who together charted much of Canada's North; the eerie ruins of Fort Confidence that was built nearly two centuries ago on Great Bear Lake; and the decaying remnants of gold prospector David Douglas's cabin overlooking the Dease River. The North is indeed a perilous place. Also told in the book is the tragedy of John Hornby and his two companions who starved to death on the banks of the Thelon River; their bones are still resting just above the riverbank in shallow graves.

Beyond the Trees also discusses folklore about wendigoes, strange lights, and the mystery of Angikuni Lake, where in 1930 an entire Inuit camp supposedly vanished without a trace. These mysteries and wonders are Shoalts's only companions as he sets out on his own path through the adventure of a lifetime. Biographies & Memoirs Environmentalists & Naturalists Expeditions & Discoveries Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Professionals & Academics Science Canada Adventure Polar Region Americas World Outdoor Adventure

Critic reviews

National Bestseller

“[Shoalts] brings us along on his solo journey across the Arctic, infused with the wonder of seeing this majestic land and the urgency of making it back before winter sets in.”
—Toronto Star

“Ample moments of adrenaline and suspense and descriptions of breathtaking natural beauty in his voyages, but it’s his thirst for the unknown—the blank spots—that resonated.”
—The New York Review of Books

“When reading Beyond the Trees, one gets the impression of author Adam Shoalts as a kind of Jack Kerouac meets Jack Reacher: an obsessive wanderer at his calmest in the midst of catastrophe.”
—Atlantic Books Today

“[Beyond the Trees] might just soothe your need for adventure. . . . wonder-filled . . . [a] beautiful book.”
—BuzzFeed

“. . . the adventure of a lifetime [told] in thrilling detail.”
—TVO

“A wild adventure . . . riveting.”
—Montreal Gazette

“[A] rousing adventure story.”
—Canada.com

“[An] homage to the wilds of the Canadian North. . . . If you love an outdoor adventure, Beyond the Trees is for you.”
—Kamloops Matters
Epic Adventure • Detailed Explanations • Captivating Journey • Historical Insights • Well-written Story

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Another great adventure filled with His dedication and endless endurance To complete his journey. I do think he might be a little crazy not bringing a gun into bad country.

Epic adventure.

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I can’t fathom taking on a journey like this but I’m so glad to hear the story of someone who did. The stories are a bit winding in spots - which mirrors his travels - and overall this is a great way to learn from someone who did the impossible.

The chronicles of an astounding journey!

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What a trip! Enthralling and captivating. Shoalts writes a story that’s for the armchair adventurers sans the bugs. More importantly he reminds us of the inherent need of all of us to seek,find, and absorb the nature around us and preserve it... imagine yourself actually having to get used to talking to people again. Good stuff

Victor,Co

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I liked his sense of humor and his description of the wilderness surrounding him. Great read

Wilderness Travel

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Adams a badass his adventures are insane. the trips he takes are never ending not only is adam a beast physically his mental aspect is second to none.

Adam's a badass and doesn't know it

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