Beyond the Trees

A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic

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Beyond the Trees

Written by: Adam Shoalts

Narrated by: Adam Shoalts

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About this listen

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.

Americas

Canada

World

Adventure

Polar Region

Inspiring

Outdoor Adventure

What the critics say

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

Most Relevant

This book really captured my mind and imagination. I found myself in another place while listening; a serene place close to nature; a place full of adventure lifting my spirit away from my suburbia life into the outstretched hands of Mother Nature. Shoalts tells his wild journey in a straight forward, down-to-earth narration. It grips its listeners attention, but rises above the typical Hollywood sensational twists that most adventure stories lean toward, and also avoids tedious, artificial cliffhangers. It is extremally well-written in its direct and enchanting perspective, and his subtle sense of humor adds flavor and personality. It has an educational sub-plot, ranging from survival techniques, to historical accounts, and much useful insights in natural vegetation (and so much more). It's romance with nature has made it an instant favorite of mine, This book belongs in your collection.