Ron Adkison, an avid hiker and backpacker, began his outdoor explorations at age 6. During his lifetime he logged more than 12,000 trail miles in ten western states. He walked every trail in this guide, most of them multiple times, to provide precise, firsthand information about the trails, as well as features of ecological and historical interest. Ron shares his love for the backcountry with you in this, one of his sixteen guidebooks covering wild country in the American West.

After Ron's death in September 2009, his son, Ben Adkison, took over revising and updating his books. Ron brought Ben on many of the trips in this book and many others when Ben was young. Ben can be found exploring the rivers and trails around his home in Missoula, Montana.