Grit is a 4-Letter Word
In a radical departure from shifters, dragons, gods, goddesses, vampires, and all manner of supernatural beings, I’m pleased to present my first nonfiction offering. This book was way harder to write than I ever could have imagined, and I’m proud of how it came out.
Pioneer your own journey.
Part guidebook, part self-help manual, Grit is a 4-Letter Word covers mental preparedness for living with only the gear on your back and a nimble mind. But it isn’t a “how to” set of instructions, mostly because there are as many ways of enjoying the wilderness as there are backcountry travelers.
The beauty of wilderness travel is discovering what works for you.
Ann Gimpel is a clinical psychologist. She’s also a mountaineer and a vagabond. The wilderness has played a huge role in her life.
Stories speak to us at a bone-deep level, so this book is packed full of stories from the author as well as others. Read them with an open heart. It’s how they were written.
Appendices covering gear and backcountry kitchen ideas have been added, along with a resource guide, but this is only a starting point.
About Ann
I'm basically a mountaineer at heart. I remember many hours at my desk where my body may have been stuck inside four walls, but my soul was planning yet one more trip to the backcountry. There's a timeless element to the mountains. They feel like old friends as I visit them, and visit them again. There's nothing like standing on a remote pass where I've been before and seeing that the vista is unchanged. Or on an equally remote peak. Mountains are the bones of the world. They'll prevail long after all of us are dust. It feels honest and humbling to share space with them. I hope I'm blessed with many more years to wander the local landscape. The memories are incomparable. They warm me and help me believe there will be something left for our children and their children after them.