Welcome to Susan Alcorn’s Media Kit!
*About the author
*The latest book: Walk, Hike, Saunter (incl. cover photo)
*Reviews
*Links to recent media articles
*Cover photo for Walk, Hike, Saunter
* Book ordering details & contact info
About author hiker Susan Alcorn
Susan Alcorn was born in Oregon, but has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for most of her life. For one who enjoys hiking and the outdoors, it’s just about perfect. The weather is moderate most of the year, and there are dozens of regional, state, and federal parks where she and her husband Ralph can enjoy nature and keep in shape.
Susan Alcorn retired from teaching elementary school in 2001 (at age 60), which provided even more time for hiking, backpacking, and other travel. The couple climbed Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro in 2007, and backpacked the Circuit Route in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile (Patagonia) in 2010.
Susan and Ralph section-hiked the entire 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (along the crest of the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges) through California, Oregon, and Washington), completing it in 2010. They have completed over 3,000 miles of Camino pilgrimage trails in Spain, France, and Portugal.
Susan believes that hiking is an excellent activity for people of all ages. It provides both physical and mental health benefits. She says, “It certainly has been very good for us and it has been an excellent way to see the world. We intend to continue as long as we can!”
The latest book: Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned Women Share Tales and Trails
In Walk, Hike, Saunter, long-distance hiker Susan Alcorn introduces you to 32 experienced outdoors women who consider hiking to be an essential part of their lives. Their stories are told with honesty, insight and humor. They share their wisdom and proven tips to inspire women and men of all ages.
The women, all 45 and older and in the prime of their lives, are superstars — shining examples of the richness that hiking can bring to our lives. All told, they have hiked tens of thousands of miles.
A common theme running through Walk, Hike, Saunter is that there are many paths to incorporating hiking into your life. Whether hiking is one of many things that you enjoy doing, or whether you find it such an passion that you don’t mind living out of your car in order to pursue it — you can reap the rewards of exploring the world on foot. As you immerse yourself in nature, enjoy new vistas, and perhaps experience interesting cultures, you’ll improve your health and fitness and enrich your life.
Reviews for Susan Alcorn’s Walk, Hike, Saunter
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, “Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned Women Hikers Share Tales and Trails” is a unique compendium of personal stories that individually and collectively showcase the variety of physical, mental and emotional health benefits that accrue through diverse outdoor mobility exercises.
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, “Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned Women Hikers Share Tales and Trails” is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, college, and university library Hiking, Camping, Excursion Guides, Traveler and Explorer Biography collections.
— Midwest Review. Helen Dumont’s Bookshelf
“I love reading about women who continue to challenge themselves on trails. In Walk, Hike, Saunter, 32 women, all over 45, openly share their stories of the rewards and challenges of hiking. This is one book you will want to sit down and savor for the inspiration and wisdom.”
— Jennifer Pharr Davis, Appalachian Trail record holder, motivational speaker, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, critically acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Endurance.
“Walk, Hike, Saunter will take ‘I’m too old to hike’ out of your vocabulary! These profiles of women who are hiking and backpacking from 45 into their seventies will leave you inspired to get off the couch at any age.” — Heather ‘Anish’ Anderson, 30,000 miles hiked. National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and author of Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home.
“Long-distance hiking is one of the world’s great challenges. More people have successfully climbed Mt. Everest than have completed the ‘Triple Crown’ of hiking — thru-hikes of the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide National Scenic Trails. But at the same time, long-distance hiking can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of age or gender.
“Women, especially older women, will find inspiration and advice in these pages as their peers share their experiences on everything from attitude to equipment, challenges to triumphs. So pull up a comfy chair, light a fire, open these pages and let these remarkable women spin their tales of their adventures — and inspire yours.”
— Karen Berger, author, America’s National Historic Trails and18 other books.
“Both inspirational and reassuring, Susan Alcorn’s Walk, Hike, Saunter provides a wealth of encouragement for any woman. These thoughtful interviews, made up of tales from real women, in their own voices, will find a home on your bookshelf and in your heart.
“Whether you aspire to long distance wilderness hiking, prefer the historic byways of Europe or enjoy a gentle stroll around the neighborhood, you will respond to the diverse personalities and likeable personas of the author’s many female protagonists.
“Walk, Hike, Saunter is full of pearls of wisdom from women who actually walk the walk. It will remind you that each walk has its own reasons for being special, and it may just inspire you to take your own next step.”
— Amy Racina, hiker, speaker, adventurer, author of Angels in the Wilderness: The True Story of One Woman’s Survival Against All Odds.
Links or information on recent media coverage:
Alcorn, Susan. “Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned women hikers” tell their stories in a new book. Pacific Crest Trail Communicator, PCTA. Spring 2021, pg. 14-16. (Contact for copies)
Carlson, Lisa. Meet Mighty Hiker, Author and Publisher Susan Alcorn (feature article). Montclair Living. Best Version Media. June 2021. Link: https://www.alignable.com/berkeley-ca/piedmont-montclair-berkeley-hills-living-magazines/montclair-living-june-2021-jun-2021
McConahey, Meg. “It’s never too late to hit the trail, according to these women.” Santa Rosa Press Democrat. (April. 15, 2021)
Link: https://www.sonomanews.com/article/lifestyle/its-never-too-late-to-hit-the-trail/
Cover photo for Walk, Hike, Saunter:
Book ordering details & contact info:
Walk, Hike, Saunter: Available at Amazon and from better bookstores. Booksellers: Distributed by Ingram. ISBN 978-0936034072. Paperback: 327 pages; 33 b & photos and illustrations, 32 stories, resource list, other reading list. 5.5 x 0.82 x 8.5 inches. Weight: 14.8 ounces. Available on Kindle. Language: English. Publisher: Shepherd Canyon Books. Publication date: November, 2020, $19.95 retail. Dealer rate sheet upon request.
Healing Miles: Gifts from the Caminos Norte and Primitivo. ISBN 978-0936034065. 310 pages, 19 b & w photos and illustrations, appendix, 5-page index. Publication date: December, 2017, $17.95 retail. Also on Kindle. Dealer rate sheet upon request.
Patagonia Chronicle: On Foot in Torres del Paine. ISBN 978-0936034041. 292 pages, 16 b & w photos, 6 illustrations, appendix, 8-page index, bibliography, outline maps. Publication date: October, 2012, $17.95 retail. Also on Kindle. Dealer rate sheet upon request.
Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago. ISBN 0936034033. 256 pages, 24 b & w photos, appendix, 5-page index, bibliography, regional outline maps. Publication date: June 15, 2006, reprinted with current “how to” information in 2014. $16.95 retail. Also on Kindle. Dealer rate sheet upon request.
We’re in the Mountains, Not Over the Hill ISBN 0936034025. 288 pages, 16 b & w photos, appendix, 4-page index, bibliography, . Publication date: May 2003, reprinted 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011 $16.95 retail. Also on Kindle. Dealer rate sheet upon request.
Contact: For more information or to receive a review copy, contact Susan Alcorn at Shepherd Canyon Books, 25 Southwood Ct., Oakland, CA 94611. 510-339-6616. e-mail: backpack45@yahoo.com www.susandalcorn.com
Shepherd Canyon Books is the publisher of Susan Alcorn’s Walk, Hike, Saunter; Healing Miles: Gifts from the Caminos Norte and Primitivo; Patagonia Chronicle: On Foot in Torres del Paine; Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago; and We’re in the Mountains Not over the Hill: Tales and Tips from Seasoned Women Backpackers by Susan Alcorn. All of her books currently in print also can be found here.
All of the hiking books, written after the author took up backpacking at age 48, encourage and support backpacking and long-distance hiking for women and men of all ages.
Contact Susan Alcorn at backpack45@yahoo.com