This book read like a very purposive podcast. It feel interesting but also human and showed the family and emotions of a missing person. Overall, I think the author did a lovely job of telling the story but also honoring the lost.

The inclusion of maps, Facebook posts, missing posters, and photos added to the experience.

DNF @ 41%. While I’m interested in the basic idea of this book - the search for missing hikers of the PCT - I found this book mostly tedious and vaguely boring. There were fascinating details about hiking life, but I feel this needed to be better edited to make it more cohesive.

Liked it a lot. I really want to hike the trail now. Made me want to get outside. Will buy for my personal library.

Trail of the Lost by Andrea Lankford is a gripping non-fiction book focusing on the disappearances of three Pacific Crest Trail hikers between the years of 2015 - 2017. As someone who loves to hike my local state park and national park trails, listener of true crime, and someone fascinated with missing persons and search and rescue stories, this book was an immediate yes for me.

Written by former National Park Service ranger Andrea Lankford, she brings her wilderness search and rescue expertise to the story as she tries to find these three men who have disappear without a trace. I loved the beginning where Ms. Lankford describes her credentials and experience working as a law enforcement agent with the NPS. I think I will have to go back and read her book Ranger Confidential to get a deeper look at her work before leaving the force. After the background info about her life, the history of the trail, and explanations of the thousands of thru-hikers that attempt the 2,650 mile trail, we get into the gripping and frustrating story of the amateur sleuths that are determined to find answers to what has happened to three specific hikers. I think that true-crime lovers, podcast listeners, and those that love hiking/the outdoors will really enjoy this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchage for my honest thoughts.

A story about three lost hikers. First, the author goes into the history of the trial and how it came to be and also into the disappearances that have been happening in recent years. Also, drug activity which also has led to more problems and disappearances. I will say I lot has changed since I went backpacking on parts of the trail in the seventies. Here the story picks up with a Park Service Ranger Andrea Lankford, who she is looking for, and into the disappearance of the three hikers. A made-for podcast nowadays this is a sad story about everything in general. Well written.

Trail of the Lost is an account of former National Park Service Ranger Andrea Lankford and her search for three lost hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail who disappeared without a trace. Exceptionally well written, this book will appeal to true crime fans and people who are into nature stories.

Trail of the Lost by Andrea Lankford is a well-researched and well-written book about the history of the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT), the individuals who sought to establish it, and three hikers who went missing on it in recent years.

Lankford describes the trail and its dangers, everything from drug dealers to four-leggeds to threatening weather. She tells the reader about what’s necessary to undertake such a hike and how some hikers react to the reality that is not what the Wild experience expected of them. She’s also describes in great detail the missing.

The book echoes real life more than TV in that reality sometimes doesn’t bring you the closure that you’re hoping for while TV always manages to. I did feel a bit of disappointment that the end came without a neatly tied bow, which we so often expect. Why? I wondered. Why did she write a book in which the reader received no closure? Is the trail all of the experience until . . .

I did feel dismayed at the ending but not relating to the book. If that makes sense. I felt more dismayed that we are not yet to a point where people can go missing and we don’t achieve answers. The book is part of a process that oftentimes gives no answers.

A compelling read.

Many thanks to the publisher for a copy.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This books tells the story of the author’s drive to find some missing pieces to the story of many who have disappeared while hiking the Pacific Crest trail. I was intrigued by this story and the unfortunate mishaps so many people encountered while adventuring the great unknown. I was excited to learn more about these adventures and the danger that lies within the trial but overall I found the story line very hrad to follow and confusing at times

Fascinating read! I loved this one.

I'm not a hiker, but I can understand the pull of those seeking connection with the natural world. Andrea Lankford did a thorough job with her research about three missing hikers and the search to find out what happened to them. She delves into the culture around the hiking world and doesn't shy away from discussing the terrible accidents that can easily claim a hiker's life.

I try no to give non fiction stories a rating as it isn't up for interpretation. I am a fan of true crime stories, hiking stories, and disappearance stories. This book checked all those boxes. I enjoyed the way the story was told. We really got to feel how it was to search for people in this unforgiving wilderness. I recommend this for sure if you pick up a non-fiction soon

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I kept getting sad about all the stories of people finding their loved ones dead after ages of searching for them and then realizing that's pretty much the whole point of the book. Lol. So if you're interested in that (and a very tactful exploration of the amazingly resilient people who are looking for folks lost on the PCT... check it out! If that sounds like a bummer to you... it will be.

Trail of the lost is a fascinating account of the search for 3 missing thru-hikers on the PCT. The disappearances are unrelated but become connected through a small devoted group searching for answers, which ultimately led to formation of a charitable foundation to help promote thru-hiker safety, and resources to search for missing hikers on the PCT.

This book was utterly fascinating what yo done people is a fun hobby lies a dark web of possibilities for danger from multiple sources. Mother Nature isn’t the only thing to respect and many more things to fear from those who have intentions to harm others. It really grips you to know that wildlife isn’t the only predatory species hunting in remote areas and even the simplest of mistakes can cause serious injuries or death. And in remote trail like PCT help is not always soon to come. My heart break for those who still search for answers and I learned so much reading this book.

I started section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017, so was very aware of some of the stories mentioned in Trail of the Lost. What I didn’t know was the more extensive history of lost PCT hikers and the lengths taken in searching for them. Lankford weaves their stories together and imbues them with strategic consideration and natural emotion. I’m glad that this book was not around for my family to read prior to my hike, but hope that it brings awareness to those still missing.

I would not call this book a true crime genre as so many cases are unsolved or accidents, but any missing person leaving their family in pain and desperate for answers is a true crime.

This book is written by a former law enforcement park ranger and investigator, Andrea Lankford, who crafted her skill of searching for those missing on the Pacific Crest Trail. She shares stories of her searches, the methods used and the many people who brought different skill sets to today's searchers.

There are people who take known risks to climb Mt. Everest and many mountains, who search the deepest depths of the oceans, and who take on the daunting task of hiking the Appalachian Trail (GA to Maine) and the Pacific Crest Trail (Mexico to Canada) every year, putting their life in danger but are determined to reach their goal at all costs. These explorers often achieve their goals but there are also those who don't and many are missing to this day. This book shares the stories of the families searching, their determination to find their loved ones, and the heartache of not finding them year after year.

As one who has hiked in the mountains of CO and knows the risks and fears around you as you also take in the beauty and majesty of creation away from the chaos of life in our cities, I was gripped reading this book. If you are a hiker, particularly of the AT or the PCT, you will relate to this book. I enjoyed learning more about the trail culture and lingo.

My thanks to Net Galley and Hatchette Books for an advanced copy of this e-book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

I thought this was such a good book. This author tells the story of her relentless search for three missing hikers from the Pacific Coast Trail. These three young men,went missing over a three year period, in different areas and I found their backstory interesting, they all started this hike with different intentions and for different reasons. The PCT can be treacherous even if you are a seasoned and experienced hiker.

As someone who loves hiking, I found this book so interesting. Hiking alone is so much more treacherous than hiking with a buddy, but the PCT seems to be a hike of reflection for most, perhaps why most seem to hike it alone. I found myself absorbed in the tale as she and the others that assisted her tried to find ourt what had happedned to these hikers. Andrea Lankford tried to find peace for the families of the missing, to give closure to the story and I am sure the families were grateful.

This work of true crime utterly possessed me; I am torn between wanting my hiking friends to read it, because I don’t want any of these awful things to happen to them, or not wanting them to read it, because it will terrify them into never venturing into the wilds again. (I am probably going to buy a few copies of this book this Christmas as gifts for those same friends!) Anyone who knows someone who hikes or camps or goes “off trail” for any reason should have an eye out for this book.

The depth of Lankford’s research, the number of interviews and observations, and the countless hours and days and weeks spent in Search and Rescue to make this book happen is staggering; that alone is a draw for anyone interested in this kind of crime non-fiction. Lankford themself is well-positioned to write on the subject. As a former ranger involved in several S&R investigations, Lankford is more than a hiker. Here, Lankford takes on the role of investigative journalist, detective, social worker, and friend.

The book focuses on the disappearances of three men (primarily) from the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs along the West Coast, from California up to and through Washington State. Kris Fowler, David O’Sullivan, and Chris Sylvia vanished from the trail in mysterious circumstances and have yet to be found, alive or otherwise.

But, of course, the book is about more than them and their individual cases; Trail of the Lost is also about their families and loved ones, the grief and pain of their loss, the process and protocols of police and other investigations into vanishings, and — perhaps this is where the book truly shines and connects with readers on a wholly different level — the culture of the trail and of extreme hiking. By giving readers a view into the the lure of these activities and the perils they entail, Trail illuminates certain flaws in our societal ideals and in the normative flows of life around work-family-friendship-community. Lankford highlights what might be missing in our urban/suburban spaces that trails like this offer. Chapters that seemingly veer off onto tangential subjects, like the Yellow Deli Group, or suspicious and creepy “trail trolls” in fact, draw attention to deeply inclusive, welcoming, altruistic, and connected the culture of the PCT and hiking is (or can be).

The irony is, of course, that individuals take on these hikes individually; they seek isolation — and yet, the culture of the trail highlights the deep dependence we, as humans, have on each other, and our need for social contact, a sense of belonging with others, a sense of community.

I read John Billman’s The Cold Vanish earlier, and Lankford’s book was an excellent companion to that book. Both books focus on the families of those lost in the wilderness, as well as on the investigations into the missing persons. Both books show strong compassion for the families and to those struggling for years to find out what happened. Lankford is a former park ranger who got fed up with the bureaucracy and quit to become a nurse. After 12+ years she got pulled back into the searches for three men who went missing at different times and places along the Pacific Crest Trail. Relentless is the perfect word to describe the effort put into the searches, which still continue. Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.

NetGalley read. For honest review.

I am a day hiker, and a long walker myself (Spanish and Portugal Camino) but not a backpacker or thru hiker. I found this a fascinating book even with its flaws and would highly recommend it if you have an interest in wilderness/ search and rescue or are a long distance hiker or have an interest in the subject. There is a treasure trove of information here, but it will require a little searching and focus on your part. But like a long hike in the nature, it is certainly worth the effort.

There was much I loved about this book and a few instances where it drove me crazy. It is well written story by a woman who was a former park ranger and wilderness rescuer/first responder now turned R.N. She has the qualifications and experience needed to really lend a hand and tell a well-developed exploration of how hikers, even good ones and often less than qualified ones, overstep in nature and are lost. This is a story of how three male hikers have been lost for years on the Pacific Coast Trail (the thru hike--2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada brought to life in the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed--later made into the film by the same name). and have not been found.

It is easier to say what this story is not about than exactly what it is. It is not a true crime story as it is pitched on the cover and reviews. Not unless we count getting lost as the crime, since death on a hike could possibly be foul play but is more likely to be accidental mishap and injury caused by a wrong choice or a wrong step. I would certainly consider it a Cold Case type mystery. One where others have failed and there is a hope that you might just uncover the key that solves it and brings closures to these families.

It does cover a lot of facets about hiking--what to bring to stay safe, a little on the needed preparation, how accidents can happen even for experienced hikers and how difficult finding hikers in the wilderness is.
There is lots about the Pacific Coast Trail--how difficult it is, how many more hikers attempt it since its popularity took off after Stayed's book, the different terrains encountered, fewer re-supply stops, why hikers get discouraged and how few make it the full length, even when it is the plan.
Grief and closure are discussed throughout as several people who want to help find these men realize how difficult it can be to give up even when their own money, hope and ideas are exhausted, because they have become close with the families.
How scattered and uncoordinated search efforts are, no clear responsibility or chain of command of law enforcement efforts, the final responsibility often falling on local police forces who do not have the time, resources or personnel to tackle this kind of search.

The meat of the story is about three male hikers of varied experience who have been lost on the trail and never been found. One in 2016, one in 2017 and one in 2018. Two lost in the Mohave desert in California in the early going hiking days and one in the wilds of Washington almost at the finish. Each hiker’s backstory is recounted at length, what is known on why he decided to hike this trail and how far he got, when his disappearance was noted and the immediate rescue efforts. There is much detail on new items of clothing found and investigation of trails that might have been taken in error.

A variety of people, mostly amateurs aside from Lankford get involved with these cases and they enlist a variety of efforts to make headway where little has been made before. They do have the information on what has been done previously. But there is surprisingly little aside from the areas search and the last know whereabouts of these hikers. A group evolves to lend time and what expertise they have to help. This includes psychics, professional internet map searchers, previous law enforcement people, improbable inventors, and drone experts. All avenues are explored, including improbable trails taken, possible mountain lion and rattle snake encounters, criminal encounters, suicide and purposefully going off and not wanting to be found.

It was fascinating but at times difficult to follow especially on audio. Two of the lost have the name Chris, and though they are lost on different parts of the trail, descriptions of wilderness are often similar so there were times I was not exactly sure where I was and exactly which of the hikers was being talked about. Timelines were often non-liner, as different searchers came into the story and different aspects of the search for each hiker was discussed there, dates and time jump back and forward in the story telling. Not sure how this could have been avoided but it did not make it any easier to follow.

It is a non-fiction story telling but I hesitate to call it a narrative, it is more informational and mostly well done. There is much information here on a fascinating subject. The audio was read Kristi Burns and she did a very good narration. I used both the audio and the print advanced reader copy in my reading. I did not find one better than the other. It did demand focus from me so I was glad to have both on hand, there are great maps of the trail in the book and they are helpful to clarify events and time lines.

Thanks to NetGalley for the print Advanced Reader Copy

Although I enjoy books about the American wilderness and man's interactions with it, this book did not engage me. I found the telling of the stories of three hikers who vanished from the Pacific Crest Trail to be flat and not able to keep my interest. My heart goes out to their loved ones and the lost individuals definitely deserve to have the lives fully told. Sadly, the author did not accomplish this for me

Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail by Andrea Lankford is a nature-based true crime memoir. I did a blended read for this one; I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Kristi Burns, while following along in a physical copy.

A former law enforcement park ranger and investigator helps a team of women attempt to find missing hikers along the Pacific Crest Trail in this true crime adventure.

There are a ton of interwoven stories here, though the main overarching plot follows three particular investigations. The author previously worked as a park ranger, but left the force after getting tired of bureaucracy and pivoted to nursing.

She still used all of her skills from her previous career to help others. There's a great use of science and date here; she is mostly focused on the facts. There are a few other outlets she describes, like the use of mediums, though she explains her skepticism.

It really takes a village to help find missing hikers. Thanks to this book, I learned about various Facebook groups that exist to help with the search. It is heartwarming that social media can actually prove helpful in trying times. There's also interesting use of drone photography that sounds like a really cool technique. Unfortunately, many of the areas on the Pacific Crest Trail are national parks, where the use of drones is illegal. There's bureaucracy again for you.

The book also delves into hiker culture, which is very interesting. I knew a bit about that because I've completed a few states worth of the Appalachian Trail on the East coast, though that is very different from the Pacific Crest Trail.

I would highly recommend reading this physically, or at the very least holding a physical copy while you're listening to the audiobook. There are many maps, photographs, and screenshots of Facebook posts in this book. Friends of mine who read the e-book version have noted that those images were very difficult to parse on their e-reader.

Also, heads up that there is no resolution for any of the three main mysteries investigated in this book. This makes sense to me, as it's basically trying to find a needle in a haystack, but also a bit disappointing.