Perhaps Don Pitcher’s love of travel came about because he moved so much as a child; by age 15 he had lived in six states and two-dozen East Coast and Midwest towns. Don’s family hails from Maine, but being born in Atlanta made him a southerner with New England blood. He moved west for college, receiving a master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, where his thesis examined wildfires in high elevation forests of Sequoia National Park. When his first (and only) scientific paper was published, he appeared headed into the world of ecological research.
Shortly after grad school Don landed what seemed the coolest job on the planet: being flown around Alaska’s massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in a helicopter while conducting fire research. Over the next 15 years he built backcountry trails, worked as a wilderness ranger, mapped grizzly habitat, and operated salmon weirs. After that first season in Alaska, Don spent three months in the South Pacific, and quickly found himself addicted to travel. These explorations eventually took him to 35 countries and all 50 U.S. states.
In addition to this book, he is the author of Moon Handbooks to Washington, Wyoming, Yellowstone & Grand Teton, and the San Juan Islands. He has photographed three popular travel books for Compass American Guides and served as editor for Best Places Alaska. Don’s photos have appeared in a multitude of other publications and advertisements, and his fine-art prints are sold in many Alaska and Washington galleries.
Don lives in Homer, Alaska, with his wife, Karen Shemet, and their children, Aziza and Rio. Find details on his latest writing and photography projects — along with web links to hundreds of places mentioned in this book — at www.donpitcher.com.