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Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic
National bestseller
A thrilling odyssey through an unforgiving landscape, from "Canada's greatest living explorer."
In the spring of 2017, Adam Shoalts, bestselling author and adventurer, set off on an unprecedented solo journey across North America's greatest wilderness. A place where, in our increasingly interconnected, digital world, it's still possible to wander for months without crossing a single road, or even see another human being.
Between his starting point in Eagle Plains, Yukon Territory, to his destination in Baker Lake, Nunavut, lies a maze of obstacles: shifting ice floes, swollen rivers, fog-bound lakes, and gale-force storms. And Shoalts must time his departure by the breakup of the spring ice, then sprint across nearly 4,000 kilometers of rugged, wild terrain to arrive before winter closes in.
He travels alone up raging rivers that only the most expert white-water canoeists dare travel even downstream. He must portage across fields of jagged rocks that stretch to the horizon, and navigate labyrinths of swamps, tormented by clouds of mosquitoes every step of the way. And the race against the calendar means that he cannot afford the luxuries of rest, or of making mistakes. Shoalts must trek tirelessly, well into the endless Arctic summer nights, at times not even pausing to eat.
But his reward is the adventure of a lifetime.
Heart-stopping, wonder-filled, and attentive to the majesty of the natural world, Beyond the Trees captures the ache for adventure that afflicts us all.
A thrilling odyssey through an unforgiving landscape, from "Canada's greatest living explorer."
In the spring of 2017, Adam Shoalts, bestselling author and adventurer, set off on an unprecedented solo journey across North America's greatest wilderness. A place where, in our increasingly interconnected, digital world, it's still possible to wander for months without crossing a single road, or even see another human being.
Between his starting point in Eagle Plains, Yukon Territory, to his destination in Baker Lake, Nunavut, lies a maze of obstacles: shifting ice floes, swollen rivers, fog-bound lakes, and gale-force storms. And Shoalts must time his departure by the breakup of the spring ice, then sprint across nearly 4,000 kilometers of rugged, wild terrain to arrive before winter closes in.
He travels alone up raging rivers that only the most expert white-water canoeists dare travel even downstream. He must portage across fields of jagged rocks that stretch to the horizon, and navigate labyrinths of swamps, tormented by clouds of mosquitoes every step of the way. And the race against the calendar means that he cannot afford the luxuries of rest, or of making mistakes. Shoalts must trek tirelessly, well into the endless Arctic summer nights, at times not even pausing to eat.
But his reward is the adventure of a lifetime.
Heart-stopping, wonder-filled, and attentive to the majesty of the natural world, Beyond the Trees captures the ache for adventure that afflicts us all.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2019
219 people are currently reading
4,380 people want to read
About the author
Adam Shoalts
7Ìýbooks254ÌýfollowersADAM SHOALTS is a historian, archaeologist, geographer, and Westaway Explorer-in-Residence at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Shoalts holds a PhD from McMaster University where his research examined the influence Indigenous oral traditions had on fur traders in the subarctic and Pacific Northwest. He is also the author of Alone Against the North, A History of Canada in Ten Maps, and Beyond the Trees, all of them national bestsellers. He enjoys long walks in the woods. Follow his adventures on Facebook and Instagram
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews
April 24, 2020
It has been a long while since I last read a true adventure story.
And what a story this is.
It’s about one man, travelling alone, primarily by canoe, following the Arctic’s rivers and lakes across Canada’s Arctic region. His name is Adam and his journey began in Eagle Plains, Yukon and culminated in Baker Lake, Nunavit. Planning and preparing for this unimaginable trek began well on three years ago.
Take a look at a map and you will better appreciate the magnitude of such an undertaking. This is unrelenting and most unforgiving terrain my friends. A place where you can travel alone for months and never encounter another human being. Since he is travelling by canoe he must consider shifting ice floes and gale force winds across a land largely uninhabited, with barren terrain that offers scant protection from the elements. But there is life here, everywhere, from Grizzles and Muskox to Acrtic Terns. And there is beauty. Heart stopping, breathtaking beauty. But beware folks this is not a journey to be taken lightly!
I was engaged from start to finish.
Bring your waders and join us.
And what a story this is.
It’s about one man, travelling alone, primarily by canoe, following the Arctic’s rivers and lakes across Canada’s Arctic region. His name is Adam and his journey began in Eagle Plains, Yukon and culminated in Baker Lake, Nunavit. Planning and preparing for this unimaginable trek began well on three years ago.
Take a look at a map and you will better appreciate the magnitude of such an undertaking. This is unrelenting and most unforgiving terrain my friends. A place where you can travel alone for months and never encounter another human being. Since he is travelling by canoe he must consider shifting ice floes and gale force winds across a land largely uninhabited, with barren terrain that offers scant protection from the elements. But there is life here, everywhere, from Grizzles and Muskox to Acrtic Terns. And there is beauty. Heart stopping, breathtaking beauty. But beware folks this is not a journey to be taken lightly!
I was engaged from start to finish.
Bring your waders and join us.
November 17, 2019
I wish I liked this book more, but all I can really get to is admiration. Shoalts is everything you’d want from a modern day explorer: leaving only footprints, taking only photographs, respectful and humble to both local communities and the power of nature, all while doing some truly insane shit that helps bring awareness to larger issues. The only difficulty here is in reading page after page of portaging - if I can damn him with faint praise, Shoalts makes the interminable process of lugging supplies over the same patch of territory as tough to read as it must be to do. There’s some absolutely magical moments in this book, like when he comes across a family of wolves, but they’re few and far between.
June 19, 2019
I devour travelogues and travel adventures the way a thoroughly unadventurous stationary person might. Voraciously. So I came across this one on Netgalley and it’s advertised as written by Canada’s Indiana Jones. What? Ok, yeah, bring it. But what comes to mind trying to imagine a Canadian Indiana Jones? Like a really mild mannered, polite one? I mean, I don’t get how the comparison holds up, not based on this book anyway. This isn’t Indiana Jones, this is a guy who loves nature and solitude and crazily demanding endurance expeditions for the sake of pushing himself and proving he can do it. Which is great, but, you know, no treasures, no babes, no evil masterminds, none of that. An occasional fellow canoer and a few locals here and there, but otherwise a primarily solitary trip as a way to commemorate Canada’s sesquicentennial (that’s 150th for those forgetting their Latin) national celebration. So Adam Shoalts sets off to canoe across the Canadian Arctic. We’re talking forbidding climates, dangerous nature and at times impenetrably rugged terrain. And the idea is to canoe against the current in waters where even going with the current isn’t especially safe or easy. And all of this done completely alone. Depending on your perspective, this is either insanely exciting, insanely masochistic or plain insane. But obviously, Shoalts manages to complete his mission, otherwise there wouldn’t be a book about it. Or there would be, but you wouldn’t want to read it. So the bulk of the story is a man canoeing alone. It’s pretty exciting considering, because Shoalts has a definite talent for writing about nature. He’s obviously very, very passionate about it, but there is also a cinematic quality to his descriptions. But if you’re thinking you’re going to lean about different cultures, like the First Nation people living up north, there’s barely any of that. There’s some historical accounts of early exploits of the area. But mostly, one man, one canoe. And as much as I enjoy the peace of mind nature offers, this journey was just much too much to relate to the enjoyability of it. It sounded brutal and punishing in an unnecessary sort of way. Maybe I don’t relate to personal endurance quests that much. I always found endurance magic to be the least exciting of all magic too. David Blaine was so much more fun before he started pushing personal limitations of whatever the f. And there’s also the why of it all. Some of the brave and tragic souls that have boldly gone back in the day where Shoalts did recently did so for a proper reason, like discovering Northern passage or mapping out the territory. What would they think of someone undergoing such punishing privations for no reason but establishing some sort of personal record. I mean, I know some really get off on the idea of proving something originally deemed impossible possible, just not sure always as to why. But these are just some random thoughts and I don’t want it to seem like I didn’t enjoy the book, because I did. Surprisingly so, considering. From the relative comfort of my couch it was an enjoyable, albeit somewhat bewildering, trip plus it’s somewhere I’d certainly never travel to on my own, so thanks to the author that’s another place in the world checked out vicariously. Mine is the first review here on GR, hope it’s an encouraging one. No idea what Indiana Jones would think about all this, Probably something along the lines of general confusion. But fans of nature writing would delight in this trip. Thanks Netgalley.
October 4, 2019
This is the sort of book I love to read in bed with the wind roaring outside and the rain lashing on the window. I'm tucked up cosy and comfortable reading about an adventurer canoeing alone across the north of Canada and having to sit it out for days because the ice is too thick to break through with out damaging his canoe. I sip my tea and give thanks that people like Adam Shoalts are driven to do these things so I can read about them!
I am not in the least adventurous. I get panicked if I have to go to a new supermarket but I love to read about people who can push themselves beyond their limits - and survive. That's the main thing. Mr Shoalts takes his canoe through arctic conditions as a celebration of 150 years of Canada and it is terrifying at times but it is written in a quite matter of fact way. He talks about portage as if it is something added to the price of a bottle of port instead of carrying his belongings over several kilometres because the water ways are not appropriate for his canoe. And its not as if he just sits there paddling and enjoying the view because a lot of it, he has to push along the bottom to manoeuvre his canoe through rough terrain.
He gives a potted history of the areas he goes through and he interacts occasionally - and increasingly unwillingly - with fellow humans but overall this is one man and his canoe describing his journey and it is excellent.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I am not in the least adventurous. I get panicked if I have to go to a new supermarket but I love to read about people who can push themselves beyond their limits - and survive. That's the main thing. Mr Shoalts takes his canoe through arctic conditions as a celebration of 150 years of Canada and it is terrifying at times but it is written in a quite matter of fact way. He talks about portage as if it is something added to the price of a bottle of port instead of carrying his belongings over several kilometres because the water ways are not appropriate for his canoe. And its not as if he just sits there paddling and enjoying the view because a lot of it, he has to push along the bottom to manoeuvre his canoe through rough terrain.
He gives a potted history of the areas he goes through and he interacts occasionally - and increasingly unwillingly - with fellow humans but overall this is one man and his canoe describing his journey and it is excellent.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
June 27, 2020
I was expecting to be entertained by a great adventure story. I was not. I was bored most of the way through. It did not help that I listened to this in audio, narrated by the author with his dull, monotone voice. Audiobook narration should be left up to the professionals....
I also think the author has a fixation with the word "portage" because it must be used over a thousand times in the book.
I also think the author has a fixation with the word "portage" because it must be used over a thousand times in the book.
December 10, 2019
*I did receive a digital version of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Se more reviews at
After first reading the book was going to be about a 4,000 kilometer canoe trip, I knew it would be a pretty good travel story. However, after also reading that these 4,000 kilometers were also pretty much all above the Arctic Circle in the far north of Canada, I knew this would also be an excellent adventure story as well considering the harrowing conditions involved. Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic by Adam Shoalts is the author's firsthand account of this epic endeavor that he completed in 2017 and reads as a monumental travelogue.
Unfortunately, despite essentially being a travel journal of the highest order, this in part becomes the work's largest flaw. While much of what the author is doing on this adventure is grand in scope and is also quite detailed, the work bogs down frequently with what becomes almost a play-by-play of the days and weeks of this journey. This is magnified by the fact that many of the scenarios involved on this canoeing trip are by nature repetitive. Namely that the author canoes upriver in unfavorable conditions, followed by a portage to the next body of water (that has to be done usually three times to carry all of his gear and supplies), followed by a period of relatively easier going. Many of the obstacles along this journey were the same such as having to wade through the water dragging his canoe behind him or having to portage over rocky terrain. While the names of the rivers were different, it just seemed many of the stretches of the journey were very similar to each other so that a day by day rendition of the trip became quite repetitive.
There were also a few other downsides to the book as well. Probably most strikingly is the question of the purpose or the real reason why the author did this journey in the first place. Without this why it did seem that the trip, while epic for sure, didn't seem to have a whole lot of meaning behind it. There is some vague gesturing to celebrating Canada's sesquicentennial, but to be honest it's not really clear why this would be a celebration of that anniversary and after that the question of why is never addressed. And this leads sort of to my last disappointment with the work in that because the purpose and why of the journey is not really addressed, but only the how, much of what I was expecting in the work simply wasn't part of the book. There wasn't much deep reflection on the actual nature and environment of Canada's Arctic aside from the immediate physical path and obstacles on his journey. Every now and then there were token musings and reminisces on such topics in most chapters, particularly with some of the wildlife he encountered, and it just left me wanting more. Part of this was due to the author's time-crunch in completing his journey before the weather became too dangerous, but it just seemed that while he was indeed alone in the arctic wilderness he couldn't appreciate and soak in all that was around him due to always having to be on the move and progressing towards the goal. However, I am sure that in real life the author certainly did appreciate these sorts of things, it just may not have come across well in the book.
Now, that isn't to say that there wasn't anything good in this adventure work. Far from it. Just as a pure travel journal on how the author actually physically made this trip is mind boggling. Considering the scale involved of being above the Arctic Circle for months completing a 4,000 kilometer journey by himself, the fact the author accomplished it is amazing. The how-to and perseverance of the author tackling problems and obstacles left and right on his journey was certainly a highlight. Even though the narrative might have been repetitive it was interesting to learn about different ways of canoeing and traversing through rough waters and terrain with a canoe. He also show that with practice, skill, and determination a single person can accomplish astounding things. Lastly, I felt the author was at his best when writing about his encounters and sightings of wildlife with a particular favorite being the family of wolves he observed towards the end of his trip.
Overall, Beyond the Trees by Adam Shoalts was an interesting and detailed description of how one actually does a canoe trip across the Canadian Arctic. While the detailed day by day nature of the work may not be for everyone, no one could deny the immensity of the completing such an undertaking and this alone makes it a worthy read.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Se more reviews at
After first reading the book was going to be about a 4,000 kilometer canoe trip, I knew it would be a pretty good travel story. However, after also reading that these 4,000 kilometers were also pretty much all above the Arctic Circle in the far north of Canada, I knew this would also be an excellent adventure story as well considering the harrowing conditions involved. Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic by Adam Shoalts is the author's firsthand account of this epic endeavor that he completed in 2017 and reads as a monumental travelogue.
Unfortunately, despite essentially being a travel journal of the highest order, this in part becomes the work's largest flaw. While much of what the author is doing on this adventure is grand in scope and is also quite detailed, the work bogs down frequently with what becomes almost a play-by-play of the days and weeks of this journey. This is magnified by the fact that many of the scenarios involved on this canoeing trip are by nature repetitive. Namely that the author canoes upriver in unfavorable conditions, followed by a portage to the next body of water (that has to be done usually three times to carry all of his gear and supplies), followed by a period of relatively easier going. Many of the obstacles along this journey were the same such as having to wade through the water dragging his canoe behind him or having to portage over rocky terrain. While the names of the rivers were different, it just seemed many of the stretches of the journey were very similar to each other so that a day by day rendition of the trip became quite repetitive.
There were also a few other downsides to the book as well. Probably most strikingly is the question of the purpose or the real reason why the author did this journey in the first place. Without this why it did seem that the trip, while epic for sure, didn't seem to have a whole lot of meaning behind it. There is some vague gesturing to celebrating Canada's sesquicentennial, but to be honest it's not really clear why this would be a celebration of that anniversary and after that the question of why is never addressed. And this leads sort of to my last disappointment with the work in that because the purpose and why of the journey is not really addressed, but only the how, much of what I was expecting in the work simply wasn't part of the book. There wasn't much deep reflection on the actual nature and environment of Canada's Arctic aside from the immediate physical path and obstacles on his journey. Every now and then there were token musings and reminisces on such topics in most chapters, particularly with some of the wildlife he encountered, and it just left me wanting more. Part of this was due to the author's time-crunch in completing his journey before the weather became too dangerous, but it just seemed that while he was indeed alone in the arctic wilderness he couldn't appreciate and soak in all that was around him due to always having to be on the move and progressing towards the goal. However, I am sure that in real life the author certainly did appreciate these sorts of things, it just may not have come across well in the book.
Now, that isn't to say that there wasn't anything good in this adventure work. Far from it. Just as a pure travel journal on how the author actually physically made this trip is mind boggling. Considering the scale involved of being above the Arctic Circle for months completing a 4,000 kilometer journey by himself, the fact the author accomplished it is amazing. The how-to and perseverance of the author tackling problems and obstacles left and right on his journey was certainly a highlight. Even though the narrative might have been repetitive it was interesting to learn about different ways of canoeing and traversing through rough waters and terrain with a canoe. He also show that with practice, skill, and determination a single person can accomplish astounding things. Lastly, I felt the author was at his best when writing about his encounters and sightings of wildlife with a particular favorite being the family of wolves he observed towards the end of his trip.
Overall, Beyond the Trees by Adam Shoalts was an interesting and detailed description of how one actually does a canoe trip across the Canadian Arctic. While the detailed day by day nature of the work may not be for everyone, no one could deny the immensity of the completing such an undertaking and this alone makes it a worthy read.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
January 19, 2020
Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic by Adam Shoalts is an amazing, adventurous true story that makes the heart yearn for desolate, wild places. Most significant is how any human can make a trip of this magnitude all alone. I constantly feared for Adam’s safety and sanity.
See the full color review at my blog,
I can relate to the magnificence of the wilderness, but I enjoy it with a few more conveniences. This book enthused me with its awareness to be in tune with my own surroundings. Although I was on the fringe of a state forest in a tiny camper with running water and electricity while reading this book, I envied Adam his fearlessness and physical ability. His words made me yearn for solitude and oneness with nature.
Not that I don’t feel that way when I camp. It’s why I go. But I very avidly lived through his experiences with a wistful heart.
It’s hard to believe that 288 pages of repetitive landscape and animal sightings can be so fascinating, but I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure. Each bend in a river, or lap of the waves when he reaches shore held me captive.
As with any adventure, there’s danger � real or imagined. Nothing worthwhile is done without fear. I lived it with Adam, hoping he survived and flourished because of his experiences.
After reading this book, I can easily imagine a week or two of wilderness trekking. But months all alone through treacherous terrain? Not even. I think the hardest part would be to be without my camera. Even though I’m sure I’d never forget an experience like this, I’d miss the photos to jog my memory of the small details we inevitably forget. The view of pristine, untouched by man, wildlife and scenery had to make all Adam’s sacrifices worth it.
In the end, the book made me smile. Make sure you read it cover-to-cover, including the acknowledgements.
Beyond the Trees is perfect for every nature enthusiast, with the call of the wild to enhance your arm-chair adventure. Recommended!
Review by Dorine, courtesy of . A digital advanced copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review. Thanks in advance for following links and sharing this review on social media.
See the full color review at my blog,
I can relate to the magnificence of the wilderness, but I enjoy it with a few more conveniences. This book enthused me with its awareness to be in tune with my own surroundings. Although I was on the fringe of a state forest in a tiny camper with running water and electricity while reading this book, I envied Adam his fearlessness and physical ability. His words made me yearn for solitude and oneness with nature.
Not that I don’t feel that way when I camp. It’s why I go. But I very avidly lived through his experiences with a wistful heart.
It’s hard to believe that 288 pages of repetitive landscape and animal sightings can be so fascinating, but I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure. Each bend in a river, or lap of the waves when he reaches shore held me captive.
As with any adventure, there’s danger � real or imagined. Nothing worthwhile is done without fear. I lived it with Adam, hoping he survived and flourished because of his experiences.
After reading this book, I can easily imagine a week or two of wilderness trekking. But months all alone through treacherous terrain? Not even. I think the hardest part would be to be without my camera. Even though I’m sure I’d never forget an experience like this, I’d miss the photos to jog my memory of the small details we inevitably forget. The view of pristine, untouched by man, wildlife and scenery had to make all Adam’s sacrifices worth it.
In the end, the book made me smile. Make sure you read it cover-to-cover, including the acknowledgements.
Beyond the Trees is perfect for every nature enthusiast, with the call of the wild to enhance your arm-chair adventure. Recommended!
Review by Dorine, courtesy of . A digital advanced copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review. Thanks in advance for following links and sharing this review on social media.
July 1, 2023
In an unprecedented feat, Shoalts journey across the Arctic in a single season. His book depicts both wonderful & harrowing scenes of the Canadian landscape. I enjoyed reading about his efforts, very much.
Canada is a large landmass—the landscape could be painted a thousand times over & still, there would be more to appreciate & love. Reading about the first-person experiences & knowledge from Shoalts truly made this read enjoyable.
That being said, this book did feel longer than it was. I admit, there were times when my eyes would skim over parts of the retelling because I felt them to be longer than necessary. I take full ownership of that—this is not a reflection of the quality of the read but rather that I don’t enjoy very long descriptions, shall we say.
If you would like to read a lovely story about the Canadian wilderness; places untouched and beautiful, this book will definitely do it justice.
Canada is a large landmass—the landscape could be painted a thousand times over & still, there would be more to appreciate & love. Reading about the first-person experiences & knowledge from Shoalts truly made this read enjoyable.
That being said, this book did feel longer than it was. I admit, there were times when my eyes would skim over parts of the retelling because I felt them to be longer than necessary. I take full ownership of that—this is not a reflection of the quality of the read but rather that I don’t enjoy very long descriptions, shall we say.
If you would like to read a lovely story about the Canadian wilderness; places untouched and beautiful, this book will definitely do it justice.
November 9, 2019
The book is not what I expected, but I suppose that is my fault. I was hoping to learn about what drives a man to spend four months alone crossing 4 000 km of Arctic tundra. But Adam didn't write so much about why. He wrote about how. This book was a detailed account of his day-to-day travel and strategies he used. If you were planning a similar trip this book would be very useful. But for me, as a casual reader, I was a little bored. Kudos to Adam though, I still struggle to believe he actual made this expedition happen!
November 16, 2019
My first travel log and I enjoyed it a lot. Would’ve loved to get inside Shoalts� head a little bit more as the majority was simply describing the physicality of the trek. Adding a star because he’s a local homie and way cooler than I am.
December 10, 2019
Adam’s incredible journey across the Canadian Arctic is what originally drew me to the book. As an avid outdoor lover I enjoyed reading about the description of the landscape he crossed as well as the technical skills he used during his journey.
Unfortunately the book was very lacklustre. I found the book to be very repetitive throughout, as well I did wish I could dive into Adams head and understand the mental side of the journey as well.
Unfortunately the book was very lacklustre. I found the book to be very repetitive throughout, as well I did wish I could dive into Adams head and understand the mental side of the journey as well.
June 3, 2020
In the spring of 2017, author and adventurer Adam Shoalts embarked on an ambitious project. For four months, Adam would travel alone across Canada’s arctic region by canoe. The four thousand kilometer trek would see Shoalts go weeks without human contact as he would battle dangerous terrain, ice-packed water and horrendous winds. I haven’t even mentioned the threat of wildlife! Bears, wolves and muskoxen would threaten his safety. Oh, and don’t forget the hordes of black flies chomping at even the slightest bit of exposed skin.
No humans, though. That sounds pretty good right about now.
There’s something romantic about remote isolation. Don’t get me wrong, I am the last person on this planet equipped to “live off the land�, but to sit alone on a wide open expanse under the endless breadth of a starry sky just captures my imagination. As a species, we’re better equipped for something like this today as opposed to the late 1800s where many explorers would attempt to conquer the top of the planet only to be met with disaster.
For Adam Shoalts, this wasn’t his first rodeo. This is actually something he does often. In fact, he’s written a handful of books about it. Just a few years ago to be specific, he ventured into the Hudson Bay Lowlands � not far from where his journey would conclude in this book.
The courage and determination it took to make this journey should absolutely be commended. Shoalts took a real beating from the elements over the weeks and months in between Eagle Plains, Yukon and Bayer Lake, Nunavut but it all became a bit repetitive after a while. To be honest, not a lot happens to Adam. Thankfully, he’s more than capable of taking care of himself when danger arrives on his doorstep and because of this, it’s not what I would consider a page turner. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t rooting for Shoalts to experience a life-or-death situation, but it very much reads like someone who faced little adversity outside of the physical toll such a journey must extract.
Still, I liked reading Shoalts� tangents into others� past failed attempts to navigate the north. He offers up some interesting history about the region and why it’s such a risk to attempt to cross the Canadian Shield. Along his journey, he would walk past long since abandoned shacks as well as a memorial for a couple lost among the rapids. It’s not an area that welcomes inhabitants from down south. I enjoyed learning about the wildlife that make up the unforgiving ecosystem � well, maybe not the black flies.
Beyond The Trees is a testament to one’s drive to accomplish the seemingly impossible. I will say one thing � after reading this book, I never want to have to portage a canoe in my entire life.
No humans, though. That sounds pretty good right about now.
There’s something romantic about remote isolation. Don’t get me wrong, I am the last person on this planet equipped to “live off the land�, but to sit alone on a wide open expanse under the endless breadth of a starry sky just captures my imagination. As a species, we’re better equipped for something like this today as opposed to the late 1800s where many explorers would attempt to conquer the top of the planet only to be met with disaster.
For Adam Shoalts, this wasn’t his first rodeo. This is actually something he does often. In fact, he’s written a handful of books about it. Just a few years ago to be specific, he ventured into the Hudson Bay Lowlands � not far from where his journey would conclude in this book.
The courage and determination it took to make this journey should absolutely be commended. Shoalts took a real beating from the elements over the weeks and months in between Eagle Plains, Yukon and Bayer Lake, Nunavut but it all became a bit repetitive after a while. To be honest, not a lot happens to Adam. Thankfully, he’s more than capable of taking care of himself when danger arrives on his doorstep and because of this, it’s not what I would consider a page turner. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t rooting for Shoalts to experience a life-or-death situation, but it very much reads like someone who faced little adversity outside of the physical toll such a journey must extract.
Still, I liked reading Shoalts� tangents into others� past failed attempts to navigate the north. He offers up some interesting history about the region and why it’s such a risk to attempt to cross the Canadian Shield. Along his journey, he would walk past long since abandoned shacks as well as a memorial for a couple lost among the rapids. It’s not an area that welcomes inhabitants from down south. I enjoyed learning about the wildlife that make up the unforgiving ecosystem � well, maybe not the black flies.
Beyond The Trees is a testament to one’s drive to accomplish the seemingly impossible. I will say one thing � after reading this book, I never want to have to portage a canoe in my entire life.
March 14, 2023
2017, zum 150. Bestehen Kanadas, durchquerte Adam Shoalts im Kanu die kanadische Arktis von West nach Ost. Er startete in Eagle Plains, um zunächst flussaufwärts den Mackenzie zu befahren, was ihm unterwegs erstaunte Blicke eintrug. Obwohl seine wagemutige 4000km-Tour durch Spenden und von Ausrüstern unterstützt wurde, musste er sparsam wirtschaften und plante in dem menschenleeren Terrain nur zwei Versorgungsflüge ein, die ihm an verabredeter Stelle Verpflegung übergaben. Sein Plan klingt größenwahnsinnig; denn die Strecke besteht aus riesigen Wasserflächen, die er wegen scharfer Winde nicht überqueren kann und aus anstrengenden Portagen durch Gestrüpp, über Geröll und scharfe Felsen. Das Zeitfenster, das er nutzen kann, beträgt nur wenige Wochen im Sommer. Berichte über historische Touren in die Region ermahnen, spätestens Mitte August wieder zurück zu sein. Verlassene Lodges und gemauerte Kamine ehemaliger Hütten zeugen neben seiner Route von Abenteurern, die scheiterten oder in der Einsamkeit wahnsinnig wurden.
Der junge Abenteurer bringt Kanu-Verstand von zuhause mit, sein Vater und er bauten bereits Rindenkanus in der Tradition der Ureinwohner. Shoalts ist gut vorbereitet, kein Expeditionsbericht in den Archiven, den er nicht durchgeackert hat, kein Trick den er sich nicht von Entdeckern wie Alexander Mackenzie abschaut. Auch die Fauna ist ihm vertraut, Shoalts Forschungsthema lautete „Bärenangriffe auf Menschen�. Bald realisiert er, dass auch mit Moschusochsen nicht zu spaßen ist und dass Vielfraße eine ernste Bedrohung für sein Projekt sind, sollten sie die für ihn abgelegten Behälter mit Nahrungsmitteln aufbrechen. Staken, Waten, Treideln, Schleppen. Bären, Wölfe, Mücken. Nasse Füße trotz Wathosen, 12 Stunden-Tage, 40km-Etappen. Die Mitternachtssonne nutzen, um eine Zeitreserve herauszuschinden.
Aus historischen Reiseberichten ist der Kanute mit der Geschichte der Region vertraut. 1836 gab es hier oben bereits Fort Confidence, eine Station der Hudson Bay Company für den Pelzhandel.
Die brutale Plackerei seiner Arktis-Durchquerung wird für seine Leser von Shoalts Wissen über die Natur und die frühen Entdecker des kanadischen Nordens verzaubert. Nicht zuletzt bleibt sein staubtrockener Vorsatz in Erinnerung, sich unterwegs mit seinem Kanu zu unterhalten, damit er nicht wahnsinnig wird, wie so viele seiner Vorgänger.
Mit Farbfotos in kleinem Format, Landkarten in den Klappen der Klappenbroschur und Kapitelüberschriften unten auf den Buchseiten auch optisch ein gelungenes Buch.
Der junge Abenteurer bringt Kanu-Verstand von zuhause mit, sein Vater und er bauten bereits Rindenkanus in der Tradition der Ureinwohner. Shoalts ist gut vorbereitet, kein Expeditionsbericht in den Archiven, den er nicht durchgeackert hat, kein Trick den er sich nicht von Entdeckern wie Alexander Mackenzie abschaut. Auch die Fauna ist ihm vertraut, Shoalts Forschungsthema lautete „Bärenangriffe auf Menschen�. Bald realisiert er, dass auch mit Moschusochsen nicht zu spaßen ist und dass Vielfraße eine ernste Bedrohung für sein Projekt sind, sollten sie die für ihn abgelegten Behälter mit Nahrungsmitteln aufbrechen. Staken, Waten, Treideln, Schleppen. Bären, Wölfe, Mücken. Nasse Füße trotz Wathosen, 12 Stunden-Tage, 40km-Etappen. Die Mitternachtssonne nutzen, um eine Zeitreserve herauszuschinden.
Aus historischen Reiseberichten ist der Kanute mit der Geschichte der Region vertraut. 1836 gab es hier oben bereits Fort Confidence, eine Station der Hudson Bay Company für den Pelzhandel.
Die brutale Plackerei seiner Arktis-Durchquerung wird für seine Leser von Shoalts Wissen über die Natur und die frühen Entdecker des kanadischen Nordens verzaubert. Nicht zuletzt bleibt sein staubtrockener Vorsatz in Erinnerung, sich unterwegs mit seinem Kanu zu unterhalten, damit er nicht wahnsinnig wird, wie so viele seiner Vorgänger.
Mit Farbfotos in kleinem Format, Landkarten in den Klappen der Klappenbroschur und Kapitelüberschriften unten auf den Buchseiten auch optisch ein gelungenes Buch.
January 20, 2025
Adam Shoalts chronicles his ambitious 4,000-kilometer solo journey by canoe and on foot across the Canadian Arctic during the summer of 2017, beginning at Eagle Plains, Yukon Territory, and ending at Baker Lake, Nunavut. Shoalts embarked on his adventure as part of Canada’s sesquicentennial celebration, traveling during the Arctic summer of perpetual daylight. He crossed from west to east, which entailed paddling upstream against the current, portaging through challenging terrain, and navigating vast stretches of tundra. He endured swarms of mosquitoes and blackflies, and encountered many types of wildlife, such as musk ox, bears, wolves, caribou, beavers, weasels, and a huge variety of birds.
He takes the reader through his entire journey from conception to completion. While he travels, he engages in numerous musings on solitude and the psychological impact of spending months alone in one of Earth's most remote regions. He cites the effects on other individuals and groups of the past. His writing captures both the peace and the loneliness of such isolation. It is amazing that he was able to accomplish this journey alone. Each portage involved multiple trips back and forth. So many things could have gone wrong � one misstep or miscalculation could have been disastrous, and help would have been far, far away.
The writing style is journalistic and includes self-deprecating humor. Shoalts references earlier adventurers and indigenous peoples who have traversed these lands, which adds historical depth but never overshadows his own experiences. At times, the daily routines of river travel become repetitive, but this is a minor quibble. The conclusion of the book is particularly memorable, as he races against time to complete the journey before the fall and winter storms. It will appeal to those interested in adventures in the wilderness or slow-paced accounts of impressive physical achievements.
4.5
He takes the reader through his entire journey from conception to completion. While he travels, he engages in numerous musings on solitude and the psychological impact of spending months alone in one of Earth's most remote regions. He cites the effects on other individuals and groups of the past. His writing captures both the peace and the loneliness of such isolation. It is amazing that he was able to accomplish this journey alone. Each portage involved multiple trips back and forth. So many things could have gone wrong � one misstep or miscalculation could have been disastrous, and help would have been far, far away.
The writing style is journalistic and includes self-deprecating humor. Shoalts references earlier adventurers and indigenous peoples who have traversed these lands, which adds historical depth but never overshadows his own experiences. At times, the daily routines of river travel become repetitive, but this is a minor quibble. The conclusion of the book is particularly memorable, as he races against time to complete the journey before the fall and winter storms. It will appeal to those interested in adventures in the wilderness or slow-paced accounts of impressive physical achievements.
4.5
November 25, 2019
Part personal journey, touches on history and black flies. Shoalts describes his journey in detail, but aside from it having not been done previously - there wasn't anything particularly unique about the voyage. I understand the constant peril he was in, but I thought more joy would be expressed. Perhaps this is better suited to people who don't live in Canada.
My favourite part was him talking about how awkward it was when he encountered people after being alone for so long. The part that grated on my last nerve was in listening to the audio book - he pronounced escape excape - and it happened often. I know I'm petty.
My favourite part was him talking about how awkward it was when he encountered people after being alone for so long. The part that grated on my last nerve was in listening to the audio book - he pronounced escape excape - and it happened often. I know I'm petty.
February 22, 2022
Phenomenal adventure. Kind of a weird feeling at the end where there weren't any significant mishaps or intense drama but he portrays the journey so well that it still doesn't feel possible to be replicated. Also loved how much random facts were interspersed. It would be hard to make a trip like this boring to read, but Shoalts does better than that. Solid read.
December 14, 2021
A wonderful adventure story with ambition, imagination and courage. So. Much. Portaging detail weighed down the narrative at times. But Shoalts does have a gift for telling a really good story. Considering the source material he had to draw from, I am not surprised at all I enjoyed this book.
Read
December 29, 2020really great travel journal of one person's test of the human limits of mental and physical perseverance, in pursuit of contact with nature in the Canadian north. There is no bloat in this account, no torturous ruminations of the author's self-sacrifice, but not much record of the author's inner reflections or epiphanies either. Rather, this is a meticulous record of the author's encounters and experiences, visual descriptions of the harsh but unique landscape, close-ups with wildlife like the muskox, clear travel log of the author's daily setbacks and navigation choices, that altogether sum up to a wonderful vicarious experience of an Arctic canoe adventure for the reader. It was kind of worrisome how lean the author's operations was, how isolated and lonesome his travel mechanism was and how shoestring his budget was-- he was always teetering on the edge of hunger, his uncharted path choices and near-threadbare exposure to the elements thankfully did not lead to some medical emergency.
February 28, 2024
This is probably a 3.5, but rounding down felt appropriate in this case. This is a travelogue, about Adam Shoalts's solo journey by canoe across the Canadian Arctic, from Old Crow, Yukon to Baker Lake, Nunavut. It's certainly an impressive accomplishment, and Shoalts is a witty writer with a gift for capturing what makes the natural world special, but unfortunately I found that the book got a bit repetitive after a while. It held my interest, because I enjoyed reading about the geography of the north and his journey, but I was pretty ready to be done with it by the end.
August 12, 2023
I wanted to like this book more, but it ended up being a rather thorough/detailed description of his paddles and portage. I wish he had added more insights or personal reflection about the beauty of the North and the importance of conservation. I would’ve loved his commentary on the fires and mining. I did enjoy his brief humorous comments along the way. Maybe someone who loves adventure canoeing in the North would find it more interesting.
March 22, 2024
I almost feel a little guilty for not rating it higher. I’m glad he told his story and I’m glad I read it. But a great journey doesn’t necessarily make a gripping story. Happily for the author, he didn’t get lost, there is no cannibalism, and he wasn’t attacked by a bear. So he is left with the impossible task of conveying the majesty of the terrain in words, and of the monotony of traversing it.
August 20, 2020
I've never posted a review on here before, but my emotions about this book are so conflicting that I feel I must. So here we go! Never before have I debated between giving a book a 5-star or a 1-star review.
The desire to give this book a 5-star rating comes from an intense admiration for our author. He has the courage to take on an incredible task and demonstrates impressive knowledge, skills, and life experiences along the way. I loved how he approached his journey with a quiet respect and humility toward nature. I laughed and related to how wild geese provided him with more meaningful social interaction than human beings.There were one or two magical moments with other wildlife.
And yet. I was incredibly disappointed with this book. I kept waiting for the author to tap into the emotional journey that inevitably occurs alongside the physical one. I kept reading and hoping for the author to study his motivations for his adventure, to reflect on his life - or the world, the human-nature connection, the climate crisis, the meaning of home, a tree, a particularly unique species of moss, anything really - in an authentic and personal way. I'm just not buying that Adam Shoalts can set out on an adventure of this scale and not be an extremely compelling human being with a unique perspective on the world. I kept reading and hoping to learn more about him or connect to his adventure in some way. It just didn't happen.
I am so disappointed. I wanted to love this book. But it seems the author embarked on a thrilling, grueling, and wildly impressive 5-star adventure, and then wrote a 1-star book about it.
The desire to give this book a 5-star rating comes from an intense admiration for our author. He has the courage to take on an incredible task and demonstrates impressive knowledge, skills, and life experiences along the way. I loved how he approached his journey with a quiet respect and humility toward nature. I laughed and related to how wild geese provided him with more meaningful social interaction than human beings.There were one or two magical moments with other wildlife.
And yet. I was incredibly disappointed with this book. I kept waiting for the author to tap into the emotional journey that inevitably occurs alongside the physical one. I kept reading and hoping for the author to study his motivations for his adventure, to reflect on his life - or the world, the human-nature connection, the climate crisis, the meaning of home, a tree, a particularly unique species of moss, anything really - in an authentic and personal way. I'm just not buying that Adam Shoalts can set out on an adventure of this scale and not be an extremely compelling human being with a unique perspective on the world. I kept reading and hoping to learn more about him or connect to his adventure in some way. It just didn't happen.
I am so disappointed. I wanted to love this book. But it seems the author embarked on a thrilling, grueling, and wildly impressive 5-star adventure, and then wrote a 1-star book about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2020
I simply, loved this book.
To me, Adam had a way of bringing to life the barren wilds of the Arctic. What could have been a very fact filled and dry account of his journey was turned into something utterly fascinating.
By no means an I am adventurer like Adam, but I definitely connect with finding calm and peace and being reenergized by nature. I love hiking and paddling and the simple calm overlooking a body of water, or the utter awe looking up in a stand of trees. That’s my cathedral in life.
While reading Adam’s journey, I got those same feelings and could connect with his story. It has sparked that live of adventure back in me and I can’t wait FlyIn take my snowshoes out and go traipsing across the surface of freshly fallen snow, feeling the crisp air filling my lungs.
Thank you for your passion of adventure and the outdoors and working to preserve our open and wild places in Canada.
To me, Adam had a way of bringing to life the barren wilds of the Arctic. What could have been a very fact filled and dry account of his journey was turned into something utterly fascinating.
By no means an I am adventurer like Adam, but I definitely connect with finding calm and peace and being reenergized by nature. I love hiking and paddling and the simple calm overlooking a body of water, or the utter awe looking up in a stand of trees. That’s my cathedral in life.
While reading Adam’s journey, I got those same feelings and could connect with his story. It has sparked that live of adventure back in me and I can’t wait FlyIn take my snowshoes out and go traipsing across the surface of freshly fallen snow, feeling the crisp air filling my lungs.
Thank you for your passion of adventure and the outdoors and working to preserve our open and wild places in Canada.
February 15, 2021
I was quite impressed by Adam's passion for exploration, as well as his extensive knowledge and experience in wilderness survival. I would recommend Beyond the Trees to any who are interested in the Canadian North, paddling, and wilderness survival. I found it a little slow by times but I chock this up to the slow, arduous nature of Adam's solo trek across the tundra. My longest days of hiking (with no gear keep in mind) would be average or below average for Mr. Shoalts who had no trails or paths and the means to shelter and feed himself for roughly a month between resupplies. Impressive.
April 22, 2020
I wanted to like it more. Great story, great adventure, but the descriptions sort of melted into one repetitive visual. Also he came off a a little too holier-than-thou....would still probably recommend to those who enjoy outdoor adventure reads.
November 19, 2019
Canada's answer to Indiana Jones perhaps a little crazier . LOVED IT!!!
August 22, 2022
Wow! I was not prepared for this book. I was wonderful. It was a random find and then I was put off by something I read about the author being cocky and over confident making for unpleasant reading. I will say, except for in very minor places, where honestly he probably has every right to brag (he canoed up a river everyone told him was impossible to do) I couldn't put this book down. The way he writes, the insertion of stories/history of places, people tales of areas he passed was absolutely wonderful for the history geek in me. The description of the landscape and animals wasn't over done which I can personally find boring of over done was wonderfully done. My only criticism if you can call it that, is the small number of images included, I would have loved images to have been within the pages or at least at each section to fill in the beauty of the landscape he describes. What an amazing way to build awareness for the loss we see every day throughout Canada and the world of the vast landscape and wilderness. And I say he has earned bragging rights. I will add, sometimes when anyone tells a tale from the past of an expedition where everyone was lost and states, this is what happened, pulls at my brain, how do you know their canoe was fatally hit by winds, overturned and they all drowned, if they all drowned? Just something I personally noticed in not only this book, but others as well. I highly recommend this book and hope to read more of his in the future.
October 1, 2021
Hi, another reminder that I'm deleting all this and transitioning to only using The StoryGraph at the end of this year. .
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I may edit this review to gush more over this book. THIS BOOK .
It's somehow entertaining, inspiring, relatable, otherworldly, funny, educational, and incredibly precise. The author's voice is incredibly well-formed and his storytelling throughout is impeccable.
I have revelled in reading this - I kept drawing out finishing it. (Plus, due to the aforementioned incredible preciseness, I spent equally as much time tracing Adam's route via Google Maps as I did reading the book.) This book has been my companion on all of my solo camping expeditions this year, which happened to include my first-ever (truly) solo night camping. I can't praise it highly enough.
I will now proceed to devour the rest of the author's published works. But first, one of my favourite quotes from this one:
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I may edit this review to gush more over this book. THIS BOOK .
It's somehow entertaining, inspiring, relatable, otherworldly, funny, educational, and incredibly precise. The author's voice is incredibly well-formed and his storytelling throughout is impeccable.
I have revelled in reading this - I kept drawing out finishing it. (Plus, due to the aforementioned incredible preciseness, I spent equally as much time tracing Adam's route via Google Maps as I did reading the book.) This book has been my companion on all of my solo camping expeditions this year, which happened to include my first-ever (truly) solo night camping. I can't praise it highly enough.
I will now proceed to devour the rest of the author's published works. But first, one of my favourite quotes from this one:
"We tend to think of the world as a fast-shrinking place, where modern technology has bridged distances. That's partly true. But the funny thing is, if you get out on the land in a canoe or on foot, the world remains just as big as it ever was."
April 8, 2023
I learned about Adam Shoalts thanks to Instagram. I follow a hashtag he used as he started out on his solo canoe trip from Lake Erie that lead him to the Arctic. A scroll through Instagram revealed he has written books detailing some of his adventures, this one being one of them. From the start, this book captured my imagination! The scenery he described and the wildlife he encountered reminded me of why I am drawn north rather than south. As he mentioned places along his route, I dropped pins on my map on the phone to follow his journey, and learned a bit about the geography of the arctic region. I have never been that far north, but that is a dream of mine. I could relate to how he felt at the end of his journey - imagining what his email inbox looked like and returning the 24/7 connected, hectic life of today - and was sad to have reached the end. The afterword of this book sums up well why we need to protect our wild places, not just for the sake of wildlife, but because wild places restore us. I will definitely read more of Adam’s adventures!
June 17, 2020
4000 km solo journey by foot and canoe across Canada’s arctic. Adam’s greatest challenge? Bears? Wolves? ...... Blackflies! Good descriptions of the landscapes and his physical endurance but what was lacking was introspection, reflection.
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