John Muir was America's greatest preservationist. In the summer of 1869 he took 2500 sheep into the Sierra, kindling a love affair with the region that never waned. This, his first book on the area, shows his ecstatic response and keen observation, talents that would shape the way we see the natural world. Dr Anderson has edited this seminal work for a 21st century audience, clarifying Muir's sometimes turgid prose and obscure biblical and scientific references without losing the vitality of the original.