When hail begins falling you dash indoors – unless you’re out climbing a mountain. Hikers often encounter the unexpected, be it weather, wildlife, misdirection, or unpredictable friends, and they come back with stories to tell. Authors Ted Tenny, Cyd Cassel, and Chuck Parsons have experienced misadventures over many years of hiking in the spectacular state of Arizona. Our first-person accounts share the grandeur, exhilaration, gratitude, and joy of surviving an unexpected wilderness challenge.

Each narrative contains a topographic map marked with the intended route, plus the author’s high-resolution color photography. Some of the places are remote and seldom visited. Trail maps in full color are derived from USGS topographic maps, our own GPS readings, NASA aerial photography and satellite imagery.

The tone is conversational. Hiking terms unfamiliar to the casual reader are used sparingly, augmented with a glossary. Our emphasis is on the human spirit and how we got through a challenging experience.

As readers explore Arizona from the safety of these pages they’ll be amazed at the beauty and variety of wild places, the unexpected things that can happen far from civilization, and the daring resourcefulness of the authors in dealing with the unexpected. Everyone will appreciate the do’s and don’ts of hiking as we walk the distance from mountain top to desert floor.

Our full-color manuscript of 92,000 words, 27 topographic maps, and 211 high-resolution photos is complete.

Tales From the Trails of Arizona is intended for armchair hikers, Arizona enthusiasts, and outdoor hikers who want to enjoy the spectacular scenery without repeating the misadventure aspects of our experience. Unlike technical hiking books, this book is for the leisurely reader who wants to explore the wilds of Arizona from home. Our audience is similar to that of Arizona Highways magazine. Bookstores, outdoor outfitters, park and museum gift shops, and tourist attractions are suitable sales outlets.

COMPETITION

Descriptions of Arizona car tours, river expeditions, canyoneering, trekking, and climbing include some misadventure accounts.

Our book focuses on adventurous day hikes. It is richly illustrated with high-resolution color photography and maps.

First-hand account of the author’s epic journey through the Grand Canyon, lengthwise, below the rim.

Our adventures occurred all around the state, including two in the Grand Canyon.

Gripping accounts of all known fatal mishaps in the most famous of the World’s Seven Natural Wonders.

Our stories have happy endings, rich in lessons learned.

All three of us have given slide shows and presentations at club meetings, and Ted has done presentations and book signings at museums, parks, libraries, stores, conferences and reunions. Our activities will also include promotional visits to places where our book can be sold, interviews and media appearances when available.

Hikers of average ability but extraordinary enthusiasm for enjoying and preserving the wilderness, Cyd, Chuck, and Ted have more than 2,000 hikes and a century of wilderness experience between them. They know that the unexpected does happen, but you can always find a way.

Ted Tenny is webmaster and secretary of the Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club and the author of Goldfield Mountain Hikes (Gem Guides Book Co., 2006). When his career brought him to Arizona in 1991 he went hiking his first weekend. Ted has hiked extensively in Arizona and other southwestern states. He earned an S.B. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from M.I.T., M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford, M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford, and Ph.D. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. Ted lives in Mesa, Arizona, with his wife Jacquelyn.

Chuck Parsons is an experienced hiker and backpacker in Arizona over the past 25 years, from the Grand Canyon to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Originally from Tennessee, he became hooked on hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Memphis State University and an Associate degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from DeVry Institute of Technology. After a career in retail management, he switched gears and worked in telecommunications at Motorola and General Dynamics for 27 years before retiring.

Cyd Cassel has hiked and backpacked throughout Arizona, Montana, and Wyoming. She has logged over 100 miles hiking in Yellowstone National Park and over 500 miles in Arizona. Cyd holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from West Virginia State College. She worked as an accountant and contract administrator for over 25 years and is retired. Originally from West Virginia, she lived and worked at Yellowstone National Park before putting down roots in Arizona. She has led hikes for various clubs in the Phoenix area.