Belden C. Lane is Professor of Theological Studies, American Religion, and History of Spirituality at Saint Louis University. He is the author of The Solace of Fierce Landscapes: Exploring Desert and Mountain Spirituality and Ravished by Beauty: The Surprising Legacy of Reformed Spirituality.

Table of Contents
Prologue
Part I: The Power of Wilderness and the Reading of Dangerous Texts

Chapter 1: The Allure of the Wild: Backpacking as Spiritual Practice
Chapter 2: The Risk-Taking Character of Wilderness Reading
Part II: The Pattern of Wilderness Spirituality

First Leg: Departure (Leaving the Trailhead)

Chapter 3: Venturing Out: The Irish Wilderness and Columba of Iona
Chapter 4: Disillusionment: Laramie Peak and Thérèse of Lisieux
Chapter 5: Desire: Rockpile Mountain Wilderness and Thomas Traherne
Second Leg: Discipline (The Practice of the Wild)

Chapter 6: Solitude: Bell Mountain Wilderness and Søren Kierkegaard
Chapter 7: Traveling Light: Gunstock Hollow and Dag Hammarskjöld
Chapter 8: Mindfulness: Moonshine Hollow and Thich Nhat Hanh
Third Leg: Descent (When the Trail Gets Rough)

Chapter 9: Fear: The Maze in Canyonlands and John of the Cross
Chapter 10: Failure: Mount Whitney and Martin Luther
Chapter 11: Dying: Mudlick Mountain Trail and the Cloud Author
Fourth Leg: Delight (Returning Home with Gifts)

Chapter 12: Discernment: Taum Sauk Mountain and Jelaluddin Rumi
Chapter 13: Community: Lower Rock Creek and Teilhard de Chardin
Chapter 14: Justice: The Meramec River at Times Beach and Mohandas Gandhi
Chapter 15: Holy Folly: Aravaipa Canyon and Thomas Merton
Epilogue
Appendix: The Meanings of Wilderness
Notes
Index