I have read quite a few memoirs by long-distance hikers. Most were stories about thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Here, author Joan M. Griffin details the 2006 trip that she and friends made on the John Muir Trail along the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California.

Most of this 200-mile path overlaps with the Pacific Crest Trail. It includes a climb to the top of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States. This endeavor is not for the faint of heart, nor for anyone who is physically or mentally unprepared. As I write this review, a hiker attempting to scale Mount Whitney just died a few days ago, short of his goal. Will these women succeed where some others have not? We'll see.

At the time of this hike, during the summer of 2006, Joan was an elementary school teacher in her early 50s. She had lost her best friend in a car accident a few years earlier. Joan embarked on some solo camping in Yosemite to allow nature to prove its best therapy. The idea to get some friends together to hike the John Muir Trail came out of these circumstances.

Eventually, the trail line-up of Joan, Cappy and Jane emerged. Jane could be part of "The Three Women" for only the first part of the journey, though. Fortunately, Joan and Cappy would pick up fellow hiker Zoe soon afterward, after she parted ways with her initial trail partner. All were as prepared as they could be, for experiencing the intensity of the western mountains. But of course, stuff happens. Here, Joan recaps what each day of hiking was like for The Three Women. Including the good and the bad, the mountain grandeur and the vicious thunderstorms.

One reviewer said this account was "like Wild meets A Walk in the Woods." What a catchy one-liner. It refers to the two most popular trail books, written by Cheryl Strayed and Bill Bryson, respectively, which were both made into movies. And yet: I don't believe this is a fair assessment. Joan and her companions knew about the challenges that they would face. And in most cases, they were ready for them. They weren't casual or inexperienced hikers like Bryson and his chum, who seemingly had no idea what to expect on the Appalachian Trail. And they had the benefit of being able to make group decisions, as opposed to Strayed, whose solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail forced her to rely on herself. No. This is a different book. And in my mind, it's a more authentic one for true trail hikers to read, to enjoy, and to learn from.

Kudos to Joan for taking the time to revisit her adventure, many years later. She kept a journal during the hike and could use it to recreate and to write this account. Kudos also to independent publisher Black Rose Writing for choosing to share Joan's story, many years later.

Much mention is made of taking photographs of the amazing scenery along the way. But no photos appear in the book. Photos have instead been posted on Joan's website and are beautiful and in full color. A map at the front of the book would have been quite helpful, too. Still. The day-to-day retelling of the story is the most important part of Joan's work here.

If you really want to know the ups and downs -- literally -- of what an extensive hike on a mountain trail is like, read Force of Nature. It may entice you to take on your own mountain challenge. Or it could convince you that reading about one is easier and is more enjoyable than putting one boot in front of the other.