PETER POTTERFIELD, Journalist

In the Alaska Range.
Photo by James Martin
"Peter Potterfield is the quintessential adventure journalist. His books and magazine assignments have taken him from some of the most remote regions of the planet to the cockpit of supersonic jet fighters..."

-Outside Online

Journalist Peter Potterfield has written more than a dozen books on outdoor adventure. He has contributed to Outside, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Adventure and other major magazines. He helped develop online adventure reporting as editor of MountainZone.com and was a finalist for the National Magazine Award for General Excellence as editor of Pacific Northwest magazine. Potterfield is currently editor of GreatOutdoors.com, where he writes his regular column, Wilderness Notes.

See published works for more adventure reporting by Peter Potterfield.

Hear Peter's latest national interviews:

NPR's Talk of the Nation

National Geographic's Weekend

Just Released

On Sale Now at Booksellers Worldwide

Classic Hikes of North America
by Peter Potterfield

A book to hike by, a book to dream by

Lavishly photographed guide to North America's most enchanting hikes

Published by WW Norton & Co.

Revisit Peter's previous book, Classic Hikes of the World, the most successful hiking book of the decade.

Praise for Peter Potterfield's Work

Potterfield brings savvy insights, practical planning tips, detailed route info and a refreshingly stoked, conversational tone. (Classic Hikes) can be hauled at least as far as the trail head . . . but far more transportable is the inspiration Classic Hikes evokes.
-Los Angeles Times

"One of our finest chroniclers of climbing tells us what we need to enjoy North America's most spectacular hikes. Potterfield's writing is elegant and engaging: Open "Classic Hikes of North America" to any page and see if you don't feel you're already out there."
-Michael Shnayerson,
Vanity Fair contributing editor and author of Coal River

"If I could own just one guide book for hiking, Peter Potterfield's refreshingly well-written Classic Hikes would be it-and it would keep me busy for the rest of my life."
-Laurence Gonzales,
author of Deep Survival

In The Zone chronicles some of the greatest mountaineering survival stories ever told.
-Rock & Ice Magazine

"In the Zone is a compelling look at the dark side of mountaineering."
-Jon Krakauer,
author of Into Thin Air

Potterfield's matter-of-fact style gets you right into the climber's head. I loved this story and could not put it down.
-Climbing Magazine on In the Zone

"Classic Hikes of the World covers the best routes through the most scenic landscapes. Peter Potterfield has written about the world's greatest hikes, and his first-hand information is as useful as it is fun to read."
-Ed Viesturs,
climber and author of Himalayan Quest

Forget the hype about the new "extreme" sports; it's hard to beat Peter Potterfield's harrowing In the Zone, an account of three deadly climbs.
-Men's Journal

"Peter is the best informed, the most complete, readable and exhaustive hiker in North America... This tome is invaluable."
-Richard Bangs,
co-founder, Mountain Travel Sobek and author of Quest for the Sublime