January 2026 Reading: Indian Creek Chronicles by Pete Fromm

You're invited to participate in the Wilderness Reading Group, led by the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA). We delve into topics related to the outdoors, nature, and wilderness through reading, contemplation, and discussion - with a new book pick every other month!

For January 2026, we're reading the book Indian Creek Chronicles: A Winter Alone in the Wilderness" by Pete Fromm!

"The wardens climbed into their truck, ready to leave. 'You'll need about seven cords of firewood. Concentrate on that. You'll have to get it all in before the snow grounds your truck.'"

"Though I didn't want to ask, it seemed important. 'What's a cord?'"

So begins Pete Fromm's seven winter months alone in a tent in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness guarding salmon eggs. After blundering into this forbidding errand as a college lark, Fromm gradually come face to face with the blunt realities of life as a contemporary mountain man. Brutal cold, isolation, and fearful risks balance against the satisfaction of living a unique existence in modern America.

This award-winning narrative is a gripping story of adventure, a rousing tale of self-sufficiency, and modern-day Walden. From either perspective, Fromm lives up to his reputation as one of the West's strongest new voices.

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You're invited to participate in the Wilderness Reading Group, led by the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA). We delve into topics related to the outdoors, nature, and wilderness through reading, contemplation, and discussion. We'll gain a deeper understanding of wilderness through fiction and non-fiction selections, including works by renowned authors such as Aldo Leopold, Timothy Egan, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Wallace Stegner, Terry Tempest Williams, Edward Abbey, E.O. Wilson, and others. Check out past readings on our Blog Reading list!

The reading group meets every other month, in person, in Boulder, Colorado. All are welcome (IPWA and the general public). Please RSVP. Even if you haven't finished the book selection, feel free to join us for informal conversations where we reflect on the book, answer discussion questions, and foster connections with each other.

These books are widely available at local libraries, online library apps (such as Libby), bookstores (including our favorite local independent bookstore, Boulder Bookstore), and online retailers.

Please consider joining us for an upcoming Reading Group gathering at the Rayback Collective, in Boulder, CO! We'll share our reflections about the book and our own experiences. All are welcome (IPWA and the general public). If the weather is good, we'll be at one of the picnic tables in the courtyard. Beverages and food are available from the Rayback Collection and various rotating food trucks.

Check out our Events page for upcoming dates!

Thursday January 22nd, 2026 - Indian Creek Chronicles: A Winter Alone in the Wilderness by Pete Fromm - 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Reading Group Gathering at the Rayback Collective in Boulder, Colorado - RSVP here