Wilderness Top 20

For years wilderness and wildness have been at the very heart of our culture. From the great literary works of Emerson, Thoreau, Abbey, and Stegner to stunning landscapes of Moran, O’Keefe and Adams wilderness and wild lands have inspired us and lifted our spirits.

While some may argue that wilderness and wildness is a romantic ideal of a long past era you need look no further than some contemporary artists to see that the emotions and inspiration of wild places is still alive and well. From the writings of Tempest-Williams to the photographs of Scott Smith and Jack Dykinga, wild places and wilderness continue to excite the imagination and feed the soul.

At the close of 2004, a year in which it must be said there were plenty of things to bring us down, the publishers of the Wilderness Report wanted people to seek and find the inspiration that lies in the works of these great artists and to develop a sound track that will keep this inspiration going into the year ahead. To that end we have compiled the first annual Wilderness Top 20 list. So over this holiday season and into the next year break out your hifi, load up your ipod or stick in your 8 track and find inspiration in wilderness and being wild! (Disclaimer: While we like the titles and the use of wild or wilderness in them we cannot vouch for the content of all of the tracks or the integrity of the artist or artists involved. Oh, and dancing can be hazardous to stiff environmentalist facades).