Hush of the Land - by Arnold Smoke Elser & Eva-Maria Maggi (Paperback)

About the Book

Hush of the Land chronicles the six-decade quest of backcountry packer and outfitter Smoke Elser to protect wilderness areas not by keeping people away but by leading them deep into the wild mountains of western Montana.

Book Synopsis

This inspirational memoir chronicles the six-decade quest of packer and outfitter Arnold "Smoke" Elser to protect wild lands by bringing thousands of people deep into the mountains of Montana on horseback. With limited financial means and while still in college, the young man from Ohio decided against a promising career in forestry and chose instead to share his love of wilderness with city dwellers by working as a professional outfitter.

Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, Hush of the Land tells the captivating story of Elser's early days as a packer in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Bitterroot Mountains. Share the joys and thrills of summer rides, harrowing grizzly bear encounters, fishing in clear mountain streams, and many nights around a campfire within some of the West's last wild lands. In this lively narrative, Elser recounts how his testimony for the Wilderness Act, and the fight to preserve and expand Montana's wilderness lands, influenced his career as an outfitter and educator and gave him a voice at the center of Montana's conservation movement.

Review Quotes

"Hush of the Land is a heartwarming collection, a tribute to both the landscape and those who traveled with Elser, forming a connection that only wilderness can offer."--Maggie Doherty, Flathead Beacon-- (2/4/2025 12:00:00 AM)

"The stories will warm your heart, make you think and remind you of every first step you took on a good trail. Get a cup of coffee or a strong cup of tea, pick up his book, and sit back and enjoy Hush of the Land."--Milana Marsenich, Roundup Magazine

"A beautifully written book and every chapter is an engaging read. A good book should be like an onion, peeling apart layers of the story as one goes and Elser and Maggi have done a masterful job of that."--Chris Peterson, Hungry Horse News-- (8/28/2024 12:00:00 AM)

"Smoke Elser is a Montana treasure. His stories about the Bob Marshall Wilderness allow the reader to see God's greatest cathedral through Smoke's lifetime of adventures in this incredible landscape."--Jon Tester, U.S. senator from Montana

"For more than fifty years Smoke has given his clients a brief but delicious taste of life on the trail in the slow lane. Read a chapter of this book, then close your eyes and transport yourself into the middle of the Bob Marshall Wilderness with Smoke on a fine adventure, big campfire, full tummy, huge stars. I tried it, it works! You will be there!"--Steve Running, Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate and professor emeritus of ecosystems and conservation sciences at the University of Montana

"Smoke Elser is a legend not only in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana but throughout the Rocky Mountain West. . . . Hush of the Land will be read for years by those who want a saddle-high view of a unique and adventurous life well lived."--C. J. Box, New York Times best-selling author of Storm Watch

"There are but a few experiences that really define our lives as westerners and conservationists. Perhaps peering over the south rim of the Grand Canyon at first light. Maybe experiencing Glacier National Park, hearing a first elk bugle, or watching a grizzly sow teach her cubs how to forage. For a lucky few Montanans like me, being around a campfire with Smoke Elser is one of those life-changing events. We know that Smoke's life is the quintessential hardscrabble storybook that most Montanans wish could be frozen in amber as permanent and true. Of course, it is interwoven with his unique wilderness ethic, sense of adventure, and reverence for the places we all love. As you read, it won't take long to understand why Smoke is so revered as an outfitter, teacher, advocate, and incomparable storyteller."--Ryan Busse, Montana conservationist and author of Gunfight: My Battle against the Industry That Radicalized America

About the Author

Arnold "Smoke" Elser is a professional animal packer and a semi-retired instructor of wilderness outfitting and packing at the University of Montana, from which he received a 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award. Elser's work as an educator and outfitter has been covered in National Geographic and the PBS documentary Three Miles an Hour. He is the coauthor of Packin' In on Mules and Horses. Eva-Maria Maggi, PhD, is a writer, social scientist, and packer and teaches courses on wilderness issues at the University of Montana.