On the Run

On the Run is a collection of personal essays that portray the life of Catherine Doucette, a backcountry skier, horseback rider, and mountainee—roles that have resulted in adventures where she is often the only woman in a group of men. Starting from a young age, Doucette found herself pushing through the wilderness with her brothers, friends, and partners. Through hours spent outside, she gained the skill and judgement to tackle progressively bigger objectives and turned into an accomplished outdoorswoman.

This collection touches on her native state of New Hampshire but simultaneously focuses on the lure of big mountains in the West. For over a decade, she chased winter around the world to ski but always with an eye to living a more settled life, to putting her heart on the line if someone would just ask her to. Like other women who choose or yearn to be in the wilderness, she wrestles with reconciling her outdoor ambitions with society’s expectations. On the Run will resonate with anyone who has searched to define home and belonging. It will appeal especially to women. Readers called by the West, by mountains, or by movement will feel at home in these pages.

On the Run celebrates the comfort, challenge, and community found in the expanses of the wilderness while confronting the limitations and sacrifices of a transient, outdoor lifestyle.