The Dirtbag's Guide to Life Eternal Truth for Hiker Trash, Ski Bums, and Vagabonds

"I see the "How on earth do you make this happen?" question in various groups all the time. I'd love to just get this guide out there in response!" - Heather "Anish" Anderson. National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, record-setting long distance hiker, and author of Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home.

Forget picket fences. Live your best life. Sleep in the dirt.

Carrying forward the spirit of classics like Henry Thoreau's Walden and Rolf Potts' Vagabonding, The Dirtbag's Guide to Life is an indispensable resource for building your own life of adventure.

Both a cheeky celebration of an under-appreciated subculture and a practical how-to manual, the book explains how to make adventure your lifestyle, drawing on the example of people who center their lives on outdoor pursuits like climbing, thru-hiking, trail running, and surfing-often on the lowest possible budget.

Asserting that a life of adventure should be accessible to everyone, the guide distills the real-world experiences of hundreds of the most dedicated dirtbags to address the key challenges to building the life you want, whether you're a weekend warrior or a professional athlete:

• How to stretch a small budget to accomplish big adventures through seasonal work, minimalist living, and dirtbag financial strategies.
• How to build a career path that will support your passions rather than working against them.
• How to maintain friendships and make your mother proud in a life punctuated by six month thru-hikes and overseas adventure.
• How to manage grown-up responsibilities like debt, housing, and health insurance without giving up time flexibility.
• How to live intentionally and make your life meaningful through a simple, adventure-centered lifestyle.

Whether you plan to quit your job to travel the world, hope to someday hike the Appalachian Trail, or just want to fit in a bit more mountain biking on the weekends, The Dirtbag's Guide to Life is an essential, inspiring, and consistently entertaining resource.

A note on the 2025 revision:

This book started as advice for a few friends who wanted to work less and go outside more. Somewhere along the way, it connected with thousands of readers. This updated edition is revised, polished, and expanded to keep the dirtbag dream growing.