William Lawrence Sullivan (born 9 April 1953) is an American author of outdoor guide books, histories, and fiction.
His "100 hikes" guide book series is especially popular with people who enjoy backpacking in Oregon's wilderness areas.
His father was also a life-long advocate of wilderness conservation, which helped nurture his son's interest in the outdoors.
[1][2][3][4] When he was 17 years old, Sullivan won a scholarship to study at Deep Springs College in a remote desert area of Inyo County, California.
When he returned from Heidelberg, Sullivan enrolled in the University of Oregon, received a Master of Arts degree in German literature in 1979.
They spend their summers in a log cabin they built in an isolated area along the Siletz River in the Oregon Coast Range.
The university highlighted his well-known hiking guide books and other writings along with his civic leadership, support of libraries and literacy, and environmental advocacy in his award citation.
His adventure took two-months and covered over 1,300 miles (2,100 km), before finishing at Hells Canyon on the state's eastern border.
During his frequent wilderness trips, he updates trail and destination information for new editions of his books.
[1][3] Sullivan is a well-known guest lecturer on Oregon history, backpacking, and wilderness conservation related subjects.
His articles include a feature column called "Oregon Trails" that is published in two newspapers, Eugene's Register-Guard and Salem's Statesman-Journal.
It tells the story of Sullivan's 1,300 miles (2,100 km) hiking adventure through Oregon's wilderness backcountry.
The book combines Oregon history with related trail hikes to highlight some of the state's most interesting and scenic sites.
All of his hiking guides include information on local history, geology, flora, and fauna as well as detailed trail maps, area photographs, and directions.
[1][4][6][16] During this same period, Sullivan also published Cabin Fever: Notes from a part-time pioneer.
A book about how Sullivan built a cabin in a remote area of the Oregon Coast Range using pioneer tools and building techniques.