Colin Fletcher, author, and the father of modern backpacking, died June 12 of natural causes.  

Colin’s books were a early influence on my outdoor experiences.  I read his The Complete Walker series multiple times and my parents owned The Man Who Walked Through Time about his solo hike through Grand Canyon.  I can remember reading The Complete Walker and getting pumped up about solo camping.  I had free weekend at college (1974 or 75) one weekend and went camping near the Susquehanna River.  It was a clear night and I slept out under a tarp or nothing at all.  I remember waking up and seeing a skunk patrolling along the river bank and checking out my pots and pans before moving on.

His advice on gear became overtaken by technology but his philosophies remain true today.