GR20: A Guide for Americans
About this ebook
Corsica’s GR 20 is Europe’s toughest long-distance hike—180 kilometers of granite ridges, scree slopes, and relentless ascents that test even seasoned backpackers. But for American hikers, it’s more than a challenge; it’s a mystery. Almost no reliable English-language information exists, and the culture shock can hit harder than the climbs.
GR 20: A Guide for Americans bridges that gap. It’s not a glossy guidebook written from behind a desk—it’s a ground-level account by someone who actually walked it, blistered feet and all. Part travel memoir, part practical manual, it tells you what the trail is really like and how to prepare for it—physically, logistically, and mentally.
Inside, you’ll find:
Straight talk about the real difficulty—what “technical” means in Corsica versus the White Mountains or Sierras
Packing and gear strategies that work when “ultralight” meets “European reality”
Honest advice on refuges, food, and cultural etiquette (including how not to be that American)
Maps, transport, and cost insights tailored to U.S. travelers
Firsthand stories that mix grit, humor, and humility—from lost packages to wild pigs to the fox that walked beside the author
If you’ve ever dreamed of a trail that’s equal parts brutal and breathtaking, this book is your missing link between imagination and itinerary. It’s for anyone who wants to know what it’s like to hike across Corsica, to prepare without illusions, and to experience something that changes you in all the best ways.
This isn’t a brochure. It’s a conversation. Because sometimes the only way to begin is the same way this story began—by buying the goddamn ticket.
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About the author
G. Scott Graham is an existential handyman — fixing what’s broken, realigning what’s off-kilter, and helping people rebuild their lives with meaning, purpose, and the occasional strip of duct tape. He’s also an author, career coach, business coach, and psychedelic support coach based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Scott is driven to help clients follow their “true azimuth” — a direction distinct from “true north.” It’s not about chasing some universal ideal. It’s about identifying what genuinely matters to you. It’s about recognizing the forces that pull your life off course and learning how to adjust so you still arrive where your heart wants to go. When you're 90 and looking back, your life should feel like it was truly yours — filled with pride, purpose, and meaning. No regrets.
When he’s not coaching people to be their very best, Scott runs a nonprofit farm animal rescue and lives what he teaches. He does Tough Mudders, teaches Sun 73 Tai Chi, paddleboards with his dogs Groot and Rocket, and camps in State Parks across New England whenever he can. His daily spiritual practice is grounded in anāpānasati, vipassanā, and mettā-bhāvanā meditation. A firm believer in service as the heart of a life well-lived, Scott also volunteers as an EMT instructor, firefighter, and Master Gardener in his community.
In his "free time," he writes books.
Lou Stellato’s love affair with language was nurtured at New York University, where he studied Dramatic Writing and English Literature, learning how tension, rhythm, and silence hold a story together.
He spent years at MTV, helping launch new channels, shaping the voice of a network, and leading teams that turned scripts into cultural signals. From longform specials to off-the-wall stunts, his work walked the line between chaos and craft.
He later brought that same sensibility to Audible, where he explored how storytelling shifts when it’s built to be heard.
As an editor, he cuts for meaning, listens for movement, and always leaves just enough space for the reader to breathe.
