Russ Mohney is a fourth generation native of the backwoods country of the Pacific Northwest, living most of his first seventy-five years in the morning shadows of Mount Rainier. Raised in logging camps and mill towns, he took the opportunity to learn about the lives and lore of the rural mountain land he loves.

Mohney began writing about the backcountry and the wilderness it encompassed. In a scant forty years he has written about the wild plants familiar in settler's shanties and Indian camps, of autumn tents on snowgrass meadows, and the unthinkable symphony of a summer sunrise. His yarns and drawings have helped a couple of generations understand the value of far places.

His books have included hikes into remote valleys, high mountains, and hidden trout streams that still exist where society hasn't yet smothered them. He is especially partial to wildflowers, songbirds, wildlife, and sharing the knowledge of his father, grandfathers, and a motley parade of pioneers and relatives that dotted his childhood.

For over a decade he has authored the popular newspaper column "The Backyard Naturalist," and contributed to a new respect for and enjoyment of the outdoors by countless families and common souls.

Mohney remains partial to fishing, stargazing, huckleberries, roaming the farmsteads and woodlots, and contemplating a moonrise from his back porch. He likewise tells of the people who choose to seek their inner peace and comfort in proximity to the mountains.