When his brother dies in a freak accident Alec's life goes into a complete tailspin. Upon failing out of college he returns home and ekes out a living as a janitor at a casino. Down in the dumps, all he can think about is how much better things would be if his brother was still alive—instead of vacuuming under slot machines and cleaning bathrooms he would be rafting the Salmon River and hiking the Appalachian Trail with his best friend. Lonely and full of regret, Alec tries to come to terms with his meek and uninteresting existence.
But then an old friend reappears and offers Alec a job doing what he enjoys more than anything else—tramping through the woods with a backpack on his shoulders. And this new job could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. There's only one catch, it may cost him his life.