BOY FROM POCATELLO

Alan Nichols

978-1-58790-680-0 (hardback) / $69.95

978-1-58790-681-7 (paperback) / $59.95

978-1-58790-682-4 (e-book) / $9.95

688 pages / 7” x10” / 170 illustrations

Memoir / Mountains / Exploration / Spirituality

ABOUT THE BOOK

Boy From Pocatello is a lyrical, soul-stirring memoir. From the windswept streets of 1930s Pocatello, Idaho, to the remote sacred peaks of the Himalayas, Andes, Alps, the San Jacintos and many other Mountains and Mountain Ranges beyond. Alan Nichols has lived a life steeped in adventure, reverence, and wonder. This acclaimed explorer, attorney, and lifelong seeker invites readers on an unforgettable journey across continents and cultures in pursuit of what he calls “the Sacred Spirit and the Holy Mountains.”

Part memoir, part human inquiry, Boy From Pocatello explores the mysterious power of mountains—from Mount Kailash to Machu Picchu, Mount Fuji to Shasta, Sinai to Olympus. With poetic reflection and a storyteller’s flair, Nichols recounts a lifetime of climbing, cycling, and connecting with the world’s most revered peaks—often as the first Westerner able to do so.

Organized in six captivating parts and many tales, rich with personal anecdotes, cultural insights, and even revelations, this is more than a travelogue—it is a rare chronicle of one man’s search for meaning on the majesty of the Earth’s highest places.

This is not only a story of physical ascent—it is a meditation on wonder. On sacredness. On the wisdom found where stone meets sky. Through six sweeping Parts, Nichols carries readers across continents and centuries, weaving history, philosophy, and personal pilgrimage into a tapestry that speaks to the timeless human yearning for meaning.

Written with clarity, wit, and a deep reverence for the Sacred, Boy From Pocatello is also a tribute to community—particularly the tight-knit “Seventh Avenue Gang” of his Pocatello youth, whose memory and mischief echo through the pages. His gratitude for friendship, for Mountains, for Spirit, and for learning is woven into every chapter along with many enjoyable stories and thoughtful tales.

The author reflects on his extensive global explorations of Sacred Mountains, sharing the spiritual and philosophical insights and many unusual stories that he learned throughout his journeys. The narrative offers readers a profound perspective on the interconnectedness of nature, spirit, personal growth and the Sacred.​

As a Stanford alumnus and lifelong learner, Alan Nichols exemplifies what it means to live curiously, adventurously, and purposefully. This work stands as both a personal memoir and a global offering—a chance to reflect on the landscapes that shape us, the stories that call to us, and the summits we each seek in our own way.

Join the Boy From Pocatello on a path few have walked—where every mountain holds a mystery, and every summit whispers to the heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan H. Nichols, born on February 14, 1930, in Palo Alto, California, is an American attorney, author, and explorer renowned for his originality and creativity about Sacred Mountains. He earned his Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Jurisprudence degrees from Stanford University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and served on the Board of Editors for the Stanford Law Review and was President of the Stanford Institute of International Affairs. Nichols practiced law in the San Francisco area for over 50 years, specializing in business, banking, finance, and non-profit and spiritual organizations. ​

Beyond his legal career, Nichols has been an active explorer and author. He was among the first Westerners to make pilgrimages and spiritual circumambulations on Sacred Tibetan sites such as Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. 

Additionally, he bicycled thousands of miles of the “Silk Web” (a.k.a. “Silk Road”) from Istanbul, Turkey to Xi’an, China, completing the journey in four legs between 1989 and 2005 and was the person to bicycle from Xinjiang in China over the Himalayas and across Tibet to Lhasa, the historic capital.

Nichols contributed to many publications and authored several books, including “Journey: A Bicycle Odyssey through Central Asia”, “Brothers at War: Letters Home from the Lafayette Flying Corps” and the Hunted and the Hunter: The Search for the Secret Tomb of Chinggis Qa’an. 

As of April 2025, Nichols now resides back in Pocatello, Idaho, and serves as the Secretary of the Sacred Mountain Foundation, a nonprofit organization now based in Pocatello.