From the time the PCT leaves the Mexican border, until it reaches Canada, it has traveled 2,650 miles through 24 national forests, 37 wilderness areas, and 7 national parks. In Pacific Crest Trail: Northern Cali-fornia, you'll meet up with the PCT in Yosemite National Park's Tuolumne Meadows, then hike, climb, descend, and switchback your way to the Oregon border. You'll discover rivers, peaks, forests, meadows, fascinating geological formations, and other natural wonders. You'll pass through Emigrant, Desolation, and Marble Mountain wildernesses; Trinity Alps and Lassen National Park; and, you'll see Lake Tahoe, Burney Falls, Mt. Shasta, and Castle Crags. This book helps you locate the PCT and side-trips, find water sources, and access resupply routes. Jeffrey P. Schaffer also describes the rich geological and natural history of these mountains. Information on camping, permits, and the best seasons to go is provided along with updated maps.
Pele's magical haunt, the big island of Hawai'I encompasses spectacular and diverse landscapes, from shimmering bays to exhilarating 14,000-foot volcanoes. In this thoroughly updated new edition, choose from 58 hikes that explore Mauna Loa, Kilauea, Kaumana Caves, and Mauna Kea State Park, among other fabulous places. Discover black sand beaches, sea turtle coves, lava lanes, and rainforest valleys.
This completely revised and updated 8th edition of Sierra South now covers an expanded region of the Sierra, from the southern boundary of Yosemite National Park to southern Golden Trout Wilderness. With new trips and old favorites, Sierra South is the classic guide to backpacking in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Mt. Whitney.
The 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail is considered one of the world's premier trails. Accessible by hikers, equestrians, skiers and mountain bikers (for the non-wilderness portions), it winds completely around spectacular Lake Tahoe, the highest and largest alpine lake in North America. The trail crosses through six counties, three national forests, and two states and was completed in 2001 largely by volunteer labor.The best-selling Tahoe Rim Trail has been revised to reflect the latest conditions and routing of the trail and includes information for over 20 miles of new trail. Updated topographic maps depict the entire route, along with the easy (and fun) to read trail directions, the book includes fascinating information on the plants and animals you'll see along the trail, plus essential advice for planning a hike on the TRT, whether it's a day's outing or a 2-week circuit of the entire lake.The first and only how-to guide to this popular trail, it is the official guidebook of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, whose mission is to improve, maintain and promote the trail.
Colorado has 53 14ers, more than 600 13ers, and hundreds of other peaks that can be reached without special equipment or expertise. Numerous guides dryly catalog these trails, but Best Summit Hikes in Colorado stands out from them all. Author James Dziezynski has meticulously selected 80+ of the state's absolute best peaks in more than 50 superlative hikes, and his opinionated narrative brings each route to life. Each summit is included because of a notable feature–whether it's the site of a ghost mine or airplane wreckage, has thundering waterfalls or colorful floral meadows, is the best summit for spotting wildlife or bringing out-of-town friends, or is very accessible. Some peaks offer unique opportunities, such as a trailhead accessible only via a steam-powered railroad. Several summits are described in no other publication. Covering all Colorado's major mountain ranges, including the well-known Sangre De Cristo, Gore, Sawatch, Indian Peaks, and Maroon Bell wilderness areas to the lesser-known Grenadiers, Medicine Bow, and Outer San Juan peaks, this distinctive guide makes it easy to select exactly the right hike for the right day, the right mood, and the right companions.
This is the only guide for hiking to the top of Half Dome – the signature landmark of Yosemite National Park, CA. It provides a history of the original Indian inhabitants of the area. The unique geological formations are explained. The focus of the book is to provide information on safe hiking practices to complete this extremely strenuous hike of 16-miles round trip that is climaxed by a harrowing 400 foot vertical ascent to the top of the 8,842 foot high granite monolith with the aid of a pair or steel cable banisters set at 45 degrees incline. Included is an extensive trail description with photos and narration of 16 points of interest. The author has completed this hike over 30 times and is a recognized expert source of information about the hike. This is not a topographic map intensive guide; rather it tells historical vignettes to interpret the hike so readers identify with events of the mid 1800's. He relates the story of the interaction of the Miwok and Mono Paiute Indians with the hordes of white invaders during California's Gold Rush. The reader is aware of how Yosemite developed after the white man's «discovery.» The explanation of how odd geologic formations arose from ancient magma flows provides the reader with an understanding of what happened to the «missing part» of Half Dome. The full day hike up to the top of Half Dome is one of the most popular in the country. It is not easy. The book prepares the reader for the adventure with an extensive discussion of the equipment required, the training needed and a detailed «walk through» of the entire trail. Photographs and descriptions of salient features take the apprehension out of doing the hike. Sections with descriptions of 16-Points of Interest – waterfalls, historical areas, flora and fauna, drinking water sources and the actual cables provide readers with the «real deal» information to safely prepare for and complete this «bucket list» Adventure. Readers are given specific information on the gear needed. This includes a boots/foot care, use of hiking poles and a summary of water filter usage clothing selection and food suggestions.
This is the only comprehensive guide dedicated to this one classic trail. All alternate routes are also described (unlike the more general mentions in books that include other trails as well). Hikers will learn about all the best hidden side trips, discover great planning tips, find out how best to snag one of the coveted permits, and have complete sample itineraries available to help with planning, making this guide indispensable to anyone planning to tackle the Wonderland Trail.