5 comments about National Parks of the West: A Complete Vacation in Every Chapter (Fodor's National Parks of the West).

1. This book totally rocks! This is my National Parks bible. I use the National Geographic book for maps and pictures and this one for the trails, lodging and other details. The hike recommendations are the best of any national park book I've seen.



2. This manual may not suit the requirements of the most ardent of backpackers and thrill seekers, but for an average Joe Camper like myself, it really came in handy through Washington State, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and on up into Banff and Jasper. A most resourceful guide that lists National Park Service information, directions to the Parks, campsites, hiking trails, info on backwoods camping...even tells you where you can shower after the fourth day! My only criticism is that my copy is as beat up as my hiking boots. A great resource to have, whether you're only there for a day, a drive-in camper, day hiker, or backpacker. I highly recommend it. Great job, Fodors!



3. The amazon.com review and book description are absolutely correct. This book contains the perfect amount of information for visiting the parks--we used it to visit 18 national parks in the sumer of '99, and found the itineraries and best-ofs to be wonderful. Research was solid and presented in extremely easy to read format. Look no further for a national park guide!



4. I am beginning my research for a vacation to the South West. This is a good starting place. It touches on most of the parks with pretty decent descriptions and pictures. You can't go wrong with this book.



5. Fodor's has put together a solid collection of facts and information for visiting the National Parks in the West, but the avid hiker and outdoorsperson would do well to add other pieces of literature to their collection before setting out. This book provides essential information such as phone numbers, addresses, and directions to the parks. It details options for camping in and out of the parks, as well as lodging in cities. However, I found a number of the prices they listed to be out of date, and some of the phone numbers were inaccurate. These were minor inconveniences, however, and did not overshadow the overall effectiveness of the guide.

   As far as activities, the book offers some brief guidelines for hikes and drives around the parks. I found these descriptions to be very impersonal and vague. For example, it lists trails as being "moderately difficult" without explaining what types of difficulties one might encounter. For a hiker, there is a big difference between a steep climb and precipitous footing, but this book does little to detail what one might expect on a given trail. I found the "America's National Parks for Dummies" guide to be much more informative as far as specific trail conditions and wildlife concerns (e.g. grizzly and black bear areas, mountain lions, etc.) Fodor's guide does not address these issues, which are also of utmost concern for most backcountry hikers. Additionally, the editors seem to abide by a policy of "Just the Facts" - they offer little to nothing in the way of ratings or opinions regarding which campsites and facilities may be better maintained within the parks. Most avid campers I know value a firsthand opinion when trying to decide where to pitch their tents - and reading that a campsite is quiet and primarily tents, versus noisy and popular with RVs is extremely helpful information to have in hand.

   We used both the Fodor's and Dummies guides on a six-week cross-country trip and found them to be nice complements to one another. The Dummies guide covers fewer parks but in greater detail, and offers candid opinions; the Fodor's guide gives you all the essentials you need for planning a visit to the park. If you don't plan on doing much hiking, this book could be all you need, but I recommend supplementing it with a more descriptive guide.

2 comments about The Last Wilderness.

1. In this stunning book, Freeman Patterson creates stunning images and imaginative uses of the photographic medium.



2. This book contains over 140 images of landscapes, flora, fauna and close-ups that brilliantly convey the diverse, yet fragile, nature of the wilderness within the Canadian borders.
   
   Short essays on the state of the Canadian wilderness from Freeman Patterson and members of the Canadian Nature Federation accompany the full colour images which have been taken by numerous leading nature photographers.
   
   The images are mostly presented one per page on high quality glossy paper in a large format book. Thankfully, there are few examples of the annoying process of printing images across two pages and thus losing some of the image in the page gutter.
   
   Those interested in the technicalities of the photographs may be a little disappointed to note that the images are not accompanied by any technical information such as shutter speed, aperture, camera/lens, film type etc... However, the images do provide inspiration in abundance for the budding nature photographer.
   
   As well as being a book on the environment /ecology of the Canadian wilderness, the sumptuous images within this book make it a classic "coffee table book". I firmly believe that anyone buying this book will not regret doing so - it would be a fine addition to anyone's collection.

No comments about City Walks: Toronto 50 Adventures on Foot (City Walks).

No comments about Fodor's Montreal and Quebec City 2009 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

No comments about Weekend Escape: Montreal (World Travel Guides Series).

No comments about Southeastern BC Fishing Mapbook: Okanagan/Kootenay.

1 comments about BC Coastal Recreation Kayaking and Small Boat Atlas: Volume 2, British Columbia's West Vancouver Island.

1. John Kimantas had enough research and insight to break up the West Coast region of Canada into a three volume set (known as the 'Wild Coast Series') and offer detail never before seen of one of the finest kayak destinations in the world. With the almost-overnight success this series, I was eager for the chance to check out his next venture - the BC Atlas series that accompany the books.
   
   Note: Perhaps as a testament to their popularity, both the books and atlases have been difficult items to keep in stock. It would ultimately keep me waiting for almost six weeks to obtain my Atlas.
   
   I purchased Volume II which covers the entire West coast of Vancouver Island. The quality of the production is top notch: 51 water-repellent laminate pages including a 'splash proof' outer book-cover definitely made me feel like I received my money's worth (I paid $26.00 at Amazon, compared to the List price of $40.00). Each page is in full and rich color with photos included of noteworthy sites and locations. As described, the maps offer useful information specific to kayakers that you would not normally find on any chart - campsites, anchorages, launches, wildlife viewing/nesting areas, trails, ruins, intertidal areas, navigation markers and call-in points. In addition, these maps are littered with interesting tidbits, such as 'exceptional sand island; may be surf', 'recommended kayaking' areas, and 'potentially dangerous turbulence off the Point', etc. Information you would hope to have on hand before planning your visit the area. It would have been nice if he elaborated more detail with regards to First Nation Heritage sites - such as known fish traps, clam beds, middens and such.
   
   My biggest issue with this product is the scale - 1:100,000 when compared to the Canadian Hydrographic Charts of 1:40,000. Granted, trying to keep in scale with the Hydro-charts would almost triple the size of the atlas (as well as the cost). The Hydrographic charts do offer more lush topographical detail and professional appearance. I compare it to the DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer Series.... great resource, but when you are at the trailhead, you are better served with a good old topomap.
   
   That said, I think Kimantas does every serious kayaker a service by offering a powerful set of resources for everyone to use. His work alone, renders most other guide publications of the same area obsolete. These are excellent tools for planning your next trip and I am pleased to have access to them. I would consider using a BC atlas for shorter trips. But for the extended excursions, you still cannot go wrong with a good old Hydrographic Chart.

No comments about The Canadian Geographic Quiz Book.

1 comments about A Paddler's Guide to Ontario's Cottage Country (Paddler's Guide).

1. Kallan gives you detailed info on a number of great trips through the Kawarthas, Muskokas and Georgian Bay regions of Ontario. Decent maps coincide with route descriptions and Kallan pinpoints his favourite campsites along the way. He touches on fishing here and there and adds humour in his text, making it a pleasant read. One of my favourite features of the book is the crisp and colourful pictures that accompany each of the route descriptions. Recent editions of Kallan's work went to black and white photos, which was a negative in my books.

No comments about Old Indian Trails of the Canadian Rockies (Mountain Classics Collection).