4 comments about Hiking Great Basin National Park.

1. Looks like interesting and informative book about Great Basin National Park. I will have to travel there when I'm finished with college and have vacation time



2. Falcon hiking guides are usually fairly straightforward affairs. You get a route description and directions to the trailhead, and not a lot else. This compilation by Bruce Grubbs is a major exception. Full of natural history and geography this book will add to your appreciation of the region. It is also quite comprehensive, including every trail in this spectacular area and many more in the Mt. Moriah Wilderness north of the park.
   
   Hikes in the book include the classics of the park, most notably the guided tour of Lehman Caves and the climb to the summit of Wheeler Peak, Nevada's highest at 13,061 feet. But using this guide will get you to many other nice destinations as well. Ancient Bristlecone Pines nearly 5000 years old can be found within the park as can several nice lake basins and archeological sites. My wife and I took several walks from this guide and are now planning another trip to Great Basin National Park. It is truly the best outdoor experience in Nevada and this is a good book to plan a vacation around.



3. I'm planning a backpacking trip to the park this year, and have been reading the pertinent guidebooks. This one is a good intro for the average National Park visitor looking to do some of the good day hikes or short backpacking trips.
   
   This guide contains a basic introductory section on the area: Human and natural history, and some very basic and generalized backcountry hiking and camping tips. The hikes described here can be considered a 'best of' for day hikers and one night backpacking trips, and are relatively accessible from the main park entrance areas.
   My main complaint is that there is no detailed overview map of the park, very poorly detailed maps of the hikes (which is an issue I have with most Falcon guides), and no coverage of the remote southern and western portions of the park.
   
   Great Basin National Park is essentially a wilderness park, there are a few great hiking trails (such as those in this book) but the real wilderness opportunities are off-trail, cross country type hikes. For those interested in travelling the remote backcountry and alpine areas of the park, the out-of-print Kelsey guide is like gold. The USGS topo maps are essential for cross-country travel (the Earthwalk Press map being suitable for day hikes but annoyingly difficult to view topographic details due to the scale and coloration). Impeccable compass and land navigation skills are a must, as are Leave No Trace ethics and substantial wilderness experience. Water is often hard to find, rescue is days away, and even many of the designated trails are poorly marked and faint. Have fun!!



4. This is a good guide book to hiking trails and other information regarding Great Basin National Park. I have some of Bruce Grubbs' other books and he does a good job of preparing you for the trails. While I think it is admirable that the book is printed on recycled paper, it might also be the reason I find it difficult to read. I don't know if different ink can be used when printing on recycled paper, but my 50 year-old eyes require more contrast between the printing and the paper.

2 comments about Outlaw Tales of Utah: True Stories of Utah's Most Famous Rustlers, Robbers, and Bandits.

1. Naturally, like most others, my initial interest in OUTLAW TALES... by Michael Rutter arose from the chapters about the most famous of Utah's outlaws, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The chapters about them fit the bill rather well. Somewhat naively written but passable. I could have done without so much of Rutter's romanticized, almost juvenile, writing style but, given other study regarding the subjects at hand, his research seemed sound.
   
   Good information here about others whose history arose primarily outside of Utah. Tom Horn, for example, made his name and fame primarily in Arizona and Wyoming. The fact that his paths led him, for a time, into Utah qualifies him for inclusion here. The same is true of Dart Isom.
   
   And, unfortunately, that's where this one ends. It seems Rutter didn't have enough to fill a respectable volume with the names already mentioned and had to resort to filling pages with characters and personalities better left unmentioned. The book makes a very strong beginning with Butch and the Kid, comes close but, in the end, it's no cigar!
   
   THE HORSEMAN



2. Even though I am a Utah girl born and bread, I never did go out of my way to learn about the outlaws of the old west. Mind, I wasn't against them, but I never made a point of reading about them until I stumbled upon this edition for super-cheap.I think I may have found a new interest.Rutter takes on some of the more famous legendary outlaws of Utah and tells their stories in manners that are a pleasant combination of historical text and rowdy folktale book. The list of further reading in the back is certainly impressive, so I have doubt that research was done. Even so, it is a fun book written by someone who clearly has a passion for the outlaws. It's historical, yet also very romantic.The main focus are the big guns: Butch Cassidy, Matt Warner, Elza Lay, the Sundance Kid, the like, each given a good summarizing chapter that hits key points in their respective careers. But also, pleasantly, there are chapters on the consorts and the territory.I am now hooked.

5 comments about Utah Byways: 65 Backcountry Drives For The Whole Family, including Moab, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, San Rafael Swell and Glen Canyon.

1. For the price (less than tank of gas) Utah Byways is easily the best buy in the genre of off-highway exploring, by the most acclaimed author in the field. It is a thorough and well-illustrated glovebox-size guide to the state's most spectacular backcountry roads. Unlike other 4WD books, the author has personally made sure that every route is suitable to a stock 4WD sport-utility vehicle. The book provides a full range of backcountry driving experiences, from graded gravel roads to famous 4x4 trails like Elephant Hill. But the focus is really on experiencing Utah's natural wonders and human history. You will visit remote rock art sites, Anasazi ruins, trilobite fossil beds, ford rivers and streams, wind through forests and narrow, high-walled slickrock canyons. You will drive on the actual bed of the historic transcontinental railroad, and meander across the Great Basin on the old Pony Express and Overland Stage trail. The extensive geographic coverage leaves no region unexplored, from the Uinta Mountains to the Wasatch Range, from Moab to the Great Basin and the most remote reaches of canyon country, even a bit of the Mojave Desert. The photos are outstanding as well, although they're b&w. Among the best features are the detailed, full-page maps that accompany each of the 65 top-notch routes that the author describes, and the handy 5x9-inch format. It's designed to fit into an SUV's side pocket or glovebox, making it easy to take along while still including abundant content. Also included is an extensive how-to chapter, and a listing of information sources that includes Web sites. Adding still more to its value and appeal is the author's multi-activity approach. Mountain bikers, hikers and campers as well as adventurous travelers will find it an outstanding resource, too, because Utah Byways is far more than a driving guide.



2. Unlike some of the other readers, I cheated and checked this book out of the public library first (living in Salt Lake City, libraries are full of books about Utah).

   The directions, mileage indicators, degree of difficulty and highlights are really excellent. We used this book extensively during our last trip to So. Utah and we able to find each trail of interest without any problem.

   Unfortunately, the maps for each trail are adequate at best. Instead the book refers you to available published maps of a specific area. Also, all the photos are in black and white which is really a disappointment when you consider the red-rock beauty of So. Utah.

   But, for the price and size of the book, you won't be disappointed.




3. I picked it up in Moab on a recent winter trip (good time to go). We really, really liked the roads it took us on. Bring your bike! Now that I've seen the place, the pictures should be in color, though. I recommend it.



4. I bought this book for our family vacation 2 years ago to Utah. It was one of two books that were the foundation for planning our best vacation yet. In fact, we had such a great time that we are planning to return next year.

   This book enabled us to get off the main roads and explore Utah backcountry. Without it, we would not have been brave enough to explore on our own and see so many great sites. The author's format is very user-friendly and has the EXACT information that I wanted to know (road difficulty, highlights, distance, time, etc) in order to plan our trip.

   Contrary to the earlier reviewer, I don't mind the photos. Although they are b/w, they still convey the beauty and feel of canyon country.




5. Utah Byways: 65 Backcountry Drives is an excellent book. The trail descriptions are extremely accurate, concise and helpful. I liked the photographs because they give a perspective on a drive. The list of resources, parks and places of interest in the back of the book is invaluable. I wish I had time to go on all the drives. Good job.

No comments about Utah Trees & Wildflowers: An Introduction to Familiar Species of Trees, Shrubs and Wildflowers (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press).

1 comments about Utah Mountaineering Guide.

1. The book describes how to hike basically any Utah mountain range. It's divided according to a particular area, and larger mountain ranges are split into several sections. Kelsey's writing style is quite specific, each section includes a sketched map, several photographs and description of hikes, difficulties, access routes, ... Once you get used to it, though, it is a quick, general and informative reference for anyone who wants to hike Utah mountains. A word of warning, the author is a fast walker, his times are e.g. about 1/2 of those from Vernath's Hiking the Wasatch

3 comments about National Geographic Driving Guide to America, Southwest (NG Driving Guides).

1. This is a good sightseeing guide that should help anyone who is interested in traveling the States of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico by car.

   Even if you know you want to see the Grand Canyon, what else do you do in the Northern Arizona / Southern Utah area? This book answers that question.

   Arranged by state, the book highlights different attractions in each area. It also suggests driving loops, designed to hi-light the highlights while traveling a circular route along major highways. This is certainly designed well for someone who is unfamiliar with the area and wants a travel itinerary laid out with suggested sights and attractions.

   Accommodations or restraints are not listed, so one would have to look to another guide or the internet for those. This book can get you started with your destinations, however.




2. Nice pictures but pretty lame as a guide book. Very little in the way of useful information. Go with Roadtrip USA's "California and the Southwest." A GREAT book.



3. bought this book at a used book store just before our SW vacation.It came very handy in planning what sights to see before we went. It was also handy when we were driving around in the SW and came across an attraction,looked it up in the book and stopped.It even gives info on the history and other facts of the great SW.I was very happy to have it with us and I recommend it for your trip to the desert,especialy if you are from the NE like me.

5 comments about Heart Of The Sound.

1. Marybeth Holleman is a leading voice in North America for
   defending nature within Prince William Sound from the negligence and commercial interests of the oil industry, and the devastating Exxon Valdez oil spill fifteen years ago. The Heart of the Sound is an important, engaging, heart-expanding book that you won't be able to stop reading.



2. The Heart of the Sound will find a permanent home on my book shelf--for reference, for enjoyment, for inspiration. I was born and raised in Alaska and have lived here over fifty years. Still I learned about the difference between two genetically distinct groups of Orca whales, about the "soundscape" created in Denali National Park for managing uses, and much more. I worked on the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup for six weeks on the water and beaches far outside of Prince William Sound and through Holleman's clear, passionate voice and keen powers of observation I was able to sharpen my own image of what it was like at "ground zero" of the spill. The chapter titled "restoration", with its hard questions and profound insights into the human relationship to place, I will visit often. Holleman cares, and I trust her. This is a beautiful book.



3. One of the things I most admire about Marybeth Holleman is something she told me in person: "I moved to Alaska because of Prince William Sound." This statement is verified in her writing, which is replete with examples of her love and devotion to the place, even when the environment presents obstacles. Camped on Decision Point, she finds the terrain so water-logged it takes five railroad flares to start a fire and she and her husband are forced to don head nets to escape the swarms of no-see-ums. This is not the kind of experience most of us come away from feeling enraptured, but Holleman's reverence and awe never falter.

   Crucial questions are presented in the last third of the book. In the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill Holleman casts a critical eye on restoration money designated for scientific study. "All this counting, tagging, radio-implanting, all these projects, research, buildings--I could not fathom how they would help restore the wild," she writes.

   Finally, the book takes on a larger scope, asking that we take a hard look at our adaptability to environmental degradation. Things that bother her should trouble us all: noise pollution, species' extinction, global warming, acid rain. How is it that we have come to accept these phenomena as "natural" by-products of economic growth? Thanks to Holleman and other nature writers these issues will continue to surface in discussions across the nation. And, if we are lucky, those in power will begin to listen.




4. This book is many things. It is a personal journey about following one's heart. It's a love story between a woman and a place. It's about beauty. It's about loss and change.

   Marybeth Holleman witnessed the unspoiled beauty of Prince William Sound, the immediate aftermath of the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez, and subsequent years of healing. She details the devastation wrought by both the ruptured oil tanker and the swarm of experts and volunteers who came to help. Fifteen years later, the coasts and wildlife of Prince William Sound still show evidence of this oil.

   This is an intimate look at a specific wild place in the vastness of Alaska. A gentle voice tells her stories, reflects on her life and beloved environment, and reveals an inner landscape. The pages display photographs taken by the author. The words are her love songs for the wild creatures, the water, and many natural wonders of the sound. Such intimacy brings us into her world and broadens our capacity to see and to care what she is passionate about, perhaps humanizing us in unexpected but important ways.

   I hope to visit Alaska some day to see the glaciers and the wildlife, to experience the wonders, serenity, and potency of nature. When I go, I will have more respect for the fragility of such beauty. The Heart of the Sound gave me a more complete and complex story about a well-known disaster-not just how this event affected the author and the Alaskan community back then, but how it affects all of us, all of life still.




5. This is a great book about nature! Reading it, one can easily imagine Thoreau looking over Holleman's shoulder as she explore's the wilds of the sound.

No comments about National Geographic Guide Map Utah (National Geographic Guide Map).

1 comments about Fishing Utah.

1. This is a real find! For all of us that love fishing and Utah, this book has it all. I found Brett's descriptions to be on target, and his advice valuable. He obviously loves and knows his subject. I heartily recommend this book to all the anglers looking to Utah as a fishing paradise.

1 comments about Mountain Bike! Southern Utah: A Guide to the Classic Trails.

1. Now available in an updated and expanded Second Edition, Michael McCoy's Mountain Bike! Southern Utah: A Guide To The Classic Trails is a superbly presented regional guide packed cover to cover with detailed information about the sweeping deserts and amazing red rock vistas of its locale. Black and white maps of a variety of different trails, from short jaunts to extended cross-country tours, guide the mountain biker through wondrous natural landscapes. From safety tips to elevation topography to a comprehensive index, Mountain Bike! Southern Utah is an invaluable, core reference for any Utah-area biker with a keen and active interest in this energetic pastime.