Nevada Books

This is a great book filled with lots of great pictures and interesting information. The authors give you a real feel for the hikes and really get you in the mood for your trip. The map you get along with the book is very pretty vauge, so a more detailed map is required to really get down to planning. But a great book to start you on your way to a fun backpacking trip. Absolutely get this book if your'e taking a 'walkabout in the Sierras.

The collaborative effort of Thomas Winnet, Jason Winnett, Kathy Morey, and Lyn Haber, Sierra North: 100 Backcountry Trips In California's Sierra is an detailed and thoroughly "user friendly travel guide to planning a hike in California's wild, rugged, and beautiful mountains. Filled with topography maps, one hundred different trips with route descriptions, information on fishing, swimming, flora, fauna, geology, and history, and much, much more, Sierra North is a highly accessible and information-packed resource which is especially recommended for vacationing nature lovers.

I enjoy all of the Winnett books because they are accurate, fun to read and reliable. This book has little chapters on over 100 trips in the Sierra range, and the descriptions of each trek are a total delight. So often these hiking books neglect to tell you how to reach the trailhead and oftentimes they don't provide detailed instructions. Winnett never makes this mistake. You will not need a separate map to locate any of the trailheads, his maps and written instructions are first-rate. In fact, there is even a nifty fold-out map sewn into the rear pocket so you can tote it along on any of your journeys. Equally interesting is that this book doesn't merely give elevation gains, difficulty ratings and desriptions of the trail conditions. These are vital to know, but Winnett also includes little bits of information of what kinds of wild flowers you will encounter, birds, wildlife and other little nuggets neglected in other guides.

The book is supposed to be only for overnight backpacking trips, but there are many trails here that can be used for day hikes. These trips will be in the 10-16 mile range and any strong hiker can easily do these hikes in one day. If you do choose to go the multi-day backpacking route, Winnett describes water sources, camping sites and addresses whether bears or marmots might be a problem for you. Most importantly, he tells you where to find water and whether the water source is reliable throughout the whole year.

I can't recommend this guide highly enough. Even if you're an armchair hiker, you'll derive many hours of vicarious joy from this guide.

This is the essential book for planning backcountry trips in the Sierra. Details such as noting which trails are open earlier season help planning a trip that won't get cancelled because of snow on the trail. More detail on shade and forest would be nice.

I finally replaced my 1988 5th edition with the current 9th edition by Kathy Morey, Mike White and the usual Wilderness Press accomplices.

It is physically larger and heavier, but I have finally realized that it is ok to cut out just the trip I am doing and take it with me, so weight is not an issue.

There are a couple of big improvements. The most significant one for me is the organization by major highway. i. e. Interstate 80 trips, Highway 89 trips, Highway 50 trips, etc. Makes it much easier to select possible trips for a short amout of time off. The other improvement is the use of text on grey background to indicate such things as chapter tabs, Notes that are a supplement to the trail text and so forth. It makes the book more interesting to the eye.

The maps in my 5th edition were in a pocket at the back of the book. Now they are a full page in imbedded in the text with the associated trail description. They still have the trail elevation profiles that are still an important part of my trip planning. The bigger book size allows more and larger black and white photos.

On the trail descriptions themselves, I have recently hiked all the PCT segments, and reading after the fact, find the descriptions accurate. On all the Wilderness Press guides, I sometimes find myself puffing up a steep grade and thinking "why didn't they tell me about this?". Assume that the descriptions are done by an experienced, acclimated hiker and don't assume the first day or two will be easy

A friend just told me about a new hiking area where he had found a great view, so I looked up Thunder Mountain in Sierra North, and found out all about it.

They have GPS waypoints on the trailheads. I find that where I need them is on these obsure trail junctions - maybe something for the 10th edition.

Definitely a good book for your hiking shelf.

Planning a trip using another guide made me realize how good this book is. The first reason is the elevation profiles at the start of each trip that tell you how high and low you'll be--something good to know this summer when the temperatures at the lower sites (like Yosemite Valley) exceeds 100 degrees. Second, the authors tell you exactly what it is like to hike the trail, from one landmark to the next, without extraneous commentary. Seems like a simple enough formula but only these guys get it right.

Cutter's Sierra Trout Guide is more than just a how to catch fish book. It is a lovingly illustrated and highly readable narrative about the Sierras, the varieties of trout found there, where trout feed, and on what and when, how to know what the trout are eating and what best imitates today's insect selection. Equally important, Cutter provides a compelling history of each strain of Sierra trout and how man has done his best --luckily so far unsuccessfully-- to ruin this splendid fishery. Read this book and you'll weep at what our forefathers did to the once abundant Lahontan Cutthroat. But you'll also see the Sierras and their wild trout populations with a whole new appreciation for their magnificence.

Ralph Cutter has done a superb job with his revised edition of "Sierra Trout Guide". The book was originally published in a much smaller format with only a fraction of the information contained in this edition. The ten years between editions was well worth the wait.

Ralph introduces you to the various species of trout and char that you will find in the Sierra, along with valuable information on their preferred habitat and environmental preferences. His chapter describing the fishery will help you understand why the Sierra Nevada enjoys such a wide mix of trout, and will give the history buff a load of trivia to share at the evening campfire or while moon-watching from a granite bluff.

Backpacking is a minimalist's sport and yet fly fishers have a reputation for carrying everything with them but the kitchen sink. The chapter "Into the Backcountry" gives great guidelines on what to take, what to leave, and what to expect to run into on a fly-fishing/backpacking trip. The chapter on "Trout Foods" includes information on all the major insects on the Sierra trout's menu and includes a hatch chart with some general recommendations to compensate for elevation differences. Ralph again takes the well seasoned backpacker's approach to his recommended fly assortment. You really can imitate most of the available insects in the Sierra with just a handful of flies.

The chapter "Locating Productive Waters" will enable you to make an educated guess about where to find trout by analyzing the features of the 7 1/2 minute maps of the areas you wish to explore.

As if that was not enough, the book includes distribution charts (listed by county) of all the rivers and lakes found in the Sierra that hold trout. These charts also tell you which USGS map they can be found on, the watershed they belong to, the elevation, and even the species of fish you can expect to find in the area you're considering. For example, if you want to fish lakes in the EL Dorado County area of the Sierra for Golden Trout, you can use these charts to plan your trip. My brother and I used this information to find a lake a few years ago that contained golden trout at 8100 feet of elevation and only a 6 mile hike in. The full moon illuminating the granite cliffs over the lake that night, and a sparkling jewel of a 14" golden trout the next day, quickly made me forget any soreness from the effort it took to get there.

The book is printed on top quality glossy paper and the pictures alone make the book worth buying. The 8½" x 11" pages are easy to read and handle, and the softcover allows you to easily slip it into your backpack. Don't go into the Sierra without it.

As an author of a book that uses a fishing metaphor to illustrate how relationships work, I was approached by someone about this book. So I bought it and must say that it truly gives the more serious angler a better understanding about what fly fishing for trout is all about. Having read about a dozen books on trout fishing (in doing the research for my fishing analogy), I think this one is one of the very best. The pictures are beautiful and something that every California trout fisherman should have in his personal library.

In Tahoe Killshot, author Todd Borg takes the reader up the mountains, through the towns, into the woods, down the bike trails, on the water, and on the winding roads of the Lake Tahoe, California, area in another one of his whirlwind murder mystery thrillers featuring his now famous cast of characters: private investigator Owen McKenna, his trusted dog Spot, and his girlfriend Street Casey. Borg brings these characters to life and puts them in a place he knows best: his home town. He uses this formula to write a truly convincing murder mystery that has bodies, suspects, and motives piling up with each turn of the page. From the opening scene to the surprise ending, Borg will have you under his spell and keep you guessing as friends become suspects and accidents become murders. And if this is your first time reading this author, you'll be happy to know there are three other "Tahoe" thrillers waiting for you to read.

Todd Borg does it again. Tahoe Killshot is a page-turner.

When I started the book, I was thinking I had an idea of where Todd would be taking us, but my ideas were pleasantly battered into little pieces by page 20 or so. Todd takes Owen Mckenna, private eye, his dog Spot, all 170 pounds, and best of all the reader on a seriously wild ride.

I can't recommend reading this book without reading the previous three. Certainly you would be able to follow the plot and character development, but without the background, the characters would be less vivid - especially the minor characters in Killshot that were major characters and more developed in the previous novels.

I encourage anyone who has read the first three to buy and read this book. If you haven't read any of these books, just drop the cash right now and buy the lot (of four). I promise you won't be sorry.

Todd Borg is a most excellent author. Tahoe Killshot is an excellent read!

Todd Borg and his wife [...]own three Great Danes, which provide constant inspiration for their character of Spot in Borg's mysteries. Three prior books, TAHOE DEATHFALL, TAHOE BLOWUP, and TAHOE ICE GRAVE, set the stage for the newest Todd Borg mystery, TAHOE KILLSHOT.

Owen McKenna is a retired San Francisco cop turned private eye when homicide duties became too much...as in the accidental shooting of a child. McKenna, his Great Dane and animal soul mate, Spot, return to duty when a famous singer, Glory, is killed on the Flume Trail situated in the mountains to the east of Lake Tahoe. McKenna quickly discovers that a mysterious caller by the name of Faith witnessed some damning piece of evidence. Faith is killed in a horrendous explosion which pulverizes her boat and nearly kills McKenna and Spot. When McKenna interviews Glory's bodyguard, his life is suddenly in peril and some man with an electronic voice is dogging his footsteps and attacking at every turn:

"It was like he had a seizure. He jerked and thrashed. I pulled myself up to my feet. He jerked so hard, the chair fell over sideways. The vacuum fell away and the man slumped away from the electrified lamp. I limped over toward him and kicked at the wooden handrail. It flew across my office. I was bending down to pull off ski mask when he kicked up hard. He foot caught me in the groin. I bent like a pretzel, unable to breathe. It took all my concentration to reach across the desk and grab the phone cord. The man was standing up, staggering. I swung the phone by the cord, and it wrapped around his neck and hit him on the head."

Todd Borg's tales are nail-biting page turners, packed with action and labyrinth plots. His characters are well wrought, interesting, and each intensely unique. His relationship with Street, his girlfriend, Glennie, his platonic friend, and Diamond, the Mexican cop with brains and brawn to match, combine with McKenna's own sense of justice and persistence to weave a wonderful yarn. Borg incorporates the beautiful backdrop of Lake Tahoe, along with the music business, a crooked non-profit, and even public office to create a trail that is as complex as the Flume Trail bike path, where the story begins. Borg's proof is in the pudding. A great read!

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

Great mystery read for kids of all ages! Very accurate historic detail.

Great book! My son and I loved this mystery from the gold rush era in California. The descriptions are marvelous. It is a good book to learn about the Gold Rush in an interesting way; with a young boy and his day to day adventures. This book makes history come alive. It is wonderful way for young people to learn about the history of the Gold Rush in California.

A fun mystery for kids with a lot of California History. I highly recommend it!

For those of us who love the desert Southwest, it captures the sense of place. The odd mix of characters inherent in Nevada, each multi-dimensional. Compelling story and central characters - I was glued to it. Interesting thoughts on a monk's spiritual pursuits and, of course, temptations. I hoped at times for it to soar even higher into the abstract, but then remembered how grounded in material reality is this setting, and how palpable is the balance between inner peace (the open land) and corruption (the people) there. Felt the ending a little awkward, but still I praise. Read it!

Blunt, no-nonsense prose conveys a dark vision of the modern struggle to maintain religious commitment in this novel set outside Las Vegas. After finalizing plans to use nearby Shoshone land as a nuclear waste disposal site, the Department of Energy has begun efforts to drive out local residents, including the two eponymous monks who live at a Cistercian hermitage in the area. St. Ed, troubled by the monastery's failure to attract postulants and by his bishop's orders to give into the DOE without a fight, wants to make his order more responsive to contemporary society. Brother S, attracted to Bureau of Land Management employee Amy Chavez, finds his vows tested when St. Ed abandons the Cistercian rules and allows Amy to enter the hermitage as a postulant. As the deadline to vacate approaches, the ensuing chaos leads to a tragic act of violence, simultaneously pointless and inspirational, that infuses a note of hope into the novel's bleak tone. Bergon (Shoshone Mike) mixes non-preachy spiritual meditations with an all-too-believable plot; while he's fair to all characters, he leaves no doubt whose side he is on. A solid read that treats faith seriously and doesn't offer easy answers about its place in today's world.

St. Ed is the crusty, foulmouthed founder of a Trappist hermitage in the Nevada desert; Brother S (for Simon) is the one monk in fifteen years who has stuck it out. He has found the monastic peace he sought, keeping bees, irrigating the vegetable garden, and studying church texts. Brother S is disturbed when Ed more or less advertises the hermitage by appearing on a Vegas talk show; he is disturbed in a different way when he rescues a stranded female ranger from the Bureau of Land Management. But everyone - the ranger, Ed, Brother S, local desert rats, and the nearby Shoshone Indians - is more than disturbed when the United States Department of Energy swoops down upon the desert, intending to run its inhabitants off and install a nuclear-waste repository. The author beautifully captures the self-congratulatory hypocrisy of government officials who call themselves "environmentalists" while plotting the destruction of the environment, and worse. And he dwells upon the attractions of the contemplative life so seductively that, for once, you hope the guy will not get the girl.

I have had the pleasure of walking many of the same trails that Sharon writes about in this book. The maps and directions are most excellent--if a description says 3/10 of a mile, then that's what it is. There is nothing quite so frustrating as having a wonderful day of walking planned only to be thwarted by crappy directions to the trail head. The historical focus is like icing on the cake-each of these walks are very enjoyable by themselves but when you have a greater knowledge of place and time, the whole experience is greatly enhanced.
So, even if you've tried other hiking books and been disappointed, don't pass this one by. There is something for everyone here. Highly Recommended and a great read even if you don't get out much!

Sharon has had agoraphobia for 20 or more years, and yet she has conquered her fears by hiking around 10,000 miles on foot with a friend or two intoe for companionship. She has shared her research and emotions along with the visual descriptions of each of these hikes in her first book. It is a book that will inform and delight every reader, even if you never take that first step upon the worn trail.
She includes facinating tidbits that have been well researched, and provides pictures long buried in private and government archives. Sharon has also tried to inform the reader about the ecological issues surrounding the hikers' intrusion into the delicate terrain of the Sierras. Each chapter is complete, and will leave the reader enthralled and excited for the next "trip"--even without leaving the comforts of one's armchair.
Whether one follows the maps on where to begin one's personal experience by hiking the trail or just reading to enjoy the trip vicariously, this book will be a wellcomed addition to everyone's bookcase who is interested in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Bon Voyage!

Sharon Giacomazzi is one of an elite class of authors who can seemlessly blend local history and hiking into a well written guidebook. Although the title features Yosemite prominently, this book also covers Hwy 49, the wonderful road through Gold Country, Alpine County, the Eastern Sierra and White Mountains. Each section of the book includes a broad survey of the region, followed by "chapters" of a few pages highlighting a particular locale and one or more hiking opportunites nearby.

The "tales" part of the book is the obvious strength. Readers will be treated to various theories about the lost treasure of Ophir Mountain, the many changes to the Sierra Railroad, and the desparate shootout at Convict Lake. Giacomazzi offers readers several opportunites to explore historic townsites like Bodie and Hornitos. Readers will also learn about the discovery of the Sierra "Big Trees" (Sequoia's) and the preservation of that site in today's Calveras Big Trees State Park. Of course, the history of Yosemite, beginning with the Mariposa Battalion and running through the present day, is also ably covered by the author.

The hike selection in this book is excellent. All are dayhikes and most are between 1 and 10 miles; the obvious exception is the 17 mile round trip hike to Half Dome. What impressed me most about the book, however, were the number of out of the way hikes that Giacomazzi listed. She does not list the ever popular Mariposa Grove of Sequoias within Yosemite, but she does describe Nelder Grove, a quiet grove just a few miles from the park border. Indeed, for the most part this guide will quickly get walkers to places of relative solitude even on a summer weekend. Of course, a few classics of the Park, Mt. Dana and the aforementioned Half Dome, are included.

On the whole this is an excellent guide. Hiking descriptions are sometimes brief but based on my experience, they are accurate. The history is sure to enliven any visit to Yosemite. The black and white photos that accompany the text are nice and the sketch trail maps are decent. (In the case of some of the longer hikes, I would recommend supplementing these with a good topo map. In the park, the best choices are the Tom Harrison Maps.) Get the book and enjoy. It is one of the best publications among many good ones from Bored Feet Press.

(Readers interested in similar history/hiking books should look to Jerry and Gisela Rohde's wonderful book, Redwood National and State Parks: Tales, Trails and Auto Tours.)

I have a confession to make. When I live in a place that has ice and snow on the ground for twenty-something days; the temperature hovers around the cold mark (anything below 50 degrees Fahrenheit;)and my home heating bills are larger than my mortage payment, I frequently contract cabin fever. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, looking at maps, howling at the moon (when available), chasing parked cars, and reading travel books. I know, I know, it's only the beginning of winter and readers are typically not standing in line to get tickets for their summer vacations. However, to my surprise I find that a number of libraries have very popular travel programs that start in January. Could it be that others are afflicted with this seemingly incurable malaise? Thus, you can imagine my delight in finding a copy of this wonderful travel book. My wife and I traveled U.S. Highway 50, christened "The Loneliest Road in America" by Time magazine, across Nevada a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, while we had a number of obligatory travel books of this region, this one was not available. I can't believe how much we missed! Since it was published by the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, it is a specialized travel book. But don't let that fool you. While it is chock full of information on the geology, flora, and fauna of the region it is so much more. In addition to being highly readable it has 70 color photos, 170 black & white photos and an abundance of illustrations, maps, and sketches. The book takes the traveler along this historic Lincoln Highway from Carson City to Baker and introduces you to a unique Nevada adventure complete with national forests, deserts, and a National Park, Great Basin, that many travelers don't even know exists. About the only thing you will miss is the diesel fume spewing monsters pulling full grown homes and bumper-to-bumper traffic at every milepost. During our visit to Great Basin National Park we encountered perhaps a dozen cars. The book has a helpful road log keyed to highway markers. The trip will take you from ghost towns to Pony Express stations and so many side trips into areas of pristine beauty that you will be hard pressed to believe you are in Nevada, which is, after all just a lot of desert, right? You might even visit a lake that produces some of the best trout fishing in the State and stop for a picnic lunch under aspens that will take your breath away. How about stopping in Fallon and visiting the Naval Air Station and Strike and Air Warfare Center, the Navy's Top Gun training center. Riding the "Ghost Train" from Ely is a trip you won't forget. We discovered the works of Nevada poet Kirk Robertson in a small bookshop in Eureka, which has a beaufifully restored historic courthouse. Kind of a special two for one deal. If you are looking for the fastest way to traverse Nevada complete with four lanes of pavement, interchanges, and fast food stops, Highway 50 is not for you. On the other hand, if you have just a touch of adventure in your soul and don't mind beautiful scenery, historic ambiance, and lots of space, this is worth your time. I would not make this the only travel guide to take on such a trip but I would not leave home without it. Take heart fellow sufferers, spring and summer is coming and this book will remind you why the wait is worth it.

I am seriously addicted to these Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology books. They lead you by milepost on such wonderful tours. You'll want to grab your camera, rock hammer and pocket protector, and hit the road with this one.

There are a lot of excellent maps in this spiral-bound book. The Great Basin offers many surprises to those who leave the Interstate. Enjoy.

"Close enough for government work" is a slam with a core message that is demolished by Tingley and Pizarro's book. The inside cover makes it clear that this book, published by the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, is keyed to the designation by the Nevada Legislature of US 50 as the official "Loneliest Road." Thus forwarned to what by conventional wisdom ought to be a badly-organized piece of legislation-inspired junk, I was blown out of the water (OK, sand) by the photos (plenty of color but also outstanding B&W), organization, and clear and enthusiastic writing. The emphasis is on geology over social history, but the interaction between the two is always made clear. And it's not just history--wise comments re the possible sound of Sand Mountain versus the reality of OHV roaring alert readers to what is worth stopping for. Anyone traveling through Nevada on US 50 as opposed to I-80 or I-15 must be a tourist. This book gets granular for you.

This is the first book I ever bought about Native Americans. It was really great. Funny, sad, shows great love. More, more!

Louis is angry and irreverent, but yet not offensive. It'a a very quick, enjoyable read. The short stories in this work touch on every issue you can imagine, mixing humans and anthropomorphic creatures against a graphic backdrop of contemporary reservation life. If you like Sherman ALexie, you'll love Louis!

This collection of 23 short stories is set almost entirely on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwest South Dakota and the border towns in the Nebraska panhandle. It is the harsh land of the high plains where the seasons are extreme and the lives of Indians balance conditions of poverty and racism against the love of family and home - plus a heavy dose of dark humor.

Humor in some of these stories borrows from Native American oral tradition, with shape-shifting characters who are both animal and human - Coyote, Raven, and Bear. Other stories lean more toward social realism, following lives plagued at every turn by misfortune, alcoholism, ill health, domestic violence and ignorance. Though truly horrible things sometimes happen, each story stops somewhere short of bleakness and despair. Demon alcohol, for all the damage it does, and libido-driven adventures still bring periods of relief. And there is affection and caring that present themselves like Old Bear in the last story to speak sweet reason to despair.

I recommend this book to readers interested in the modern-day lives of Indians on America's reservations. Adrian Louis, in both his poetry and fiction, offers a bracing corrective to all the sentimental and racist stereotypes held by others. His is a grimly unblinking vision of hard lives that still preserves their humanity.

Not since "Easy Rider" and the Hell's Angels have motorcycles (and biker gangs) inspired such a freedom-loving odyssey through the seamier side of mainstream America. The story itself is an eclectic mix of violence, hip tragedy, and storybook romance, where love plays out against a backdrop of crime, drugs, and wild adventure. Candidly written with stark depictions, such as a hauntingly intense gang-rape scene of the girl's mother, and cross-cultural elements that I found very neat and honest, the Wolfpack sets itself above any open road drama I've seen.

Not since "Easy Rider" and the Hell's Angels have motorcycles (and biker gangs) inspired such a freedom-loving odyssey through the seamier side of mainstream America. The story itself is an eclectic mix of violence, hip tragedy, and storybook romance, where love plays out against a backdrop of crime, drugs, and wild adventure. Candidly written with stark depictions, such as a hauntingly intense gang-rape scene of the girl's mother, and cross-cultural elements that I found very neat and honest, the Worfpack sets itself avboe andy open road drama I've ever come across.

I thought this book was pretty amazing- a story of freedom, love and motorcycles seething with criminality and the pleasures of the flesh. It's a love/adventure story, but with elements of the Wild West, Mom, and the Mob.