Park Books

Enormous Chugach State Park abuts the City of Anchorage, Alaska, the largest city in Alaska and the hub of tourist travel into the state. Easily accessed from Anchorage, Chugach State Park provides a variety of year-round recreational activities. This guide provides a run-down on a variety of hiking trails, suitable for the barely fit to the extremely fit.

The book, as advertised, provides descriptions of 50 different hikes in the Chugach. Some hikes are variations of route in the same area. The descriptions include distance, estimated time, elevation gain, and estimated hiking difficulty, along with directions to the appropriate trailhead, a sketch map of the route, and often photographs. Also included are some wise safety tips for hiking in Alaska, where weather can be extremely variable in just a couple of hours, and where man is not at the top of the food chain.

Highlights include Crow Pass, over which the old Iditarod Sled Dog Trail once passed, and Flattop Mountain, perhaps the most heavily climbed mountain in Alaska. Chugach State Park also includes areas accessable only by a couple of days hike, where the determined hiker will find nearly pristine wilderness.

This book is highly recommended for the hiker planning to visit Anchorage and looking for good trails, and for the long-time resident looking for some variety.

As a former long-time Anchorage resident, I can say that this is a well-written, informative guide for people of all skills. Whether you are local or visiting, there are maps, directions, and a condensed, detailed write-up, without excess fat.

The climbs range from the recreational family journeys to the hardcore hikes. The authors obviously have spent much time on each of these trails.

There is even a nice touch of history in the guide.. you can tell there was good research done off the trails too.

The black & white photos are there but can't do the land justice. Get out and go.

I have been leading hikes in northern California for 15 years and have hiked all over America. I have over 200 outdoor books, mainly trail guides. On a recent trip to Lassen National Park, Mt Shasta and several nearby locations, I took John Soares book. This was after reviewing several of my guidebooks for the locations I knew I would be hiking. I felt before going that John's book was the best guide for the area and that was validated after the trip. The directions are great for locating trailheads. I have the 1994, 2000 and 2008 versions of the book and it just keeps getting better. Additionally, as directions change over the years, so do Mr. Soares updates, which is particularly helpful. The maps are great and I love the color photos, although I know that increases the cost of publication.

I saw several new places and the guide was always with me. I would highly recommend it to anyone would wants to see some of the best outdoor locations in northern California.

The old saying "You can't judge a book by its cover" simply does not apply to this new edition of '75 Hikes' by John R. Soares. Indeed, the cover photo of Mt. Lassen reflected in the pristine waters of Lake Helen is almost worth the price of the book itself. If that photo doesn't sell you on the joys of the southern Cascade range, nothing will. As soon as I saw the cover, I was already dreaming about another visit.

Just as Mt. Lassen dominates the cover of this book, trails in and around Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park dominate the text. Although the book has 5 chapters, each corresponding to a specific area, the first two make up almost 2/3 of the hikes described here. This is as it should be. Mt. Lassen is probably the most accessible of the major peaks in the Cascades. The rest of the park is also heavily geared towards hikers: numerous lakes, peaks, meadows, cinder cones, waterfalls, and thermal features invite hikers to linger in this remarkable place and Soares does an excellent job of describing short and long hiking opportunities for these destinations. Most of the routes he suggests make for pleasant day hikes but he also includes numerous backpacking options.

The material for Mt. Shasta and Lava Beds National Monument is understandably more limited. The main thing I got out of this section is that if I want to climb Mt. Shasta I should sign up with a guided expedition. I have lots of hiking and backpacking experience at high elevations, but none with ice axes and crampons on glaciers. Judging by Soares's descriptions, this is an absolute necessity for a successful climb on Shasta. Soares does list several options for hikers not intent on bagging the summit.

On the whole, this is an excellent guidebook. If you are interested in hiking northeastern California, '75 Hikes' is a good starting point. All the classics are included: Burney Falls, Captain Jack's Stronghold, Bumpass Hell Themal Works in Lassen Park, and many others. Nice black and white photos accompany the text which is well written and moderately humorous in places. In all, this book is a worthy investment for any vacation in the region.

Why any kid would read that Harry Potter nonsense when great children's literature like this is available is beyond me. Hopefully, Amazon will get more copies of this in time for summer. It makes great beach reading.

This book has helped me redefine what great children's sports literature is all about. I mean Matt Christopher is great, but this guy Smith is better at fusing both gripping action and emotional depth. My only question is where does he get those character names from. I mean, they all sound like a bunch criminals or losers.

See You Next Wednesday

What can you say about a book on one of the most beautiful places on earth, I mean how can you make this place more spectacular...well this book does it. Mr. Cameron is such an amazing photographer, that he would make Ansel Adams take note. Not since the before mentioned Mr. Adams has Yosemite looked better. The park is photographed from every conceiveable arial angle; just spectacular. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates great photography and mother nature at her best.

A great book detailing a lot about natural history and presenting views seldom seen of the park. One minor complaint is that some of the spectacular features of the park look very tiny from the air and hard to pick out. Still, Cameron takes pictures of familiar sights from unfamiliar angles which are continuously refreshing. Gilliam's text is very informative (a dam above Nevada Falls?) and presents a lot of new insights on the park. Must have book for lovers of the Above... series and Yosemite-philes.

Alan Nyiri's notes accompanying the images caused me to see them differently than I expected to upon sitting down and opening Acadia Panorama. One gets the faintest notion that his use of panoramic equipment puts Nyiri self-consciously outside the norm, as if he were requiring us to use a GAF Viewmaster or employing some contrivance to interpret the scenes. Reading the notes increased my curiosity and intensified my inspection, corner to corner, edge to edge, over and over. Somewhere along the way there was a spark of recognition. I had been there once before, not to Mt. Desert, but to that place where you can tell yourself you have nothing better to do than to wait and watch, gather in a bunch of seemingly wasted moments till you apprehend THE moment. I wanted to be there again, so I slowly turned page after page, imagining the ascent to the vantage point, thinking how brisk the air must be, how my beard must be getting a bit straggly after several days, how little I am missing revving engines and ringing phones. Thank you my dear friend Mr. Nyiri, for taking me to that place again.

Alan Nyiri combines a sensitivity of light, a keen sense of place and obvious love of nature to produce this marvelous collection of images. In this book the artist explores and expands the panoramic format in the exquisite setting of one of the most beautiful parks in all the world. If you're a fan of panoramic photography, a fan of Mount Desert Island, or are considering a visit to that enchanted island, you'll want this book.

Full disclosure; I'm a friend of Alan's and an admirer of his work.

I became aware of this book by seeing Jack Perkins interviewed on Maine Public Television about it. It was a wonderful interview and he read some of his poems and explained how the book came to be. It has always been a secret hope of mine that I might bump into Jack some place in Maine, but it has not happened yet. The next best thing is to own his book, and then he can talk to you and share his vision of this unique area of our lovely state. His talent is not limited to his high profile experiences in television journalisim for NBC. He is an accomplished photographer and poet and he has a wonderful heart.

Poetry has gone out of fashion in our obsession with things that take no work and require no thought. Recently my wife and I hosted a dinner in Washington at which Jack spoke. He read from and commented on his poems. For an old broadcast journalist to attempt something like this before an audience of other, mostly cynical journalists was very brave, indeed. But Jack brought it off in a way that had people listening respectfully and then responding enthusiastically. Many promised to immediately purchase their own copies. Whatever relationship you may or may not have with Maine, "Acadia" will do something for your heart that few other contemporary books can do. I highly recommend it as a gift, or for your own consumption and enjoyment. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

"Adirondack Mammals" is a wonderful publication that goes into depth on the behaviors of the mammals that make the Adirondack Mountains their habitat. All the information you'll want to know about the animals of the park is in this book.

Adirondack Mammals is a thorough guide to the animals of the Adirondacks. If you would like to know what month a certain mammal gives birth to its young, or what a certain mammal eats, this is a great guide to have. There are 54 mammals included in all and they range from tiny mice to the moose. This guide is a necessity to people who live in , or plan on visiting the Adirondacks.

I was privilaged to be present at the slide show presented by Carl Heilman at the annual Adirondack Club dinner last autumn. Many exquisite pictures from this book were shown. Mr. Heilman has captured the true spirit of dawn in the mountains, children leaping with joy , winter landscapes, and especially the wild creatures that most of us may never be patient enough to discover in their natural homes.Many shots exhibit a seemingly impossible depth of field sharply focusing on both a spider web in the foreground and Mount Marcy in the background. The book is full of beautiful images not to be missed!

Photographer Carl E. Hellman has crafted a collection of Adirondack photographs that continue to fascinate page after page. All aspects of this remarkable region are well represented from the wildest of waterways and majectic peaks to the outlying areas of cozy farms and inland towns. By far the most amazing photographs are those in wide-screen format - much wider than anything this reviewer has seen elsewhere. Ranging from awe-filled aerial views from high peaks in all seasons to the intimate settings of bogs and marshes, Hellman captures the mood of these mountains. Mist shrouded ponds, newly falling snow, green glimpses through mature virgin forests and close-ups from lady-slippers to primeval bogs; the viewer is mesmerized. Overwhelming beauty and the calm feeling of a lonely untouched wilderness is caught everywhere. This is a collector's item to cherish all year long.

Outstanding treatment of probabilistic cash flow analysis with all the derivations and details. Unparalleled detail in explaining utility, from data collection to build the curves to what to do with them.
This has been THE reference for Engineering Economics.

basika, to biblio den to exw diabasei, par'ola ayta gamaei! alla as ta afhsoume ola ayta kai as enousoume ths fwnes mas gia na brontofonaksoume... "LEYTERIA STOUS GLAROUS THS INDONHSIAS"

Kwstas Adam, Ptyxiouxos Mhxanologos, pozerologos, paparologos, ourolagnos kai xontrompalas...mpeeeeeee

Provides all the information needed for brief or extended solo trips in Glacier Bay National Park. Includes excellent summaries of a dozen multi-day trips including trip highlights, photos, distances, ratings of difficulty, likely hazards, hints for locating campsites and maps suitable for scoping your trip. Also includes additional resources you may need in the appendix along with phone numbers. The book gave me the courage and information I needed for my first long, solo trip in a wilderness area. An excellent addition to my library.

Interestingly written and very informative. His maps are rather crude but used with a NOAA map (17318, 17318a, 17318b) they are excellent guides to camping sites, points of interest, and dangerous currents. 6 of us did a self-guided 115 mile trip over 11 days based on this book. Excellent description of routes almost mile by mile. A must buy if you are going to do any lengthy trip and are trying to minimize surprises.