Northeast Conference Books

I come back to 'As Far as the Eye Can See' year after year. It's absolutely brilliant. Well written, honest, insightful. David Brill conveys his experiences on the AT better than any other through-hiker book I've ever read. Too many books make it seem if hiking the Appalachian Trail is man vs. trail but Mr. Brill brings the truth to the forefront, hiking the AT is hiker vs. him/herself. If you've ever thought of putting foot to the trail and walking from Georgia to Maine or simply enjoy day hiking in the beauty of the woods this book is for you.

Anyone interested in the AT, or just backpacking in general, should read this book. It's a great read. I liked it better than Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" and I recommend it to everyone.

In his book, "As Far Aas the Eye Can See", David Brill takes the reader on a soul-sirring adventure along the rooftop of eastern America. He tugs at heart strings as he overcomes the grueling day-to-day trials and tribulations that plague long distance backpackers, and he lifts the reader's spirit as his soul soars to lofty heights as the beauty of Nature's bounty unfolds. Couch-bound? Not to worry. Mr. Brill evokes pictures with his dynamic and descriptive prose that carries the reader alongside, step by step. A must-read! J.R. "Model-T" Tate, author of "Walkin' on the Happy Side of Misery"

Mr Brill's book was the first of several I have read on hiking the AT, and it is, so far, still my favorite. He tell's about the hardships without moaning and groaning, and also lists the good things. You can get a good idea of what to expect about the AT from reading this book.

It's hard to write a review about this book. Why? It's so good. Why is it good, and what makes it different?

First, it tells of the trail and the people he met in 1979. I doubt you'd find some of these folks along the AT today. For example, the rednecks who came a'drinkin' and a'shootin' at a Georgia shelter, the mountain woman who showed him how to hunt ramps, and the strange and funny account of the rednecks with their "bullet trick" at the tavern in Erwin. Most of these type folks have probably faded into the era from which they came, now extinct by the pervasive eroding effect of the media and its pressure for everyone to conform to American McCulture, not to mention the effect of a constant stream of AT thru-hikers through a previously much more isolated mountain culture and communities.

He writes very well of the changes the trail had on himself, and the transition from feeling like a visitor in the woods to a resident of the woods. He goes from being deathly afraid of thunderstorms in gaps in Georgia when he started, to enjoying them later on. And the change in personal values his hike had on him.

Another big difference is this book is written by subjects, not chronologically like the numerous journal-type AT books. Chapters are on "Fear," "Seasons," "Our Community," "Bad Company," "Critters," and so forth. I find this a refreshing break from those books that generally read something like: "I got up at 6 am, cooked pop tarts, walked X miles up a MFer of a hill, saw curly joe and moe, stayed at X shelter, cooked slop tarts, tossed and turned under a leaky roof, got up at 6 am and started again."

Don't know else to say. Read it.

On my 2008 thru-hike attempt of the Trail (I had to go home because of my knees) I bought both the Data Book and the Thru-Hikers' Companion. I wound up taking the Companion with me and leaving the Data Book at home. There wasn't much of anything in the Data Book that wasn't in the Companion, and the latter had much more detailed and useful information.

When I do it again I'll take the Companion along with the extremely detailed section guidebooks for each section, which would have helped me out in a few circumstances this time around.

My daughter started hiking the Appalachian Trail on 3/16/08 and as a mother I was extremely worried about her hiking 2175 miles with just her dogs. But with this book, I realize what an amazing journey it will be for her. She has made an amazing number of friends along the way. I feel more secure in knowing that there are well-spaced shelters along the entire trail and help readily available if necessary.

I've been collecting these books since I hiked the trail in 2000, and this edition is every bit as useful as the others. It's small and lightweight, which means you should carry it with you the whole way. When I went thru, I only carried the pages I needed ripped out of the book to save a little weight - and now I regret that I did. You should carry the whole book, mark your mileage in the margins and whitespace, where you meet people, etc. It'll be a great memento after you're done.

The one suggestion I would have to the designers is to leave a little more margin room for writing.

The picture on the cover of this 30th edition is also one of the best in recent years. It's a picture of Whitetop Mountain in Virgina - covered in snow.

Good luck to anyone going thru this year!

-Bullfrog GA-ME 2000

The Appalachian Trail Data Book, updated annually, has proven time and time again to be the indispensable Guidebook for those contemplating spending any length of time hiking on the A.T. Among thru-hikers, (those attempting to hike the entire Trail in one continuous journey) the book's usage approaches 100%. This is excellent testament to the worth of this little volume, and it's easy to see why the book carries the imprint of the Appalachian Trail Conference, the organization charged with the care, protection, and maintenance of the Trail.

In an easy-to-read format, the Data Book contains everything the hiker needs to know in order to plan their day's travels, and in order to know what lies ahead of them. It'll tell you where shelters and established campsites are located; where principal water sources can be found; where road crossings and towns are located; and where primary stores, re-supply sources, and lodging places are located. Other works, most notably the Applachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion, will provide more detailed information on these matters, but it is the Data Book that is the work used most frequently on a day-to-day basis by those actually hiking the Trail. Also, the fact that editor Daniel Chazin meticulously updates and fact-checks the book each year in order to take into account changes on the Trail, ensures the hiker that this is the most accurate work of its sort on the market.

A key addition and improvement to this year's edition is keying and matching of sections of the Data Book to the official A.T. maps, i.e., the ones used by most hikers. This makes it much easier for the hiker to locate their actual position on the Trail; also, as always, the book's mileage tables are printed in order to facilitate simple reading by both Northbound AND Southbound hikers, so it can be used by everyone, regardless of the direction of their hike.

In short, if you're going to spend any serious ammount of time on the Trail, this little book will prove to be incredibly useful to you, tho one may well wish to purchase other works with "expanded" information. One should, of course, also use the best maps available, regardless of the length of your intended trip. But if you bring ONE guidebook with you on your trip, bring this one.

In a few weeks, I'll be leaving to hike, for the seventh time, the Trail in its entirety. I would not think of setting out without a copy of the 2002 A.T. Data Book, and neither should anyone else.

This book was an excellent source of information. The maps were also helpful for planning out my mileage for my weekend adventures.

I've used previous editions of this guide, but the 16th edition includes validated GPS data and is certainly the best of a very good lot. The package includes a guidebook, with detailed trail descriptions for the 174 miles from Kent, Connecticut, to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area on the New Jersey-Pennsylvania line. There are also four waterproof color maps (scale: 1 inch = 1 mile) which show the A.T., other trails in the area, and roads used to access the trails.

My favorite hike in this book includes the Agony Grind on the west side of the entrance to Harriman Park, just off Old 17. There's a short, fairly steep scramble up to a long ridge walk above Greenwood Lake with great views -- you can often see hawks flapping across the lake far below you, and then rising effortless just out of reach on the thermals formed by the ridge. It's a rewarding out and in hike, of whatever length you have time for. Save a little energy for a careful descent at the end of the hike.

There are other excellent local guides to New Jersey and New York trails. The New Jersey Walk Book: A Companion to the New York Walk Book and the New York Walk Book: A Companion to the New Jersey Walk Book are the pick of the litter.

Nonetheless it is romantic to use one of a series covering the entire Appalachian Trail. One can pretend to be an End to Ender of this most famous of our trails.

Robert C. Ross 2007 2008

If the reader is really serious about hiking the A.T., specifically the N.Y. /N.J. section, this book, along with the 6 very detailed maps that come with it, will be a tremendous help, with all the relevant information all packed into a (large)pocket-sized paperback.
In addition to very interesting facts behind the history and the beginnings of the AT, the information found in this book will guide you, almost hold your hand along the trail and, it will then be up to you to listen to the wisdom, advice and warnings found here or, ignore them and find out -the hard way- why only 10% of the people who attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail will finish it in a year.
Where can you find water?; where are you not allowed to camp?; is it safe to hike alone?;can you take your dog with you? (NO!). Statistically speaking, did you know that you will be safer hiking the entire A.T., than walking the streets of most large american cities?
These and many other topics, too numerous to mention here, are dealt with in this volume.
Having all of that information ahead of time will make it (just a little) easier to put on your backpack, lug your 3 liters of water needed daily, consume the 4000 calories of food needed every day and.....in about 6 months time you will have arrived at your destination, very tired, much thinner and, much wiser.

There is nothing to add to the previous Reviews here on Amazon. Anyone who hikes seriously in New York State must have a copy of this book.

It's not clear exactly what Amazon is offering here. Be sure you get the current edition, the 7th, which was released in 2005. There are many revised trail descriptions in the 7th edition, especially trail head information. The chapters for Storm King, Black Rock Forest, and Sterling Forest are completely revised.

It is worthwhile checking the New York New Jersey Trail Conference website before undertaking any major hike in the region. The trails and access points don't stop changing just because a guidebook has been published.

The "Walk Book" was originally published in 1923 by the National Geographic Society; the next four editions were published by Doubleday; and the sixth and later editions have been published by the NYNJTC. The first five editions included trails in both New York and New Jersey. In 1988, the "Walk Book" was published by the NYNJTC and split in two, the New York version was called the 6th edition, and the New Jersey version, the 1st edition.

"The New York Times" published an interesting article on May 19, 1998 by Glenn Collins on the history of the Trail Conference and the "Walk Book". It extracted several passages from the 1923 "Walk Book" (which now sells for around $200 if you can find a copy):

"For protection against rain, pure rubber clothing is about the only reliable material; but in warm weather or after exertion it is uncomfortably hot. . . ."

"Boots or stout leggings will save many a bruised shin or ankle or torn stocking and trouser leg. Breeches for women, long worn in the Western outing clubs, are becoming more in vogue in the East and sensibly so. There are combinations of breeches with detachable skirts which are convenient for travel to and from the country or where city or country yokels may stare. . . ."

"A pack on the back is bound to cause heavy perspiration and wetting between the shoulder blades. Reed frames have been devised to hold the pack off the back and give circulation or air. . . ."

"Paper is as effective a protection against wind as leather, and many trampers regard a paper waistcoat, costing 50 cents, as indispensable for blustery weather. . . ."

"If you are ever out with Malcomson he will introduce his big Bermuda onion. You will crave a thick slice and you will never go tramping again without one. It adds horse power to one's legs after luncheon. . . ."

Things have changed a bit since 1923, but the trails are still a major benefit of living in this area.

Robert C. Ross 2008

This book is for anyone who has any intention of hiking anywhere in NY. From Long Island to Harriman to the Catskills to the Adirondacks, this book gives detailed descriptions on walks throughout all sorts of terrain. Each chapter has a brief history of the area so you really feel as though you are experiencing surroundings to the fullest. Plus, it is published by the New York/New Jersey Trail Conference which is apparently the premier source for information and maintainers of trails in the area. They also take suggestions so if you find some important detail missing from one of the trail reviews, you can write to the conference and give them your input. To make a long story short, I wouldn't go hiking anywhere in NY without this book.

I do a lot of hiking and mainly kept to the Appalachian Trail. I've recently started venturing off onto other trails and found this book invaluable for planning when used in conjunction with full size topo maps. I think every trail (just about) in New York state is in here.

Every serious New Jersey hiker must have this book. Full trail descriptions with full-color maps. Notes on geology, history, hiking tips. A good index and Jack Fagan has contributed many excellent sketches.

This is now a companion guide to the equally indispensable New York Walk Book: A Companion to the New Jersey Walk Book for New York hikers. Be sure you get the 2nd edition of the New Jersey Walk Book: A Companion to the New York Walk Book, which was released in 2004 and is substantially revised from the 1st edition released in 1988. (The 1988 edition is often still available and has some historical value; see New Jersey Walk Book.)

It is worthwhile checking the New York New Jersey Trail Conference website before undertaking any major hike in the region. The trails and access points don't stop changing just because a guidebook has been published.

The "Walk Book" was originally published in 1923 by the National Geographic Society; the next four editions were published by Doubleday; and the sixth and later editions have been published by the NYNJTC. The first five editions included trails in both New York and New Jersey. In 1988, the "Walk Book" was published by the NYNJTC and split in two, the New York version was called the 6th edition, and the New Jersey version, the 1st edition.

The "New York Times" published an interesting article on May 19, 1998 by Glenn Collins on the history of the Trail Conference and the "Walk Book". It extracted several passages from the 1923 "Walk Book" (which now sells for around $200 if you can find a copy):

"For protection against rain, pure rubber clothing is about the only reliable material; but in warm weather or after exertion it is uncomfortably hot. . . ."

"Boots or stout leggings will save many a bruised shin or ankle or torn stocking and trouser leg. Breeches for women, long worn in the Western outing clubs, are becoming more in vogue in the East and sensibly so. There are combinations of breeches with detachable skirts which are convenient for travel to and from the country or where city or country yokels may stare. . . ."

"A pack on the back is bound to cause heavy perspiration and wetting between the shoulder blades. Reed frames have been devised to hold the pack off the back and give circulation or air. . . ."

"Paper is as effective a protection against wind as leather, and many trampers regard a paper waistcoat, costing 50 cents, as indispensable for blustery weather. . . ."

"If you are ever out with Malcomson he will introduce his big Bermuda onion. You will crave a thick slice and you will never go tramping again without one. It adds horse power to one's legs after luncheon. . . ."

Things have changed a bit since 1923, but the trails are still a major benefit of living in this area.

Robert C. Ross 2008

Every serious New Jersey hiker must have the most current version of this guidebook. This 1988 edition marks the split of the New York and New Jersey volumes in two; previous editions included both states.

The current edition is New Jersey Walk Book: A Companion to the New York Walk Book; it was published in 2004.

The "Walk Book" was originally published in 1923 by the National Geographic Society; the next four editions were published by Doubleday; and the sixth and later editions have been published by the NYNJTC. The first five editions included trails in both New York and New Jersey. In 1988, the "Walk Book" was published by the NYNJTC and split in two, the New York version was called the 6th edition, and the New Jersey version, the 1st edition.

"The New York Times" published an interesting article on May 19, 1998 by Glenn Collins on the history of the Trail Conference and the "Walk Book". It extracted several passages from the 1923 "Walk Book" (which now sells for around $200 if you can find a copy):

"For protection against rain, pure rubber clothing is about the only reliable material; but in warm weather or after exertion it is uncomfortably hot. . . ."

"Boots or stout leggings will save many a bruised shin or ankle or torn stocking and trouser leg. Breeches for women, long worn in the Western outing clubs, are becoming more in vogue in the East and sensibly so. There are combinations of breeches with detachable skirts which are convenient for travel to and from the country or where city or country yokels may stare. . . ."

"A pack on the back is bound to cause heavy perspiration and wetting between the shoulder blades. Reed frames have been devised to hold the pack off the back and give circulation or air. . . ."

"Paper is as effective a protection against wind as leather, and many trampers regard a paper waistcoat, costing 50 cents, as indispensable for blustery weather. . . ."

"If you are ever out with Malcomson he will introduce his big Bermuda onion. You will crave a thick slice and you will never go tramping again without one. It adds horse power to one's legs after luncheon. . . ."

Things have changed a bit since 1923, but the trails are still a major benefit of living in this area. Collect this 1988 volume for its historical interest; purchase the revised 2004 edition and use it to hike some great New Jersey trails.

Robert C. Ross 2008

This book is a great. I've used it a number of times, and consider it one of my favorite outdoor guides to NJ. It tells you everything you need to know about a variety of trails: who uses the trail (mountain bikes, horses, hiking-only, etc.), directions to get to the trail, and where you can park (if that isn't obvious). If you are just starting-out exploring "Outdoor New Jersey" you cannot be without this book.

A real gem of a book - one of those that everyone with even a remote interest in its subject matter should own. I'd give it five stars if there were more maps.

Following a general introductory part, the guidebook gives a description of each section of the AT in MA and CT (a trail section is roughly a 10 mile or so segment, generally cut by notable roads). The description consists of two portions: general and historic information (nearby towns, sites, camping, etc.) and trail description. The latter is a list of mileage points and directions. While it is very dry, it provides precisely the information one needs for hiking the AT. The water-resistant (plastic-like) maps are very detailed. A rather unusual feature is charts showing elevation change versus distance traveled.

In principle, either the maps or the book are sufficient to follow the trail, though each conveys useful additional information. Some people might perhaps find the two way too detailed and narrowly focused. In contrast to more comprehensive guidebooks (such as the White Mountain Guide), it describes little more than the AT (a few side trails are described), but in my view it does a fantastic job at what it sets out to. I have used this guidebook in MA and generally found it to be very accurate, even though it is 8 years old.

This book tells you what you need to know to hike the trail over these sections. The maps are accurate. It even includes sections on flora, fauna and geology of the region and hinking saftey.

The definitive guide to the AT that you can buy. Extremely detailed directions. Great waterproof maps with side trails and elevations. If you get lost using this guide, you're just plain stupid.

Overall this book describes all of Pennsylvania's hiking trails. Pennsylvania has over three thousand miles of hiking trails, so it is important to find a good book the depicts all of them. It also includes several modern waterproof topographical maps that are very useful with navigation of the trail. Longitude and latitude are availible for compass and navigation headers. However while this book is an excelent guide, it does seem to be never-ending with the trails. There is always one after another. Although this is one of my favority hiking guides. The philosophy of the book states, "The basic goal of this edition is to provide the hiker with a comprehensive list of available hiking areas and trails". This book is still not limited to trails alone, it shows helpful places to camp, and to restock supplies. This book was written with the help of the Keystone Trails Association which is an alliance of Pennsylvania organization's which share the belief of helping hikers. This book is an excelent guide.

As the other books in this series, this book consists of a set of water-resistant maps (7 in this case), lists of mileage points, brief trail descriptions, and general information about nearby towns, transportation, etc. Each of the maps also includes an elevation chart at the bottom (which tend to be rather rough approximations). As the title suggests, the guidebook focuses on the AT, though a few side trails are described as well. In contrast to the other 3 AT guidebooks I own, the maps come on separate sheets, with the back of each used for trail description; the book itself contains only general information. In my view, this is a very convenient feature as you can just carry the maps you need and leave the book at home.

I used maps 1-3 to hike the 100 mile Wilderness (just south of the Baxter State Park) and found the maps and the trail descriptions to be generally very accurate. However, some information that might have been useful is omitted. For example, there are a couple of developed campsites (maintained by the state) at the south end of Nahmakanta Lake; they are not official AT campsites and there is no mention of them in the guidebook. More information about tenting opportunities at the shelter site would have been nice as well (a lot of shelters in the wilderness have rather poor tentsites). Overall, this guidebook is all you need to follow the trail though, and there is no other choice I am aware of anyway :)

If you are up for adventure in NYC and cant afford a great big vacation this is awesome. Not many people know about this path, it goes from NYC to the top of NY state through amazing terrain, you can hop into the trail at any point, but a great challenge is to do the whole thing!