Unique Guide to Colorado White Water
352758
This "Floater's Guide" has very useful and detailed information that is still not available in ANY other source about Colorado Rivers.  That it is still in print after 30+ years speaks for itself.  If you truly love white water in Colorado it will add a whole new dimension to your enjoyment of the rivers.
2487155
I first became familiar with this series of books when I lived in Southern California. My roommate had just purchased a 4x4 and we wanted to go off-roading. We used this author's California book and discovered some great trails.

When I relocated to Colorado the first thing I did was to see if the author had a Colorado version available. (I did not know at the time that this author's company is actually based out of Colorado.)

Once again I have not been disappointed.

This book provides some good background on some of the towns near the trails and provides clear and concise directions, including GPS and mileage checks, for a lot of trails in Colorado. I purchased the hardcover version because I could not find a soft cover. I see now that that author has released a spiral cover version which would probably be more useful in a vehicle.

If you are on the fence - GET IT. You won't be sorry!
1482986
Here is an excellent resource for gaining knowledge on renowned paddle sport destinations in the United States. Reading this guidebook will entice the notion to ply the paddle through new waters.
It begins with a basic over view for getting the novice started, ideas for essential preparedness during trip planning and notes for deciding what kind of a paddling experience is desired. This involves choosing the right gear and it gives an introduction to the various types of watercraft that are available. Mentioning whitewater kayaks, sea kayaks, canoes, dories and inflatable rafts with a description of the differences in function, the pros and cons between and amongst them.
Next is a section on Paddling Destinations which include; Mount Desert Island ME; Adirondack Park, NY; Youghiogheny River, PA; Nantahala River, NC; Okefenokee Swamp, GA; Boundary Waters, MN; Apostle Islands, WI; Upper Missouri River, MT; the Middle Fork of Salmon River, ID; Snake River, WY; Labyrinth & Stillwater Canyons of Utah; Grand Canyon/Colorado River in AZ; Monterey Bay, CA; South Fork of the American River, CA; Rogue River in OR; San Juan Islands, WA; Glacier Bay and Noatak River in Alaska.
Average air and water temperatures, skill level awareness and warnings, natural science and history are all mixed in to the vivid descriptions of what will draw a paddler to each location. Important features, like the names of towns, lakes or rapids are set in boldface type throughout the paragraphs. At the end of each chapter are two pages of Travel Tips, detailing when to go, how to get there, addresses and phone numbers for obtaining information on permits, prices, camping & lodging, tours & outfitters, plus additional info on other nearby destinations as supplemental water excursions.
Also found in this book are visual maps, an image layout labeling the canoe and kayak anatomy, an explanation of the International Scale of Whitewater Difficulty or how and why rapids are classified as they are, plus awesome color photos at the turn of every page. The resource directory offers a list of further reading, contact information for paddling schools or clubs and some websites for learning more.
The variety in this book is an inviting mixture for all paddle sport enthusiasts at any level. And it directs the beginner with the right information to help make it into a life long sport of fulfillment. In fact it captures the essence of paddling so eloquently that it had me biting my lip in anticipation at the mere description of legendary whitewater rapids, smiling with the expressions captured on the faces of rapid riders and yearning for the adventure of discovery found in each awe inspiring vista displayed by the photographs. It certainly will whet the appetite for embarking on a grand paddling adventure. This book can help make it happen, as it is a handy reference for planning that prime paddling experience.
84993
I've been to Aspen several times for skiing and, like most visitors, have to rely on the trail map for navigation unless I take a lesson and have the benefit of a professional to take me to the best spots for my ability. It's summer now as I write and it's so hot that the flies are on strike but this book already has me thinking about winter because it brings the trail map to life: in place of a green, red, blue, or yellow line on a piece a paper, I know a bit more about the run, its true challenge, and often the story behind the mysterious name. Why are the Dumps on Aspen Mountain called the Dumps? What does AMF, a run at The Cirque at Snowmass, really stand for? Get the book and you'll find out.

While the book is perhaps targeted at the more serious skier, there's plenty for the intermediate as Beidleman describes every run on every mountain (I think) including places where the way-hones wouldn't normally visit, like Buttermilk. The book includes 150 runs that aren't on the trail map...which is nice.

I also like the more accurate rating system than one would find on a trail map. Most resorts fib a little when it comes to blue, green, black, but Beidleman's system, along with frequent cautionary sentences, provides a true sense of the challenge, risks, and dangers. A run might be listed as double black diamond extreme but is it? Is there a run you'd like to try that's more difficult and potentially dangerous than indicated? Is there a way down the Back of Bell that's not as tough as the trail map indicates? Is a run bumped out or steep or both? You'll find out in the book.

It's a pocket size book, as it should be, and the price may seem a touch steep, but most of the book is in four color and the photos are extremely valuable and much more illustrative than a typical trail map; and to me, a trail map is a superb example of top-quality commercial illustration.

If you're an advanced, expert, or advanced intermediate skier, then the book is a must as you'll really get a sense of where you'll find the most fun for your level on the mountain, thus maximizing the efficacy of your  VST. If you're a cruiser, then the book will make you want to get better and, at the very least, just get you fired up about getting to the mountain(s). I'm really looking forward to spending some time with this small but powerful tome and it's going to enhance my enjoyment of a place I already really love.
34630
Great detail and interesting layout.  Great local information for the rivers mentioned and good solid tips on individual streams.  Can't wait to investigate some of these locations!
214705
Whitewater rafting is one of the most popular sports in the United States. Every year hundreds of thousands of tourists and avid "river rats" float every type of river in the country. Challenging rivers like the Colorado through the Grand Canyon to the Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho, fromthe Tuolumme in California to the Gauley in West Virginia, are routinely rafted by adventurers seeking the challenge and thrill of facing these liquid locomotives. It is not uncommon to wait up to 15 years for a private permit and up to 3 years for a seat on a commercial raft trip through the Grand Canyon.

Predictably, there are numerous books about individual whitewater rafting experiences and a respectable number that explain how to participate in the sport with or without the benefit of a guide. In addition, a few former guides have written books about their experiences but remarkably there are few anthologies written by river guides that purport to tell the truth about river running on western rivers.

This book seeks to remedy that oversight by providing stories from 30 former and current "river rats" that will provide as good a description as one is likely to get of the less than scientific method of river running as practiced by a bunch of "...misfits and misanthropes, dreamers and daredevils, weekend warriors and professional guides, nataphobes and bibliophiles, "established voices" and undiscovered gems." In short, these are stories purported to be factual from a group that's primary claim to fame is storytelling regardless of the truth. It is that and much more.

The stories of kayakers, dory men, canoeists, rafters and assorted others are humorous, thoughtful, questionable, and a reminder of the river lore that has lured rafters to water since Huckelberry Finn. There are stories about nude canoeists, games and pranks favored by river guides, lost tourists on the river and a host of others that provide a hard-to-put down account of both adventures and misadventures on western rivers. Not to be missed is Jessica Maxwell's account of forcing herself to face the "grim river reaper" that is probably more true for a number of rafters than they would, or will, admit. While some of the essays appear to be designed to glorify the writer they are more than offset by the works of such legends as Bruce Berger, John Nichols, Scott Thybony, Brand Dimock and Edward Abbey. To read these eclectic accounts of river experiences is to be introduced to wilderness writings of the first order. Highly recommended.
4026091
This guide covers all of the trails in the New River Gorge and the surrounding state parks and is a great resource for anyone visiting the area. The color photos are great and each trail includes detailed descriptions of the trails, how to find them, interesting historical facts, and points of interest. The appendices are great too as they list all the things to do in and around the area (restaurants, adventure companies, and lodging) making it great even if you only hike only a few of the trails. This guide has 119 trails with symbols that help you pick one that suits your interests (and ability!) Highly recommend -- great book to use with kids too.
3088441
This is a WONDERFUL book for Wasatch Front residents who like to enjoy our beautiful mountains, and all the gorgeous day hikes we have so close to us!

It gives very good trail information and color pictures on 42 hikes primarily in Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber Counties.  For each hike it gives a very good overview of the hike, a map, a table of mileage points along the trails & the landmarks/highlights, and a color picture of a hike highlight (e.g., waterfall) or of what the trail/area looks like.  It gives you the mileage, elevation gain, hiking difficulty, if dogs or bikes are permitted, estimated hiking times, references to more detailed maps, if there are any fees, detailed directions on getting to the trailhead, and any special considerations unique to the trail. So it gives you a lot of very valuable and helpful information to have when choosing and planning for a hike.

I also love Greg Witt's "60 Hikes within 60 Miles" book; but I think both books are very valuable and helpful to have for Wasatch Front Hikers, because while there is a fair amount of overlap, there is also a lot of unique coverage of wonderful hikes in both books.  For example, Lori Lee's gives great information on 12 hikes in Weber & Davis County; and Greg Witt's book has great information on 10 hikes in those same counties.  Of those, 5 of the same hikes are covered in both books; but by having both books, I have great information on 17 wonderful hikes in my "neck of the woods."  Greg Witt's book also covers 4 hikes in the Uintas/Summit County.  John Veranth's "Hiking the Wasatch" is another great book to have for Salt Lake and Utah County hikes.

So, I give a big thanks to all of these authors for hiking and gathering all this valuable and important information on these wonderful Wasatch Front trails, and sharing it with us, so we can safely enjoy all the beauties they hold!
3154175
I thought that this book was very well put together. It's packed with interesting facts and information and it has great colorful pictures that make it fun to just browse. Also the quailty of the paper/binding is really nice for a paperback book of this price. The book does try to cover a lot of territory in just over 200 pages, but it is basically just a travel guide after all. It includes maps and loging info and travel tips for each state which I thought was great. If you enjoy The Discovery Channel's "haunted" videos, you will also enjoy this book.
620019
Yosemite National Park is one of the premier destinations in California.  Indeed, it is one of the premier destinations in the world.  While anyone can be awed by the scenery just from their car, this new book by Elizabeth Wenk encourages you and your family to explore a little on foot.  The 50 hikes in this book all range from 1/2 mile to 8 miles and explore almost every part of the park, from the crowded Yosemite Valley to Hetch Hetchy, Tioga Pass, and the area around Wawona.  It also features a chapter on Mono Lake, an area often neglected in guidebooks like this.

This book has a lot to recommend it.  I like the organization of the chapters; each focuses on a single region of the park and lists several trails in the immediate vicinity.  Moreover, the hikes reflect the diversity of each region, and in each chapter you will find a decent selection of routes ranging from the very easy to somewhat more challenging.  Every hike includes a good sketch map, GPS coordinates for the trail head, and detailed driving directions. Nice black and white photos accentuate the written descriptions of the trails.

With all this going for it, one might ask why I docked the rating one star.  The answer is that Amazon will not allow me to dock half a star, but this is really a 4.5 star book.  That said, I have some concerns about a few of the hikes listed. In general, hiking books that promote shorter walks (in the 2-5 mile range) are becoming more popular with publishers.  On the one hand, the aging population of the US has decreased demand for many longer trail routes, even in a place as popular as Yosemite.  And complementing this trend, families with young children want to hike together and just cannot do longer routes.  Wenk's book is especially focused on this latter demographic, and she provides a "Child Rating" for several hikes in the book.

But given this trend in publishing, I have to question the selection of some of the hikes.  Poopenaut Valley trail drops more than 1000 feet in less than a mile (the trail is actually more than a mile, but the bottom part is level).  This is strenuous and unpleasant walking, especially when there are better alternatives in the area of Hetch Hetchy.  But I really question the wisdom of including Mt. Dana in a guidebook like this.  Dana is "only" 6 miles round trip.  But the ascent is more than 3000 feet and the route includes two flat stretches.  There are places near the summit where class 2 moves may be required.  As Wenk notes, it is by far the most difficult hike in the book.  But I have to question why it is included at all in a title like this.  I also have a few little cavils (the mileage for Yosemite Falls, as described in this book, is 7.2, not 6.4) with the text, but no book is perfect, and having hiked 30 of the 50 routes described here, I think this book is on the whole pretty accurate.

All factors considered, I think this is a good book, and if you are planning a family trip to Yosemite with kids, I would buy it for the planning and preparation.  The hikes in it are a little more rigorous, and a lot more extensive than its rival&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Best-Easy-Day-Hikes-Yosemite/dp/0762755288/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Best Easy Day Hikes, Yosemite</a>&nbsp;distributed by Falcon Press.  This is the book to get if you have 3 or (ideally more) days to explore the park and want to experience the landscape up close and personal, and out of the automobile.
3533624
A very useful source of whitetail knowledge.  Written in a manner that will spark the interest of anyone just beginning to show interest in Whitetails or those who have been infected by their mystery and magnificentism for decades.  I recommend this resource.
1849516
This book is very helpful.  Everytime I go away I take this book with me to find these beautiful waterfalls.  I have visited quite a few in the White Mountain area.
4556761
As someone in the process of starting a rafting company, RiverIndia.com, I needed a book with thorough, dependable information covering all aspects of whitewater rafting. The Guide's Guide suprised me in its completeness and in-depth treatment of everything from knots, guiding, cooking, forms, games, and more! William McGinnis, one of California's whitewater pioneers, should be commended on this meisterwerk. It is a great help to those of us who hope to follow in his footsteps.
2316381
We swam the Grand Canyon by Beer_ Bill
Two crazy guys in the 1950's decide to swim down the Colorado River which is part of the grand canyon. Describes in detail how they prepared for it and the things they took.
Very adventurous and I'm not really sure they are sane to do the things they did. Loved hearing of the floatable rubber suitcases and clothes.
Whirlpools, dangerous and exciting. So much pain and struggles along the way but also awesome scenes they describe.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
3739935
Old but Sill Invaluable

My adult daughter bought a book about Colorado ghost towns this year only to discover it contained towns like Aspen and Basalt. It was useless for exploring Colorado's history. We sent her this one and she loves it! Bob Brown truly knew and loved Colorado's past and helps his reader find adventure in the nearly deserted towns and town sites that were once bustling with miners and farmers.
2398391
James Mitchell has created a good guide to trails and gems of Northern California. This guide has a lot of locations to go to and the maps are very good. The author also notes historical information to many locations that make the places interesting. There are many black and white photos as well as colored pictures of gems and rocks the author has found to help you identify different stones. I live near quite a few of the locations and have found the information in the book very useful. Not only can you get a good idea of what gems you can find in certain locals but you can get a sense of the history and do futher looking in local museums and other landmarks that the author recommends in different places.

The guide also has lists of tools to use for the beginner and warnings of locations such as certain places might be impossible in winter, or scorching hot in the summer so you can get an idea of how to prepare or plan for an excursion.

All in all this book has a lot of useful information about different places in Northern California and includes really good maps of each place and landmarks to look for. If you want to get out and hike around and maybe find some really neat rocks such as jade, quartz, obsidian, agates, crystals, serpintine and even fossils you can check out this book for a lot of useful information. There are many listings of places and the types of rocks that can be found at each location. This author has provided a very useful tool for places to go. Many areas are easy to get to but the locations do vary. This is a book you can use for a long time to come if you are interested in the history and places in Northern California to hunt for rocks and get out for a nice hike in some beautiful country.
2519494
What a wonderful book.  I am a Colorado native.  This book was interesting and full of great facts and pics.

Price was great, and so was the service.