Review from the Rockies
594447
Having received "Man-eater Bears" as a gift and thoroughly enjoying it, I wanted to put my 2 cents worth in on it.  I was shocked to read the comments recently made by two reviewers panning the book.  As someone who enjoys camping, hiking and hunting in the great outdoors of the Rockies, I'm a fan of all kinds of survival info and am open to considering options that may not be politically correct.  Having read the book cover to cover (which I doubt "Norbert" or "A Speed Shop Owner" did), I found it full of interestingly related accounts of actual bear attacks and bear behavior based on species.  The author made me rethink some of the things I remember people saying to do when I was growing up, such as "playing dead".  I really appreciated his viewpoint that the Native Americans of the regions were experts in dealing with bears, and that we would be better off following their example of moving with stealth and being observant, than walking around with mini dinner bells tied to our equipment.
It seems to me that the two negative reviews were probably written by some sort of National Park Service, politically correct types, whose bear hugging views he clearly disagrees with.  It's one thing to write objective criticism about something you've read, but it's an entirely different matter to try destroying someone just because you have some hidden agenda and using fake names.  Maybe they should write and publish their own books if they're such experts on the subject.  Get a clue people; these are very large omnivores who are clearly losing their fear of people, particularly in the National Parks, where they are protected.  Just ask those kids who were attacked this summer.
I did read Hron's book and I liked it.  He did no more than stress some very good safety practices, and did so in a manner that I felt like I was hanging with my buddies around the campfire.  Information is power and discouraging people from reading a book full of strategies that may well save your life is irresponsible.  "Norbert" is allegedly running around with a 45-70, which almost anybody with a brain stopped using back in the 1800s.  He and his buddy in spirit appear to be typical Amazon review hit men whose reviews are totally transparent for pushing their politically correct agenda.  If they were confident in their reviews they wouldn't hide behind fake names.  I side with all of the other reviewers who used their real names, including two guys with PhDs.  5 Stars for Hron's useful and entertaining book "Man-eater Bears".
4784229
This was a really great book.  I listened to the Audible audio version, and the narrator was really good - good pacing, good reading style, pleasant voice.  I would definitely listen to more books narrated by Adam Verner.  The book itself was really good.  It presented a different view of mountain climbing than I had heard before - putting faith and family first, appreciated God's creation, and that summitting isn't the most important thing.  The book kept me on the edge of my seat as the author described his trek up and down Mt. Everest.  It was really refreshing to hear such great things about the author's wife and kids, and to see such a supportive family.  If you love mountain climbing, adventure, or non-fiction/memoirs, I highly recommend this book.
68086
The Climb was my favorite book i read this year besides the Harry Potter books.  The Climb is a retelling of the tradgedies on Mt. Everest in 1996.  Anatoli Boukreev and G. Weston DeWalt join up to write The Climb.  It  explains about The Mountain Madness team of 1996 led by Anatoli Boukreev,  trying to summit, and interfacing with difficulties, illness, and even  death.  The Climb describes the day of May 10, which is the day that a bad  storm hit and something happened but I cant say what because you have to  read it, like no other i have read before.  The Climb also tells you about  the good things too!  Anatoli Boukreev and G. Weston DeWalt have made a  very wise decision to team up on this book, The Climb.  I would recomend  this book to anyone that likes to mountain climb, is interested with the  history and facts about Everest, or who would just like a very good read  that touches you with more than just a sad paragraph.  Thank you for your  time and I hope that I have been helpful!
3834648
Our family enjoyed following the wolves in Yellowstone. The scenery was fantastic. We are looking forward to more. Go Druids!!
3350670
This sled is well worth the price.  After spotting a herd of Elk in the Mountains of UT and hiking in about 1 mile to get a closer shot, I successfully hit the largest female in the herd.  As we celebrated the shot (350YD Neck Shot) my buddy said "you hike up and I'll point you in the right direction."  I was like, what? do you mean I have to go up and get it?

Well that hike up the steep mountain took a while.  After dressing her my buddy said that he would go back to camp for help but that I should start hiking her down the mountain and through the canyon to the road.  Pulling 350 pounds of meat, fat, and bone through brush, over logs, and rocks was extremely painful and time consuming.  After about 5 hours I grew concerned that my buddy hadn't returned, thinking that the road was only about a short walk from where I was I hiked down to see if he made it out and back ok.  It was this point when I realized that I still had about 1 mile left to get my Elk out of the canyon.

As I arrived to the road my buddy showed up.  He had taken our campsite down and packed away all our stuff a task that I was dreaded having to do after pulling the Elk out.  Unfortunately our buddies that would have helped, had already left camp.

This was the time when my buddy asked me if I wanted to use his brother's Game Sled with the caution that it will most likely get destroyed in the rocks coming down the canyon.  But he insisted that it would make getting the Elk out much easier.  I didn't believe him but agreed.  We hiked up, tied her up and as soon as I started pulling, it felt great as she glided down the canyon.  When we finally made it down to the truck, as my buddy had warned, the sled was shredded by the rocks.  But I could care less, I was extremely happy that we were able to fly down the canyon.

Even if you have to replace this Sled after every hunt, I would never leave home without it.  This order was for my buddy's brother's sled that saved my butt that day.
3568842
This book is exceptional! I couldn't put t down on our 10 hour drive home from Taos Ski Valley. I loved the geography, history, stories, and appendix supplements to the text. I had the great privilege of skiing with author Rick Richards, and learned so much about the mountain, skiing, and the fabulous community of TSV. I will be back next year to ski with Rick and will enjoy my vacation immensely more with the knowledge and history I have gained from this book.
877686
This was a good read - really!!! Keith channels John McPhee and adds a light, humorous touch to what could easily be a little drab. My only complaint is that the book ended! It is a good read and touches on some of the newest theories regarding the origins of the current Rockies.
1626778
I truly enjoyed reading through this book and remembering having visited both Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons more than 20 years ago. The photography is amazing, and I love the little arrows that point North on the fold-out pages, just in case you want to try and see the same exact view when you visit. You can read my full review at: [...]
815414
The author perfectly captures the allure of Colorado and why most of us choose to live here.  Very self-depreciating and funny, Obmasick chronicles a not immodest accomplishment - climbing all of Colorado's 54 mountains over 14,000 feet in one hiking/climbing season. After reading this book I have confidence that I can, with regular training, manage to climb a few of these peaks.  If you enjoy adventure books - especially accounts of something that a reasonably determined person can accomplish - you'll enjoy this book. Learning about [...] was worth the price alone. It's a Colorado thing!
3702517
Cute and fun romance in the Canadian Rockies. The story is set in an imaginary town shared with a group of romance writers who tell each a story revolving around the Thurston Hotel in Harmony. Sharing setting and characters make it a lot funnier and makes the readers want to know a lot more about characters they have found before. I think this is a great idea both to see a world from different perspectives and to see different authors and discover ones you wouldn't have done.
In this case, the couple is stranded in the Thurston due to a snowstorm and they are accompanied by a group of oldsters that add humour to the mix.
3077249
There is passion for nature here, and LOTS of it, and if you want to see wolves re-introduced back into their natural habit in Northwestern USA and Montana in particular, you will want to read this book. Author Bass does rightly recognize the concerns of cattle and sheep ranchers in the area and the opposition of certain politicians who do not share his or the Federal Government's desire and mandate to bring the wolf back, but this book is essentially dedicated to the wolf and its rightful place in the natural world. It is a very enjoyable read that will fire up readers on both sides of the issue, but I did find his chronology a bit hard to follow at times...actually, I would have preferred a little more rather than so little prose, as there is often poetry in his writing. Also what about the large Indian reservations in the area covered by his book...what is their position on the wolf  matter, a fact not covered in the text?  I plan to look into other books by Mr. Bass.
1689960
I found your book quite fascinating with so much interesting material that you have researched and then presented so well. I could say that there is a very welcoming and homely atmosphere in your book that one feels like throwing another log on the fire in the old cabin and settling back for a long read.
4563032
I have used the companion volume on a hike along the Colorado stage of the Divide trail. The format of that guide was excellent and the route description, although brief was accurate and most useful. My main criticism's of the Colorado volume are reserved for the Maps, reproduced from USFS sheets and inadequate in topographical detail, and the weight that for  a trail Guide was rather heavy(too many nice photos, interesting but not essential bakground information,  and heavy weight glossy paper).
The New Mexico volume is in an identical format and so it remains on the heavy side. I will have to pare it down into individual segments and post them ahead to post offices along the trail to be collected. However the maps are a great improvement as they are reproductions of Topo Sheets with all the necessary detail of topography and land forms to engender confidence in route finding when bushwacking. As with Colorado,  waymarks are included that use latitude and longitude so entered on a GPS set it can be used to keep you on Trail. All the necessary information for re-supply and access to and from the Trail is included although I will have to test its accuracy when I am on Trail this spring. There is some complexity in the route choices along Stages 19 and 20 North of Pie Town that make for difficulty in following the sequence of pages but I guess that this will resolve itself when on trail. There is an inconsistency in continuity between the Guides as the New Mexico volume  is written assuming a Hike proceeding Northward while the subsequent Colorado volume assumes a Southward going trek. Incidently the Wyoming guide reverts to a Northward progress again. I expect this  guide to be an essential purchase for any thru hiker for it establishes a definitive route for the CDT through the state. I will comment again on opinion of the book when I get back from the Hike when I have had real use of it.
551069
Every day I am reminded of the beauty of the mountains living in Castle Rock, Colorado.  During some surfing on Amazon.com, I ran across this book about climbing the 14 highestmountains in the world.  These mountains are all over 26,000 feet.  The man who accomplished this task is Ed Viesturs, who was the first American to ever complete the goal.  The book chronicles his journey up and down the Goliath mountains.  The book is an excellent read that causes the pages to be pushed forward at a rapid pace.  The story is interesting and excellent.  This accomplish is amazing on all facets because of the danger that is involved in climbing these peaks.  Every mountain has a story and a lot of the mountains tell cruel stories of death and destruction, but through the narrative Ed continues to continue.  He was a smart climber, never going beyond his limits, except one frightful time on K2.  He learned a valuable lesson that day.  This was one of the best books that I have read recently.  I enjoyed the book so much that now I am motivated to climb a 14,000 feet mountains, the biggest ones in Colorado.  The mountain is Pike's Peak.  The book also inspires people to accomplish their personal goals in life, whatever that goal is it can be summited.
4523454
This book was such a good read. I am familiar with most of the mountain areas he was hunting in and the picture of the beautiful scenery was brought back to me in full retrospect. Thanks, Ben for writing this and hope to read many more of your works.
4524343
Recently I was introduced to Rick Lamplugh and read his book IN the TEMPLE of WOLVES.  Rick Lamplugh has created a wonderful examination of the life of the Wolf in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park since its reintroduction from Canada.  He examines the Bison and a wide variety of animals that directly benefit from this apex predator and examines the interconnected relationships that create a natural beneficial balance that contributes to the health and welfare of us all.  The snowy backdrop of Wyoming in winter contrasts with the saga of life and death in stark frigid terms with hungry elk and bison as they migrate back and forth to graze and sustain their fragile existence in the most desperate season.  All the while wolves, coyotes, mountain lions stalk the grazers to protect their own existence.  Eagles, ravens, and magpies patiently await their turn to scavenge the discards and scraps left behind.
  Rick and his wife Mary spent three frigid months exploring on skis and snowshoes, absorbing with all his senses, listening to and talking with experts.  He then combined a literary blend of facts and feelings, In the Temple of Wolves and celebrates natures beauty and treacherous cruelty, while revealing the inner battles with his own human nature.
 Rick Lamplugh carefully examines with crystal clear vision and simplicity of explanation the conflict facing the ranchers and the loss of their livelihood.  There is no justification for sportsmen who kill for entertainment and I salute him for choosing not to dignify these barbarians and their sport as an issue but to focus on the relationships between the animals of the Lamar Valley and the ecosystems which they manipulate.
4934267
A big thank you to Mr. Mayhew and his compadres for putting this very useful book together. I got several books to help prepare for my family's Yellowstone and Teton trip. This one, along with the Falcon Guides on hiking and the Trails Illustrated map proved the most helpful. That said, this Lonely Planet guide was probably the one book I relied on the most.
Some tips of my own:
Make the hike to Fairy Falls. Especially in the early morning fog, the other side of Midway Geyser Basin (the side NOT on a tourist-tastic boardwalk) is majestic and wonderful. Fairy Falls is the most beautiful of the many falls I saw in the park.
Get the beans at the Roosevelt Lodge. They are the ONLY beans I've ever had that I'd gladly part with $3 for. (Corresponding tip: the beans elsewhere are $3 also--but you can buy your own can of Busch's for half that).
Don't be frightened off by all the Bear talk. The only Bear I saw was halfway up a mountain and about the size of a quarter from where I stood. The Elk on the other hand...
Going to the Tetons will explain the line "Purple Mountains Majesty." Hiking in the Shadow of Moran or the Grand Teton = instant perspective on life.
Driving through the Big Horn Mountains on the way to Yellowstone is every bit as breathtaking as anything I saw in either park. Its "wow" factor led me to even buy a hat as a souvenir.
Wyoming has to have the highest concentration per square mile of what Patrick McManus calls "Old Men" in his classic A Fine and Pleasant Misery story The Theory and Application of Old Men. This was great for my son. I enjoyed it too.
Probably my biggest tip:
Go to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. (If you're coming the way I came, Badlands NP is well worth it too).
My second biggest tip:
Get this book for all the tips it contains. I recommend it wholeheartedly.