Reviews (35)

This is a terrific insight into the Sierra and to the Park Service Rangers
I loved the book. I spent 20 years backpacking in this same area every summer in the same time span and loved the insights and details of the author regarding the environment. Wallace Stegner gave advice (detailed in the book) to Randy about how difficult it is to write in general about nature. Eric Blehm successfully overcomes this difficulty. I felt back in the mountains and reliving my experiences due to his details. Thank you Eric. The dedication and professionalism of the park rangers in the search is a tribute to these men and women. Thank you to them also.

Who, or what killed Randy Morgenson
Eric Blehm's book "The Last Season is the biography of a Sierra Nevada National Park Ranger, Randy Morgenson. Despite decades of experience and an intimate knowledge of the terrain in which Morgenson patrols, he goes missing. Blehm captures the search and rescue operation that spans over years and in the process details Morgenson's life history.
A stunning book abouthuman nature and the natural world
I will admit that I usually do not do things like review books. This book though has been one of the most enduring books that I have ever read. In a most tragic way it shows one mans bond with the natural world that few if any will ever match. Then it goes on to show the nature of those closest to him, and the profound impact he left on their lives both in life and in death. Reading this book has totally changed my outlook on the natural world. Thank You Eric Blehm for delivering the "Gospel" of Randy Morgenson to me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1942-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. General    7. Morgenson, James Randall,    8. Mountains    9. Outdoor Skills    10. Park rangers    11. Parks    12. Sequoia National Park (Calif.)    13. Sports - General    14. United States    15. Nature / General   

Reviews (18)

Required reading
'Awol on the Appalachian Trail' is, quite simply, a wonderful book from start to finish.I have to say that it is one of the most enjoyable, honest, and inspiring accounts that I have read in a long time.This is the best book on the AT that I have yet found.
Spot On
I thru-hiked the AT myself in '02 and can tell you this book does a great job of relaying what the experience is all about. David does a great job of balancing his account without getting too whimsical or too grounded. If your looking for an honest account of the rewards and hardships that one gets when they drop out of society for months and hike over 2000 miles, then you've found your book.

A great account of a thru hike
I found Miller's account of his thru hikegave me a taste of both the agony and ecstasy involved. I felt it was an objective account of this true life adventure. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hiking    2. Mountains    3. Outdoor Skills    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (3)

The Beauty From Above.
These spectacular pictures taken from different media (Space.cam using Shuttle Radar) are a unique collection of Earth's mountain ranges on all seven continents, some as seen from Space during the Shuttle Radio Topography Mission.Stefan Dech, professor at the University of Wurzburg in Germany where these 120 images were compiled, as head of the Remote Senisng Data Center over a five year course concludes: "distance creates clarity."
A reminder that we live on planet Earth
These photographs of our planet Earth show an enormous view, however, the details provide an intimate look into our world.The book is a "Oh, look at that.." resource for everyone.The images will draw you back to the book over and over again.

Don't own yet
I haven't purchased this book yet.I saw just one picture, of the Hawaiian Islands, and I intend to purchase this book as a gift soon.The picture was amazingly beautiful, ethereal, what the world must have looked like at creation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aerial photography    2. Mountains    3. Nature Photography    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Photography of mountains    8. Remote sensing    9. Subjects & Themes - Aerial    10. Subjects & Themes - Landscapes    11. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    12. Techniques - General    13. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    14. Photographs: collections    15. Photography / Nature & Wildlife   

Reviews (4)

Coyote's Canyon
Gorgeous photographs taken in National Parks and other wild lands in the southwestern U.S. combine with New Age vignettes.
Wonderful
Straight to my heart. If you love the red rocks and enjoy Terry's writing, this is it. The photography is excellent!

Beautiful and Haunting!
Coyote's Canyon is a collection of photography of the Southwestern US, coupled with Terry Tempest Williams's haunting prose.The photographs are, by and large, rich and full of the sense of the desert.The collection of short essays by Williams includes two of my absolute favorite stories about the Southwest--the one about the Man who Buries Poems, and the one about finding the Perfect Kiva.Worth the read, for anyone who yearns for the desert, or who lives there and wants to rediscover an appreciation for its magic, both in photographs and in lyrical prose. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Description and travel    2. National parks and reserves    3. Natural history    4. Photo Techniques    5. Photography    6. Pictorial Works    7. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    8. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./West    9. Utah    10. Nature / Mountains    11. Photographs: collections   

Reviews (17)

Read The Last Season by Eric Blehm instead
Perhaps it's because I had just finished The Last Season, another, much superior, book by a park ranger that I found this book so lacking.The subject has much promise but the execution is excruciating.There are a few good parts but the choppy storytelling and unrelated tangents left me unsatisfied.After the rendering of one incident regarding a missing woman, I actually wished I had never picked up this book.

Excellent Ranger-read also all the political dirt on American River Dam
Really different. Excellent read. All the dirt on Rep. Doolittle over the years. Neat twist at the end. Only a ranger could know all this. Jordan Smith gets it all right.

Pleasantly Surprised
I wasn't exactly sure what the book was about when I bought it, but had a general idea. I was pleasantly surprised! It is one of the best books I have read in the last several years. It gives a great account of the Rangers work and the information provided in the book about the American River Canyon is amazing. The book is easily readable (good story) but at the same time it is also descriptive, detailed and very informative. This book has something for just about anyone, and I would definitely recommend it as a wonderful read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Essays    3. General    4. Mountains    5. Natural History    6. Naturalists, Gardeners, Environmentalists    7. Nature    8. Nature / Field Guide Books    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Parks    11. Parks & Campgrounds    12. Personal Memoirs    13. United States - West - Pacific (General)    14. Nature / Mountains   

Reviews (3)

A Excellent, Updated View of Meteorology
This book is really much more than simply a discussion of mountain weather.This book introduces the layperson and professional alike to the complex interaction between terrain and the atmosphere, both on the global and regional scale.In a clean well written manner, with lots of informative graphics, Whiteman goes beyond many of the simplistic coffeetable books, but never leaves understanding and clarity behind. Very Useful Reference
This book is well written. It is a useful reference for those who forecast for mountainous locations. The book is organized in small, discrete sections without lots of unneeded derivations. Lots of useful graphics and illustrations make this one of the most used books on my shelf. It is also quite useful for teaching others how weather is modified by terrain.

Review of Mountain Meteorology
I am a professional Certified Consulting Meteorologist and I found this book exceptionally well written and informative. It covers a number of subtopics of interest to people who live, work or play in mountainous regions and who are interested in better understanding the unique meteorological phenomena observed in these areas.It is non mathematical but very descriptive and well illustrated with diagrams and photographs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Climatology    2. Earth Sciences - Meteorology & Climatology    3. Environmental Engineering & Technology    4. Mountain climate    5. Mountains    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Weather    9. Atmospheric Science | Meteorology    10. Management of land & natural resources    11. Science / Meteorology   

Reviews (9)

Must Read
This is an outstanding book.I wish it were on the tables and shelves of every American out there.Should be read by students also.
Lost Mountain
This book is critical for understanding the history and ecology of mountaintop renewal; it brings the devastation home in a way that immediately touches you. I'd highly recommend this to anyone interested in environmental issues; my only complaint is that the book should have been longer - no amount of writing can make up for the horrors Reece exposes.
What is the Real Cost of "Cheap" Energy?
Point Google Earth® to the area around Harlan, KY and you will see a landscape of verdant slopes dotted with scab-like wounds that were mountains once stood. Strip mining is alive and well and is savagely destroying the mountains of eastern Kentucky.In Lost Mountain, Fist-time author Erik Reece has penned an account of this ecological savagery that goes on under reported and therefore unnoticed by most people who don't live in the immediate area. This fact is brought home by Reece's report of a toxic spill 30 times the size of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. This spill occurred near Coldwater Creek, KY only six years ago. While Exxon Valdez has become household word, few have heard of Coldwater Creek
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Subjects:  1. Appalachian Region    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Environmental Protection    4. Environmental aspects    5. Mountains    6. Nature    7. Nature/Ecology    8. Strip mining    9. Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection   

Reviews (9)

Great idea, great book
I hike a few times a year, and need to make each trip work well for me.This book was very well executed, and it let me pick exactly which hikes to do(for me, one backpack and two day-hikes), once I decided on the Canadian Rockies.I avoided what would have been a poorer alternative hike.
Don't waste your time buying other hiking books
I've read a lot of hiking guides my life and agree with the authors of this book that most are banal and are poorly written. This book is an exception to the rule and I think it's one of the best hiking guides that I have ever read and is entertaining too. True, it might not have the best maps, but the hike descriptions and maps in the back of the book are really all you need to have an awesome hike. The authors divide the book into day hikes, backpacks, and shoulder season hikes (out of season hikes where snow plays a big factor). Then the authors rate the hikes: premier, outstanding, worthwhile, and don't do. I've hiked 17 of the 21 premier hikes and was not disappointed by any of them. One thing the author's don't suggest is where to camp. If you want to do the premier day hikes, than I would suggest you camp in the Lake Louise Campground, as all but 5 of the hikes are within a 30 mile radius. One of the reviews complained about bear closures and how the book didn't mention that. Well, the book does mention that a lot of the trails do get closed from time to time when there are bears located in the area. So, it doesn't really matter what guide book you buy, there is always the possibility that a trail you want to hike may be closed. And yes, one of the reviewers was right, most of the premier hikes require that you are in good physical condition: read the elevation gain and distance to determine whether you are capable of completing the hike. All in all, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is planning to hike in the Banff, Jasper, or Yoho Provincial Parks in Canada.

Best guide book ever!
The Don't Waste Your time series of guide books is incredible. After an awesome trip to the North Cascades, I trusted Kathy & Craig with my next vacation, and chose to go to the Canadian Rockies. With the help of this book, I had little trouble shuffling plans as necessary (based on weather) and getting to as many fantastic places as I could in my time up there. You could choose another book, but why waste the time when these guys have done all the grunt work for you! Besides, the books are fun to read and give you an awesome idea of what to expect.
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Subjects:  1. Canada - Western Provinces    2. Hiking    3. Mountains    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (1)

Very Helpfull
A very good book that helped me discover some great places in the Catskills. Thanks to this book I was able to take some great photographs. The book is well written and gives directions, history, and advice to finding the waterfalls. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automobile travel    2. Catskill Mountains    3. Guidebooks    4. Hiking    5. Mountains    6. Mushrooms    7. New York (State)    8. Shawangunk Mountains    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Travel - United States    12. United States - Mid Atlantic - New York   

Reviews (2)

Easy to Use
I have a long shelf full of southwest guidebooks.For the Las Vegas area, Beffort's book is the best choice for people unfamiliar with the desert.It has a good mix of easy and difficult hikes.
Best guide to southern Nevada
This is definitely the best guide available for hiking in the southern Nevada region. This book includes a wide variety of hikes with great descriptions of the areas and how to get to them. It has ideas for hikes of various lengths and difficulties and as well as information on conservation and safety. It includes great maps and photos and lists areas not found in most other guides. If you want to explore areas within a 3 hour drive of Las Vegas, this is the most comprehensive book I have found. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hiking    2. Mountains    3. Parks & Campgrounds    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Travel - General   

Subjects:  1. Mountains    2. Native American    3. Travel    4. Travel - United States    5. United States - New England - Maine    6. United States - Northeast - New England (General)    7. Travel / United States / Northeast / New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)   

Reviews (3)

A must for Bay Area Hiking!
This is a very well written and well-researched book.Very easy to follow - as we know trails are often hard to follow with questionable signage - but this book has never failed me.I have been on a dozen or so of it's hikes and have never had a serious problem as it is a most reliable reference.
North Bay Trails: Outdoor Adventures in Marin, Napa and Sono
I found North Bay Trails and the author's previous work, East Bay Trails, to be excellent.It provides great direction and is written from a hiker's perspective without confusing and unclear information that haunts so manyguidebooks.The maps are always accurate and as fine as a bound formatallows while the excellent photos help us choose where to go.Thehistorical background is fascinating and the information on wildlife andflora keep me and my child going from discovery to discovery along thetrail.This book has guided us to wonderful places we would not havethought or known to hike rather than take us to the often hiked Mt. Tam andPt. Reyes areas (although his picks in these areas are jewels). This is amust-have if you want to hike the glorious North Bay - now, if Weintraubcould just pack our lunch...

An excellent reference promising lasting value.
David Weintraub's North Bay Trails will please California residents who want to locate hiking areas north of San Francisco. This is the first comprehensive guide to cross county lines to include Marin, Napa and SonomaCountries, exploring scenic routes and trails for both avid hikers andcasual walkers. An excellent reference promising lasting value. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hiking    2. Mountains    3. Parks & Campgrounds    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Travel - General    7. United States - West - Pacific (General)   

Reviews (1)

They're not just rocks, they're history
Three decades ago geologist Mary Hill wrote a handbook to the Sierra Nevada's geologic history and it became the standard guide. The aptly named author has now extensively revised her book. It's an armchair traveler's delight and remains an authoritative guide that will well serve a new generation of hikers, campers, and explorers.
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Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - General    2. Earth Sciences - Geology    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. General    5. Geology    6. Mountains    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Science    10. Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Nev    11. Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Nev.)    12. Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Neva    13. California    14. Geology & the lithosphere    15. Nature / General    16. Nevada   

Reviews (5)

Solid
This is one of the better Colorado photography books out there.While the photos are not consistently great, they are consistently good.Wunrow spent a lot of time hiking to remote areas of Colorado, which is to be commended.I do recommend 'Colorado II' by David Muench over this book, but I have ranked 'Mountains of Colorado' as the third best book on my list of 'Best Colorado Picture Books' (which can be seen by clicking on my name and looking at the Listmania lists).

Great Christmas gift
I purchased several copies of this book and sent them to my friends and relatives across the country. Stunning Scenery
Catch a glimpse of some of the more rare and overlooked vistas that thisamazing state has to offer. Wunrow offers an incredible visual aesthetic inboth photography and book design that takes the reader on a voyage to allcorners of this wonderfully diverse state. A keen eye for composition,combined with strenuous backcountry hiking to areas unknown to even avidbackpackers like myself, the images are striking and sometimes haunting. Former Governor Lamm's essays are engaging and well written, and form awonderful complement to the photographs. Highly recommended for anyonelooking to enjoy the most uniquely magnificent and previously unpublishedviews of America's most beautiful state. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Colorado    2. Mountains    3. Natural history    4. Photo Essays    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Scenic Photo Collections    8. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    9. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    10. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./West   

Editorial Review

When David Breashears agreed to climb Mount Everest with an IMAX camera in order to film from the summit, he had no idea that his little expedition would become embroiled in a tragedy that would make headlines around the world. On May 10, 1996, two expeditions led by experienced Everest guides Rob Hall and Scott Fisher summited the mountain, only to suffer the loss of eight members--including the two leaders--on the way back down. At the time, Breashears and his filmmaking crew were at the base camp preparing for their own climb--originally planned for that same day but postponed after realizing there would already be several other groups on the summit. Instead of making a film, Breashears and company participated in the rescue and only later reached the summit of Everest to successfully complete their film.Read more

Reviews (46)

This Story Just Does Not Go Away...
I forget you how many years ago its been since this event took place.But last month I saw the story told yet again in a national "adventure" magazine.
A Big Book For A Big Mountain
National Geographic has put together another epic of a book, receiving a rare five stars from this reviewer team. Supported by outstanding color photographs and an array of writings by numerous writers, this is a valued item to keep.
Beautiful Photography; Okay Writing
Having recently read "High Exposure" by David Breashears, I had a feeling of deja vu all over again when I cracked open this tome.Seemed to me that pages were lifted from "Exposure" and copy-pasted into "Mountain".
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Subjects:  1. Everest, Mount (China and Nepal)    2. Mountaineering    3. Mountaineering accidents    4. Mountains    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Pictorial works    8. Special Interest - Adventure    9. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    10. Nature / Mountains   

Editorial Review

The vast Adirondack region of upstate New York is very much a wilderness, but one ringed bytowns and close enough to major cities that it is heavily traveled. Long viewed as a natural playground, theAdirondacks were a favorite haunt of transcendentalist philosophers Henry Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, ofconservationists such as FranklinBurroughs and TheodoreRoosevelt, of bohemians and hippies, and of back-to-the-land types. Still wild enough that wolfreintroduction has been proposed for the Adirondacks, the territory remains a powerfully inspiring place ofrefuge and recreation. Paul Schneider tells the story of this river-laced, forested land with imagination and aflair for just the right anecdote. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

New York's Hidden Paradise.
Adirondack Park was created in 1892 to preserve the wild forest land and inhabitants and to keep the 2300 lakes and ponds flowing freely to ensure that the Hudson River will not dry up.It encompasses six million acres in the northeastern portion of New York.Blue Mountain Lake is beautiful on Indian summer days, as is Whiteface Mountain with the autumn foliage of russet maples and golden birches.Soon the brilliance will fade and the foliage will fall away.
Another Peak
Aside from a traditional recount of the important white guys who did everything, Mr. Schneider captures the essence of the people throughout the modern eras. His time with modern trappers, loggers and bureaucrats capture the sense of urgency for anybody involved in the Park. Initially sought as a farming area after the strategic significance of the French and Revolutionary Wars, lumber and mining interests drove the Park after the attempt to cultivate a place with only 10 percent of its land arable. Mining was sort of disaster at first with many tragic elements. The descriptions of the old facilities as they sit or stand now was a pretty neat journalistic trick.
Well written but not what I expected
The title of this book, more than anything else, misses the mark here."A History of America's First Wilderness" suggests a comprehensive history of key forces that shaped Adirondack geography and culture, and this book doesn't attempt to be that.Paul Schneider is a journalist, not an historian, and this difference in perspective is reflected in his writing. His book consists of a series of anecdotal essays, snapshots in time, with little thematic development, analysis, or reference across chapters.It's enjoyable reading and will give some insight into historical forces that have formed the ongoing battle in the Adirondacks over development, but better regional histories, such as Diana Muir's "Reflections in Bullough's Pond; Economy and Ecosystem in New England" probe deeper than "The Adirondacks" even tries. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adirondack Mountains (N.Y.)    2. Adirondack Park (N.Y.)    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History - U.S.    6. History: American    7. Mountains    8. New York - Local History    9. Regional Geology    10. United States - General    11. United States - Mid Atlantic - New York    12. United States - State & Local - General   

Reviews (18)

I can't believe she did the whole thing!
I am a big fan of stories of artic adventure, and this is one of the best.In this day of snow mobiles and ATVs, we have a woman at 50 -- author Helen Thayer -- setting out to walk to the magnectic north pole, pulling her own sled and accompanied by an Inuit dog she had only known for a couple of days.On her first day out, she suffers such terrible frostbite of her fingers they become almost useless.(I would have called it quits right there.)Then come polar bears -- one the world's most deadliest creatures.And they keep on coming.Some curious, some life-threatening.But, she continues on her amazing journey, not for fame or fortune, but for scientific information for her program Adventure Classroom.There are some fantastic photos included and very helpful maps.Her writing style is breezy and compelling.It's trimph of the human spirit and the bonding of a dog and companion.What a terrific book.

An Explorer and Her Dog
An extraordinary true story of courage, determination and fortitude. Every chapter not only contains the wow factor but is an illustration of what the human spirit is capable of. Thayer is an accomplished writer who keeps the reader wanting more. An incredible story of a woman and her faithful dog Charlie, as they endure the hardships of polar travel on foot together with no dog teams or snowmobiles or resupply. Described in vivid, engaging detail
Polar Dream is the personal memoir of Helen Thayer, the first woman (and the oldest person at age 50) to travel on foot, unresupplied, to the magnetic North Pole. Her harrowing trek on skis for 27 days, aided only by a dog trained to warn her of approaching bears, is described in vivid, engaging detail, as are her seven encounters with polar bears which she survived through skill, luck and quick thinking. Black-and-white photographs, including ones taken by the author during her trek, enhanced a narrative of profound insights into the beauty and wildness of the arctic. Readers who appreciate true life adventure will enjoy the excitement and wonder of Helen Thayer's Polar Dream. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arctic regions    2. Description and travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Mountains    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. North Pole    8. Polar Regions    9. Thayer, Helen    10. Travel    11. Travel - General    12. Washington (State)    13. Women explorers    14. Journeys   

Reviews (19)

Awesome story...flawed presentation
I still recommend this book highly. The story of these explorers is simply amazing. As someone who is very very claustrophobic (my worst fear is being stuck in some confined space), I have to be an "armchair" explorer, and this book makes you confront these fears. In the end it's very rewarding.
The willys!
I'm a scuba diver.I have also done a lot of spelunking in my late teens and early 20's.I never really considered combining the 2.It just didn't cross my mind.
I Really Wanted to Like This Book...
I really wanted to like this book but I found myself struggling to finish it. No doubt, the experience itself was immeasurably exciting / interesting, but the book was, well, kind of boring. Read more

Subjects:  1. (William C.)    2. Adventurers & Explorers    3. Am Ende, Barbara Anne    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Caves    6. Huautla Cave (Mexico)    7. Mountaineering    8. Mountains    9. Outdoor Skills    10. Sports    11. Sports & Recreation    12. Stone, W. C    13. Stone, W. C.    14. Caving & potholing    15. Geographical discovery & exploration    16. Mexico    17. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering    18. Travel writing    19. Caving    20. Spelunking    21. Speleology   

Subjects:  1. Catskill Forest Preserve (N.Y    2. Catskill Forest Preserve (N.Y.)    3. Hiking    4. History    5. History: American    6. Mountains    7. Pictorial works    8. Sports & Recreation    9. United States - State & Local - General   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History: American    3. Mountains    4. Natural history    5. New Mexico    6. Travel - United States    7. United States - Mountain - New Mexico    8. United States - State & Local - Southwest    9. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    10. Places & peoples: general interest    11. Travel / United States / West / Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY)