Reviews (46)

Maui - the adventure guide
I definitely recommend this guide for anyone visiting for the first time, especially for those who want to do as much as they can and don't have very long to do it. They've produced an honest, informative book which greatly enhanced our experience.If you're looking for a planning guide, buy this one first.The "Best Of" callouts on pages 17 through 20 were so handy; start there first.

owning the series
They fit our comfort zone and after two trips to Maui we still haven't exhausted all the hiking possibilities.The fact that they're heavy on sports and leave out the hype is what makes them click for us.They haven't left out family outings and provide a complete rundown of where it's safe to swim and snorkel.For beach days, we still find Maui our #1 choice and for stand alone guidebooks, the Maui Trailblazer fills the bill.
the good life
We've found a good guidebook is worth its weight in gold and the Maui Trailblazer by the Sprouts got a thorough testing as we explored the island -- sublime listing after listing.Mandatory for preplanning.We reserved our Haleakala primitive cabin weeks ahead.For getting around in the jungleworld and waterworld, it bulges with all the good stuff. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hiking    2. Sports & Recreation / Hiking    3. Travel    4. Travel - United States    5. Travel Guides - U.S.    6. United States - Pacific - Hawaii    7. United States - West - Pacific (General)    8. Water Sports    9. Maui    10. Maui (Hawaii)    11. Outdoor recreation    12. Sports & Recreation    13. Surfing   

Reviews (16)

Excellent instruction and easy to read
This book provides excellent instruction on land navigation.Even if you know nothing of how to use a compass or map when you begin reading, you'll have a good working knowledge by the time you're through with the book.It is well written, easy to understand and even includes a fold-out topographic map in the back (actually, about a third of a topographic map, but it gets the job done).The map allows you to work the exercises found in the book (which are quite helpful).The book was written some time ago and Hjellstrom does focus on the sport of orienteering, but as the entire point of that activity is navigation using a map and compass, I don't see this as a negative.As others have pointed-out he does not cover newer topics such as GPS or altimeters, but if you're buying it to learn to use a map and compass, that really isn't an issue either.This is a well written book that provides solid instruction and is certainly worth the purchase price.

Good Read
This is a must read for teens or adults wishing to learn how to read and use maps and compass.From hiking in the nations parks to your local wooded areas, learning what is in this book will make sure you are NEVER lost!

A good primer
If you want to get the basics in an easy to read format, this is for you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Compass    2. Handbooks, manuals, etc    3. Hiking    4. Maps    5. Orienteering    6. Outdoor Life    7. Outdoor Skills    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Walking    11. Crafts & Hobbies / General    12. Maps, charts & atlases    13. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Reviews (4)

motivation for a boomer to move
If I do one of these glorious hikes each year I'll be .....78???? when I get done...guess I better start with the hard ones. Definitely a motivator to get out and see this wonderful world we live in. All the info and great pics make it easy to do so.

bestof the best hikes
A great book to get you really motivated to go off and adventure.I gave it to my neighbor and have not seen it for a month.That says it all because they have been to lots of great places and they were mildly interested in it when I offered it to them.Worth every penny.

Great Book !
I will skip the debate about which hikes are the world's greatest, and greatly admire this book as a current, concise and nicely illustrated presentation.Potterfield lays it out as clearly as a trail guide and attractively as a travel agent.But most of all, these are all hikes he has made. Very professional and personal.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Guidebooks    3. Hiking    4. Special Interest - Adventure    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Active outdoor pursuits    8. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (48)

Kauai on a shoestring
If you're curious about what Kauai is like and what there is to do there, Kauai Trailblazer is your guide. Practical info is as good as you can get and their style is lively and positive.We counted on it day by day to get us to the highs. The locals even gave it the two thumbs up. We stayed in the plantation cottages they recommended and never looked back. Our getaway turned out to be not that expensive. We're going back for more at Christmas.

Prime guide
HIGHLY recommended.We designed our own itinerary weeks ahead looking at all the photos in the book.A virtual Kauai. Another good feature is their layout.The hikes and snorkeling spots are grouped according to place.As we circled around we knew exactly what there was to do in each town. In the front of the book, before the list of hikes is the authors "Best" list.Start there. If this is your first visit, this is the book to have.

Puuokila Hiking
If you are lucky enough to vacation on Kauai you should take the hike on page 170.It follows the highest rim along the top of the Kalalau Valley.The view down is an everchanging dreamscape.We followed the trail all the way to the Alakai Swamp, an all dayer, and when we returned around five the valley view took on a whole other personality with swirling clouds that were pink and orange.We made a poster of the photo we took at sunset. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Guidebooks    3. Hawaii    4. Kauai    5. Kauai (Hawaii)    6. Outdoor recreation    7. Special Interest - Adventure    8. Sports & Recreation / Hiking    9. Sports & Recreation / Outdoor Skills    10. Travel    11. Travel - United States    12. United States - Pacific - Hawaii    13. United States - West - Pacific (General)    14. Hiking   

Reviews (1)

Get Off Your Couch!
Armchair movie aficionados beware! Leave your remote control behind and visit hundreds of famous movie locations in person! This one-of-a-kind travel guide (very few authors can claim that) is the result of exhaustive research covering hundreds of film shooting sites and is a must have for anyone who loves movies and the great outdoors. I liked this book so much, I bought TWO copies - one to keep clean and one whose margins are already filling up with notes as I visit the places featured. Get this book and go touch Hollywood history in person! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California, Southern    2. Guidebooks    3. Motion picture locations    4. Television program locations    5. Travel    6. Travel - United States    7. United States - Pacific - California    8. United States - West - Pacific (General)    9. Walking    10. Travel / United States / West / Pacific (AK, CA, HI, NV, OR, WA)   

Reviews (2)

camping & wilderness survival
IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN LEARNING AND/OR INTEREST IN THE OUTDOORS. YOU WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK.IT IS LIKE AN ENCYLOPEDIA FOR THE OUTDOORS, EXCEPT IT IS WRITTEN LIKE EVERY PAGE IS A FULL ON TOPIC SYNOPSIS.YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
Most complete nature/survival book I've ever seen.
This is my first book review. I'm trully amazed by what all is contained in this fairly compact book, yet each page contains a massive amount of information. It is quite thick, over 1,000 pages,LOTS of really sharp color photos.Covers so many subjects in addition to survival and camping. It's as though it could be 10 different books in one. I'm really impressed by this book and feel it truly is one of the best books I've ever bought.I'm actually thinking of getting two of them... One to keep in the truck and one to read in my spare time at the house.. SO MUCH information is in this book, it's like a small nature encyclopedia..It covers all possible terrains, types of plants, animals, cloud formations, many maps showing insect distribution, etc.. climates, etc.. reptiles, most all of the usual survival/camping info.. but SO much more..how to survive practically any imagineable scenario. So many color photos.For nature-lovers and campers this is really a must-have book as well. I've bought several other survival books and this seems to contain just about all that is in the others..shelters,first aid, mental preparedness, kits, backbacks, fish preperation, game hunting, etc..Although, there are some survival books that are quite unique as well in their own right and may go into much more detail on say, shelter-building for instance, this book shows with pictures, quite easy-to-understand basic construction techniques, for emergency situations. No SINGLE book can have everything, but I must say, this book sure does come close to it!I don't think you will regret this purchase.Just one warning though, because there is so much information on each page, the print is quite small. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping    2. Hiking    3. Mountaineering    4. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (4)

A good one
The Backpackers Handbook is more informative and easier to read than the other two books I bought recently (Hiking Light Handbook, and Everyday Wisdom).Save your time and read this one alone.

Best book of its kind i have seen
I got three backpacking type handbooks at a library and read all three this is by far the best one. It has the most in depth information and is enjoyable to read.

The title says it all...
This is, without doubt, the best book on backpacking I've read. Just the right balance between specific recommendations and general advice, objective information and personal opinion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Backpacking    2. Camping    3. Handbooks, manuals, etc    4. Hiking    5. Mountaineering    6. Outdoor Life    7. Outdoor Skills    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Sports & Recreation / Hiking    11. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Reviews (22)

Our July in Hawaii
We just returned after spending one solid month on the Big Island.It wasn't until we got there that we realized a guidebook was absolutely essential and we picked this one up at a bookshop in Hilo.After that essential was out of the way, our exploration of the island really began.This book scored big points for accuracy and wealth of outdoor information.The only trail we found closed was to Alakahi Falls so scratch that one off your list. There's a whole section on biking and another on camping and we had time to do both.We would recommend this guide to anyone seeking a supercharged Hawaiian experience.

A hikers dream
This is the only travel book going with me when I go to the big island. The details in the book are great, and I look forward to seeing how accurate the directions are. If you want to get off the beaten track, this is the book for you.

Get this book
We were impressed with the huge scope of information and activities they fit into 256 pages.The trek into Waipio Valley filled up the whole day and was one of the most memorable days of all our vacations.Most tourists descend in vans and are zipped out in an hour. What a beautiful untouched place! It was tempting to swim at the beach but the advice in the book changed our minds.If you go, be sure to take this hike. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hiking    2. Sports & Recreation / General    3. Travel - United States    4. Travel / United States / West / Pacific (AK, CA, HI, NV, OR, WA)    5. United States - Pacific - Hawaii    6. General   

Reviews (6)

A beautiful introduction to an addictive hobby
Honestly, we didn't expect this to be an in-depth letterboxing tool, just a neat way to explain the hobby to our kids, and interested family members.
The Gate to a New Hobby
This compact little book is both a great overview of the wonderful world of letterboxing as well as great "how to" practical knowledge about this hobby.

The Letterboxer's Companion
Good material to get you started.Very good reading for the beginner.However, this book will soon be sitting on the shelf as it has no advanced information. Still, worth the purchase. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games/Puzzles    2. Hiking    3. Letterboxing (Game)    4. Outdoor Skills    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Hobbies, Quizzes & Games    7. Sports & Outdoor Recreation    8. Sports & Recreation / Hiking   

Reviews (6)

Excellent Book!
I have several books on dehydrating your own trail meals and this iseasily the best. It is concise and full of good ideas and recipes. The guidance is flexible enough for the lightweight backpacker or for the canoe or pack mule traveler. For example, some of the recipes call for a dutch oven (too bulky and heavy for the lightweight backpacker) and others are suitable for a one pot meal (ideal for the lightweight backpacker).
Trail Food Drying
Good book about the subject. No frills, but lots of good info in a small package.

straightforward drying advice
I've had this book for a few years now, and have read it cover to cover several times.It gives good advice on how to dry everything from plain vegetables to your leftover dinner.I even started to dehydrate my own eggs,and let me tell you they come back wonderfully.Great book that will have you tossing aside those $6.00 nasty premade meals. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping    2. Cookery (Dried foods)    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Drying    5. Food    6. General    7. Hiking    8. Methods - Canning & Preserving    9. Outdoor Skills    10. Outdoor cookery    11. Outdoor recreation    12. Sports    13. Sports & Recreation    14. Active outdoor pursuits    15. Preserving    16. Sports & Recreation / Camping   

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   

Subjects:  1. Charleston    2. Charleston (S.C.)    3. Guidebooks    4. Historic buildings    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History - U.S.    8. History: American    9. Pictorial works    10. South Carolina    11. Tours    12. United States - General    13. United States - State & Local - General    14. United States - State & Local - South    15. Walking    16. History / United States / General   

Reviews (1)

Fabulous photo essay of Paris then and now--finally in English!
Leonard Pitt's book "Walks Through Lost Paris" is amazing. In it he chronicles changes made to Paris in the interest of modernization during the Haussmann era (mid 19th century) and later. The changes are documented with abundant before and after photos, allowing you to literally see for yourself how Paris has evolved over the past 150 years.
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Subjects:  1. City planning    2. Europe - France    3. France    4. Guidebooks    5. History    6. Paris    7. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    8. Travel    9. Travel - Foreign    10. Travel Guides    11. Walking    12. Travel & holiday guides    13. Travel / Europe / France   

Reviews (11)

Great book about great hiking in a beautiful location
This is an excellent resource for anyone planning a trip to Sedona.After 2 short visits to the red rock area, we went for a week this time.We had heard about the many hiking trails there, and we wondered how we would pick the ones we wanted regarding difficulty, length, and things to see.We spent hours reading the book before we went, while we drove, and while we were there.This book really does have valuable information for the hike about 130 area trails.Included are directions to the trailhead, map of the trail, and picture of the trail.Also are the length, difficulty, and time needed for each trail.This is a must read if you are going to Sedona to hike, and it makes a great remembrance of a wonderful trip.

Great Summary
I haven't tested any of the hikes yet, as my trip is a ways off. But, the desciptions appear honest and detailed. I like the thorough directions about how to find a trailhead.The idex is very well organized.

Sedona hiking
I looked at reviews of this book before purchasing it and bought it on that basis.The book is very well "organized" and if you have only one book to buy, this is it.Directions, difficulty, length of hikes, and interesting features to see are all here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Hiking    2. Sports    3. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (21)

I like Walker III better
It seems that Colin Fletcher has relinquished too much in this edition to his coauthor. Understandably he is no longer a gearhead and lets Chip Rawlins review equipment. Rawlins has at least as much text in these pages as Fletcher so be prepared for a different read.
Plain and Simple...THE BACKPACKING BIBLE!!
Not only is this book a treasure trove of information, it is an absolute joy to read. I have grown up with this book and I have had every edition of it since it's inception. There are other very good backpacking books out there but this is still the best. Mr. Fletcher also did a great job of selecting Chip Rawlins to co write the book and inevitably carry the torch for future generations of backpackers. I am already looking forward to the next edition.

A classic of the first order. Buy It!
`The New Complete Walker' is one of those books which as probably never been outdone and probably never will be. It is easily in the same class, in my mind, as Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking', Donald Knuth's `The Art of Programming', and Snedecor and Cochrane's `Statistical Methods'. When this book was first published, it's author was a fairly notable celebrity, interesting enough to appear as a subject on `To Tell the Truth', but not quite recognizable enough to be unfamiliar to the contestant on that show. I still recall the book's being touted on several outlets.
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Subjects:  1. Backpacking    2. Hiking    3. Sports    4. Sports & Recreation    5. Walking    6. Sports & Recreation / Hiking   

Reviews (9)

amazing hikes, erroneous details
This book is a perfect introduction to the wealth of hiking possibilities in patagonia - many of them are still significantly under-used and of equal calibre to the more famous routes. The general information sections are quite good, and give a good feel for what conditions are like both trekking and travelling in general; a good purchase for planning your trip. Where the book falls down is on the actual trekking notes, which are consistently inaccurate, obscenely outdated and sometimes quite misleading (see other reviews). On this front, Cerro Electrico is not safe - however Cerro Electrico Oeste is safely climbable without mountaineering equipment (although crampons are a nice idea) and gives mind-blowing views of the rear of Fitzroy - I think this might be what the author actually had in mind.
An Unparallelled Resource
Like all Lonely Planet guides, Trekking in Patagonia is very much geared to independent trekkers. Considering how huge Patagonia is, the book covers it pretty thoroughly with a wide range of suggestions, from easy short walks right up to a few week-long ones. The text is strong on practical information like local transportation and accommodation and supplies wide coverage to flora and fauna, which is a real bonus. Well-done work
I am using the latest (thid ed.) on my second trip to South America. It an indispensable resource with very accurate text and maps which are quite accurate to use even if you you don't have a topo (yeah I know, but maps are not always easy to buy here). The routes carefuly prepared...this new edition has a whole lot of new trails. I'm also finding it up to date. One thing is maybe that the authors could have given better coverage to some areas such as the Pumalin. But this is more than enough material to spend a couple of summers down here anyhow, even if you just go for it! I definitely feel anyone that wants to trek in this region will be sorry if you don't have this book. Enjoy! Feel free to contact me privately for any info.Read more

Subjects:  1. South America    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Andes    5. Argentina    6. Chile    7. Travel & holiday guides    8. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Editorial Review

It's rare to find a travel guide and a memoir joined neatly together in a single, highly readable 176-page volume. But Chuck Palahniuk (Read more

Reviews (32)

Interesting, offbeat
This collection is an idiosyncratic and appealing mix of off-the-beaten-path sights for the visitor to Portland, personal anecdotes of the author, and brief essays about the history of Portland and its defining vibes. Entertaining and enjoyable.

Doesn't make you want to visit
Palahniuk puts you right into his world of an overgrown small town with its carnival attractions.
a puking bore
As he writes in his epilogue, "This is not Portland, Oregon." Just scads of non-site-specific deegradation written in clipped New Yorker prose. Elliptical descriptions of perversion after perversion, spilling over the pages to become one big bore. And on top of all this, there's no index to the places he touches on, so even if you wanted to go there, you'd be hardput. Self-indulgent yet simultaneously unrevealing, as uninteresting a discovery of spirit of place as one can get. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative lifestyles    2. Curiosities and wonders    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Guidebooks    5. Oregon    6. Portland    7. Portland (Or.)    8. Tours    9. Travel    10. Travel - United States    11. United States - Pacific - Oregon    12. United States - State & Local - General    13. Walking    14. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

Reviews (11)

Great for cross state travel
While the book does not cover every trail in every area, it is a good resource for traveling around the state to many different areas. There are more detailed books for a certain area, but if you need a book that covers the state, this is a great resource. We traveled all over N Cal. with kids in the summer with some unexpected changes in route. We seemed to always find a nice hike in this book and a good campground in its companion book (Campgrounds of California?).

The ONE BOOK you need to hike, backpack, or walk California (at any skill level)
Even in the age of the Internet, these is no other resource as comprehensive and user-friendly as the Foghorn Outdoors California Hiking guide. In fact, this resource transcends the paper-and-ink category by incorporating indexes and cross-references that beat hyper-links any day. The book is prefaced with a California state map broken out into grids. Chapters of the book correspond to grid locations, and each chapter opens with an expanded map of the grid at hand. If, for example, you were looking at the Lancaster/Palmdale area in Chapter/Grid, and you noted that your area of interest was just north of this particular map, you follow the North arrow out of the map, which points the reader to page 596. If you want general areas for perusal, you can turn to the sections that comprise Northern California, Central California, or Southern California areas. If you know your geographic region of interest, it is a snap to locate it on the main state map and find the corresponding chapter. For those following the Pacific Crest Trail, a special index and symbol tracks the hikes which make up the overall trail, and guidance is provided about the general direction (south to north) that the trail is hiked.
Own it, Own others. Don' t buy it. Here's why.
I ordered this book, used it, and I had to return it. Imagine you work for big guidebook company (Foghorn Outdoors) and your boss gives you, say 3 months, to write an 800 page book with a stupid gimmick like it has "1000 Hikes of California"
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Subjects:  1. Hiking    2. Special Interest - Ecotourism    3. Travel    4. Travel - United States    5. Travel Guides - U.S.    6. United States - West - Pacific (General)    7. Travel / United States / West / Pacific (AK, CA, HI, NV, OR, WA)   

Reviews (2)

Almost as fun as the hikes themselves!
This is a wonderful book that goes into great deatil about the many trails in and around the South Bay.It breaks down the area by specific parks and then suggested hikes, including mileage, elevation loss or gain, and time.It even has a neat little appendix outlining hikes by category (ie., short hikes, hikes to see spring flowers, etc.)The text is detailed, explaining what you will find around every bend, and the historical information on the parks is very interesting.I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get out and away from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley.

A good book made better
I just replaced my battered copy of the first edition with the latest, third one, and it's a real winner! These authors' books are always educational, interesting and complete. And best of all they lead one into many fine hiking adventures around the bay. I've spent many a fine summer day following their instructions. It's about time they put out a new edition, because of all the new parks and trails they had to cover. Recommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Guidebooks    3. Hiking    4. Parks    5. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clar    6. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clara County)    7. Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clara County, Calif.)    8. Travel    9. Travel - United States    10. United States - Pacific - California    11. United States - State & Local - General    12. United States - West - Mountain (General)   

Subjects:  1. Guidebooks    2. Hiking    3. Mountaineering    4. Nevada    5. Red Rock Canyon National Conse    6. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area    7. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (Nev.)    8. Rock climbing    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. United States - Pacific - Nevada