A Walk In The Park - Acadia's Hiking Guide by Tom St. Germain

$13.00 on Amazon

Have a vacation to Maine's Acadia National Park planned and want to go hiking while you are there? A very useful reference for your hike planning would be Tom St. Germain's A Walk in the Park, Acadia's Hiking Guide. In this small book, St. Germain provides a really good overview of the hiking opportunities in the park and has produced a reference guide that should well serve all but the most ardent explorers of Acadia National Park.

The book is an excellent reference guide and provides trail descriptions, maps and elevation profiles of each of the hikes. The book couldn't possibly describe all the trails in Acadia and remain the size that it is, so the main hikes in the region are chronicled, along with information on the other trails, especially with maps showing all of the trails in a certain area.

Book Basics 

There are five main sections to the book, which correspond to different areas of Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. The sections are:

The Bar Harbor Region
The Ocean Drive Region
The Jordan Pond Area
Western Mountain
Somes Sound and Seawall Hikes
The sections basically work from east to west across the island and cover the vast majority of the park where you will find trails.

Within each of those sections you'll find descriptions for the major trails in those areas. Each section averages about fifteen or so trail descriptions with a few having a couple more and the others having less. The most trails are described around the Bar Harbor area and the Jordan Pond area. Those with the least include the Ocean Drive region and the Somes Sound area.

In addition to the trail descriptions, the book includes a short introduction from the author talking about his experiences in Acadia along with an index to all the hikes and a glossary for all the trails. I thought the glossary was an interesting touch – something I hadn't seen in any other guidebook. Basically every trail in the book has an entry and there's a one sentence description of the trail following its name. Think of it as cliff notes for trails.

Trail Descriptions 

Of course the trail descriptions are really what make this book. I've found them to be very helpful, for both planning hikes and as a resource as you are hiking. That's because the trails of Acadia can be very dense – trail junctions are all over the place and there are multiple trails diverging from various places. Thus you need to have a good map and guide with you to make sure that you are staying on the hike that you wanted to complete in the first place.

With A Walk in the Park this is easy to do. The description does a good job at giving you an idea of what to expect on the trail. It'll describe the walk itself, what you are going to see on the hike and where to go when you come to various trail intersections. The maps are just as good, if not better. They show the topographic relief of the area along with the roadways, town areas, parking and the other trails in the area. There's also a locus map which shows you whereabouts on Mount Desert Island the trail is. My favorite reference though is the vertical profile on each trail description. This shows you how much elevation you are going to gain and lose while you are hiking and gives you a good idea of what to expect beyond the map and the description while you are hiking. In addition, a few of the descriptions include small black and white photographs of sights along the trail.

Experiences

Every time I get to Acadia I make sure to take at least one hike since you really can't have a bad hiking experience in the park. All of the trails are just that amazing. However I like to plan ahead and Tom St. Germain's A Walk in the Park does a really good at making that easy. I can find, figure out what to expect on the hike and find its trailhead and parking via the included maps.

I really like the book and considering the number of trails in the Acadia region, St. Germain has done a good job at providing descriptions for the best of the bunch.

Final Thoughts 

I would recommend this book for anyone traveling to Acadia National Park who is looking to do some hiking. You'll most likely be completely bewildered without a guidebook and for an introductory guide to many of the Park's best hikes, definitely pick up a copy of Tom St. Germain's A Walk in the Park, Acadia's Hiking Guide, you won't be disappointed.

More information on Hiking in Acadia National Park at Adventures in the Outdoors.

Review: Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park, 25 Favorite Hikes

Want more out of Yosemite than just the view from the tour buses or from your campground? Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park provides an introduction to Robert Stone’s 25 favorite day hikes in the park that should give you a taste of what is beyond the roads and viewpoints of Yosemite. 

At only 72 pages, Robert Stone’s Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park, 25 Favorite Hikes is meant as an introduction to what he thinks are the best day hikes in the park. By no means expansive or all encompassing, this book instead focuses on the 25 hikes to provide the reader with an introduction to Yosemite.

The hikes are scattered throughout the park and include trails in Yosemite Valley, along Glacier Point Road, through the Giant Sequoias and in North Yosemite. The hikes include:

In the Valley area
Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, Mirror Lake and Tenaya Canyon Loop, East Valley Loop, Lower Yosemite Fall and Bridalveil Falls.

Along Glacier Point Road
Bridalveil Creek, Taft Point and the Fissures, Sentinel Dome, and Four-Mile Trail

In the Giant Sequoias
Mariposa Grove and Merced Grove

In North Yosemite and along Tioga Road
Cascade Creek, Harden Lake, Lukens Lake, May Lake, Tenaya Lake, Sunrise Lakes, Lower Cathederal Lake, Tuolumne Meadows and Soda Springs, Elizabeth Lake, Lembert Dome, Lyell Canyon, and Gaylor Lakes

The hikes have all been chosen for their outstanding scenic beauty and the variety that the various hikes offer. In general, they are between easy and moderate hikes and run in length form an hour or so to several hours of hiking.

Simplified guide maps are provided with each description and are adequate for the trails included. Readers who want more information not provided on the included maps should look for a detailed topographic map of Yosemite – which are available through most outdoor sports stores.

An index map is provided in the beginning of the book, marking the locations of each of the hikes so they are easier to find when you are traveling through the park.

Each hike begins with the distance of the hike, the estimated hiking time, the elevation gain (and thus loss too) and what topographic map the trail would be located on. The trail descriptions are very detailed and provide mileages for various landmarks, trail junctions and other meaningful markers along your hike.

So if you are looking for a useful guide to day hikes throughout Yosemite National Park, take some time to pick up a copy of Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park, 25 Favorite Hikes and you’ll be happy that you did.

Originally published on Epinions.com

Maine Mountain Guide

Maine Mountain Guide - Guide To All of Maine's Trails 

Much like AMC’s guide for New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the Maine Mountain Guide is an extensive and exhaustive review of hiking trails open to the public throughout the entire State of Maine. 

I’ll admit it, after two years of being here in Massachusetts, I do long to go back and live in Maine. Not only did you have coast with places like Acadia, but then there were the rivers and finally the great north woods with it’s various mountain ranges. From the Rangeley area in the west to mountains surrounding Moosehead Lake and finally to the majesty of Katahdin – Maine offers an awful lot of varied hiking opportunities. 

The Maine Mountain Guide covers all of these areas, from the coast to the mountains. Areas covered include: 

Katahdin Area 
Aroostook 
Piscataquis Mountains 
East of the Penobscot 
Camden Hills 
Southwestern Maine 
Oxford Hills 
Grafton Notch and Mahoosuc Range Areas 
Weld Region 
Rangeley and Stratton Area 
Kennebec Valley 
Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park

The book also includes a key to the included maps, an introduction to hiking in Maine, along with a glossary, a sample accident report should you need it, an extensive index and finally information on the Appalachian Mountain Club, who publish the book. 

Each area is first introduced in the chapter, then each trail description goes into almost minute detail about the hike you will have on that trail. Major features along the trail are described; as are steep pitches, trail junctions, side trails and more. It is as if the descriptions were written as someone was walking the trails, they are that accurate and detailed. The descriptions also contain information on the vertical elevation you will be gaining and losing on the hike, the mileage for each trail and an estimated trip time for that trail. 

Seven maps are included with the book and they cover all of the regions that are discovered and show all the trails described in the text. The maps are of a small scale, clear and easy to read and use. They also fold up small enough to fit in your pocket. 

The book is fairly small and can easily be packed in your backpack or kept in a glove compartment in a car should the urge to go hiking grab you. 

As with other AMC titles, the Maine Mountain Guide has one of the best indexes I’ve ever seen. This index is indispensable for finding various trails and mountains. Have a mountain name but no trail name, no problem, have part of a trail name, no problem. The index literally references everything in this book. 

Who Needs This Book 

Anyone hiking further than the parking lot around the car would be well off to get himself or herself a copy of this book. Just about every trail in Maine is described, as are all the important hiking areas. The book is both an excellent introduction to hiking in Maine and a trustworthy reference for experienced hikers. 

Originally published on Epinions

Appalachian Trail Guide to Maine

$21.13 on Amazon

And Hiking Maine Makes 281 Miles Out Of 2100!

Covering what is arguably the most remote section of the Appalachian Trail, the Appalachian Trail Guide to Maine is the ultimate guide for anyone who is looking to strike across Maine’s wilderness from the New Hampshire border to Mount Katahdin on the Appalachian Trail. 

The Appalachian Trail stretches roughly 2,100 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia, along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains to the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine. Along the way the trail travels over some of the roughest terrain of the Appalachians and explores the last vestiges of wilderness that are left along the eastern coast of the United States. The trail itself is a National Scenic Trail and is owned by the National Park Service and managed by the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC). ATC publishes guidebooks for each state that the trail travels through. 

What’s in a Appalachian Trail Guidebook? 

Each guidebook is similar and provides thru-hikers (people who complete the entire Appalachian Trail on one long hike), backpackers and daytrippers and excellent resource for any size trip along the Appalachian Trail. 

The Appalachian Trail Guide to Maine covers the entire 281-mile length of the trail in Maine. From the Mahoosuc Range in the south to the windswept and tundra covered summit of Mount Katahdin. 

The book includes 7 separate maps that cover the entire length of the Trail in Maine. The chapters in the book are keyed to these maps to make it easier to find the trail descriptions or maps of the section that you are considering hiking. The maps are printed on tear-proof and waterproof paper and are of excellent quality. In addition to a topographic map with the trail route shown, you are also given a vertical relief map (to show you how much you have to go up and down along your route) and on the back of each map, a quick guide to the trail that is broken down by the mileage from landmark to landmark. This makes it unnecessary to carry the book with you when hiking, the map has all the information that you will need. Because they are waterproof and tear-proof, they are very easy to fold up and slip into your pocket without having to worry about damaging the maps. Should you want the security of the entire book, it is fairly small and can easily be packed in your backpack 

Each section is first introduced by an overview of the entire section that corresponds to the map. Then the trail descriptions for each sub-section of trail (generally broken up by road crossings) are given. The book begins at Katahdin and works its way south to the Maine-New Hampshire border. The descriptions include information on the location of the section, it’s length, the estimated hiking time, any elevation gain or loss, lean-tos and campsites that are available in that section, road access to the section, side trails, any points of interest along that section and suggestions for further reading should you want to know more about an area. 

The trail descriptions for each section go into some detail about the hike you will have on that trail. Major features along the trail are described; as are steep pitches, trail junctions, side trails and more. The descriptions are accurate and detailed and easy to follow. 

In addition to the trail descriptions, the Appalachian Trail Guide to Maine also includes several different chapters that cover basic information about the development and management of the Appalachian Trail, what hikers should be bringing when on the trail, a natural history of the Trail in Maine, a complete index that makes finding sections easier and an accident report form should the worse happen you or a hiking partner when out on the trail. 

Who Needs This Book 

Anyone who is considering hiking different sections, or the entire Appalachian Trail through Maine should get their hands on this book. The Appalachian Trail Guide to Maine provides the ultimate reference guides for hikers by providing quality trail descriptions and high quality maps that make planning your trip and carrying it out as easy as possible. 

The book is both an excellent introduction to the Appalachian Trail in general and especially for the Trail in Maine. 

Guide to Adirondack Trails, High Peaks Region

Find Your Way in the High Peaks

Part of the Adirondack Mountain Club’s (ADK) guide to the trails of the Adirondack Mountain region in New York State, the High Peaks Region is a comprehensive guide to the trails and peaks in the High Peaks area. 

The Adirondacks and the High Peaks 

The Adirondack Mountains are located in Northern New York, to the east of Lake Ontario, the west of Lake Champlain and north of Glens Falls region. The mountains are protected within the Adirondack State Park, which at 6 million acres (a mix of public and private lands), makes it one of the largest parks in the continental United States. Mountains in the Adirondacks range from small rolling hills, to the summits of the High Peaks that reach above treeline. In the lower elevations, the entire region is dotted with innumerable lakes and rivers and the High Peaks are also where the Hudson River begins its journey to the sea.

The High Peaks of the Adirondacks are the region of the highest peaks in the Adirondacks. The summits include Mount Marcy, at 5344 feet is the highest mountain in New York State and rises over 800 feet above treeline. There are also several other high summits through the region. The High Peaks region also includes the towns of Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and Keene. Lake Placid was home to the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics and Whiteface Mountain, another of the high peaks, hosted the skiing events.

While Mount Marcy is the highest of the mountains, others in the region are quite high and many of these peaks reach above treeline (the altitude at which trees stop growing) and all are exposed to the full force of the weather. Weather in the High Peaks is variable and harsh conditions can occur throughout the year. Winds on some peaks can reach well over 100 miles per hour and conditions with windchills in the wintertime can often rival the conditions on Antarctica (while the temperatures are more mild, when windchills are factored in, conditions can be at times equivalent). These conditions can occur during any month of the year, but are most likely to occur in late fall, winter and early spring. Conditions can change quickly and without warning and anyone hiking in the region should be prepared for the worst.

What You’ll Find in the Book 

ADK’s Guide to Adirondack Trails, High Peak Region provides comprehensive descriptions of the trails, peaks and destinations throughout the High Peak Region.

Starting off with a general overview of the natural and human history of the Adirondacks, followed by advice for novice hikers and climbers new to the area. In addition the introduction reviews regulations, along with other information pertinent to the area.

Following the Introduction, the different major areas in the High Peaks regions break down the trail descriptions into different chapters. These chapters include:

- Keene Valley
- St. Huberts
- Heart Lake
- Northern
- Eastern
- Southern

I know that sounds pretty basic – but that covers all of the major areas within the High Peaks region. The majority of the trails are focused in the Keene Valley, St. Huberts and Heart Lake areas, as these are the areas with the highest mountains and the most public interest and thus the most trails.

Each trail description goes into detail about the hike and the trail. The major features along the trail are described; as are steep pitches, trail junctions, side trails and more. The descriptions also contain information on the vertical elevation you will be gaining and losing on the hike, the mileage for each trail and an estimated trip time for that trail. In general the descriptions are accurate and appear to have been field checked – but I have run across a few errors here and there that have been fairly minor and shouldn’t affect any less experienced hikers.

The book doesn’t come with separate maps, however maps are provided within the text illustrating the different areas covered in the book. The maps aren’t that detailed and generally show the location of the trail and its route. Little other information is given. In general, they probably aren’t detailed enough for anyone to use while actually hiking. For that, you would be better off spending a few dollars to get a high quality USGS topographic map or one of the color trail/topographic maps published for the different regions of the Adirondacks.

Following the trail descriptions, the book contains several different appendices. These include a glossary, a list of the 100 highest peaks, a table of short hikes, opportunities for disabled people to enjoy the outdoors, the different lean-tos available in the High Peak region, a list of State Campgrounds and finally an index to the trails and peaks covered in the rest of the book. These appendices can be quite helpful and provide plenty of interesting and useful information.

Who Needs This Book? 

If you plan on hiking in the High Peaks, then you should have a copy of this book since there really are no equals to the detail, quality and thoroughness of ADK’s guidebooks for the Adirondack region – they seem to have developed a monopoly on the information rich, detail orientated guidebooks for the Adirondacks – much like AMC has done in New Hampshire.

So if you already hike, or are planning on hiking in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks and want the guide, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the Guide to Adirondack Trails, High Peak Region, you won’t be disappointed.

Originally published on Epinions

AMC Guide to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range

THE GUIDE to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range

Taken from the Granddaddy of hiking guides for the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) White Mountain Guide, the AMC Guide to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range is a guide book to every public trail that climbs Mount Washington and the other mountains in the Presidential Range.

Mount Washington and the Presidentials 

Mount Washington and the Presidential Range are located in Northern New Hampshire, in the heart of the White Mountains. Mount Washington at 6,288 feet is the highest mountain north of the Carolinas and east of the Mississippi River. The mountains surrounding Mount Washington along the Presidential Range are lower, but similar in height. The summits of all of these peaks reach above treeline (the altitude at which trees stop growing) and all are exposed to the full force of the weather.

Mount Washington has the well deserved description as home to the “world’s worst weather,” and “the most dangerous small mountain in the world.” The highest recorded surface wind gust was recorded by the Mount Washington Observatory at 231 miles per hour in April of 1934. Winds on all of the Presidentials often reach well over 100 miles per hour and conditions with windchills can often rival the conditions on Antarctica (while the temperatures are more mild, when windchills are factored in, conditions can be at times equivalent). These conditions can occur during any month of the year – the average temperature in the Presidential is below freezing and snow has been recorded in every month of the year. Conditions can change quickly and without warning and anyone hiking in the Presidentials and on Mount Washington should be prepared for the worst.

Inexperienced hikers often do not understand the difficulty of climbing Mount Washington or other Presidentials. While the actual trail mileages may not be that great, the elevation gains can be as much as 4,000 feet. These climbs will take longer and will require more effort than most hikes anywhere else in the east.

Just remember, if conditions are bad, they will only get worse the higher you go and the climb will continue to be just as strenuous, if not even more so. There is nothing wrong with turning around. A hiker/climber who lives to finish the climb another day is a lot better off then one frozen to the mountainside. Many people have died on the Presidentials - don’t become a statistic.

What You’ll Find in the Book 

Coming in at 238 pages, AMC Guide to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range provides comprehensive descriptions of all the trails throughout the Presidential Range.

An introduction to Mount Washington and the Presidentials starts off the book. This introduction reviews Mount Washington’s reputation and conditions and offers advice for novice hikers and climbers new to the area. In addition the introduction reviews regulations in the White Mountain National Forest (where Mount Washington and the Presidentials are located), along with other information pertinent to the area.

Following the Introduction, the trail descriptions are broken down into two main sections, first are the trails on Mount Washington and the southern peaks of the Presidentials, and then the trails on the northern peaks of the Presidentials and in the Great Gulf.

Each trail description goes into almost minute detail about the hike. Major features along the trail are described; as are steep pitches, trail junctions, side trails and more. It is literally as if the descriptions were written as someone was walking the trails, they are that accurate and detailed. The descriptions also contain information on the vertical elevation you will be gaining and losing on the hike, the mileage for each trail and an estimated trip time for that trail.

The book comes with the Appalachian Mountain Club’s map for the Presidential Range. This map shows all of the trails described in the guidebook and provides enough detail surrounding the range that you will be able to locate the trailheads from the surrounding major towns and villages. The map is best used in conjunction with the guidebook as they are both excellent resources and together, you really can’t get any better.

Following the trail descriptions, the AMC Guide to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range delves into a short history of the Mount Washington area and then into a natural history of the Mount Washington area. Both are interesting and entertaining reads and provides a thorough, though quick introduction to the human and natural history of the Mount Washington and the Presidential Range.

The book is quite small and can easily be packed away in your backpack. I would suggest it is always worth carrying with you whenever you are out on any of the trails, because with the multitude of trails in the area, it always helps to have a guidebook and a map so you don’t get confused.

Who Needs This Book? 

If you plan on hiking in the Presidentials, then you should have a copy of this book, or it’s larger cousin, the AMC White Mountain Guide because there are no equals to the detail, quality and thoroughness of the AMC Guide to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range. Additionally, no one should be hiking in the Presidentials without a solid guidebook and map set and this book provides them both.

Should you be considering hikes throughout the rest of the White Mountains, then pick up the AMC White Mountain Guide, which includes the trail descriptions for Mount Washington and the Presidentials, in addition to the rest of the trails in the White Mountain region. However, this book is more massive (as it has to be to cover all of the White Mountains) and less easily carried with you while on your hikes.

But if you’re hiking focuses on Mount Washington or the other Presidentials, or you want a smaller, more packable guide while you are in the Presidentials, do yourself a favor and pick up the AMC Guide to Mount Washington and the Presidential Range, you won’t be disappointed.

Originally published on Epinions

ACCESS Gay USA

The Access guides claim to “make the world your neighborhood,” and their Gay USA travel guide is no exception, except that you’ll just be making major US cities into your neighborhood in this guide.

While nowhere near a comprehensive guide to gay life and activities throughout the country, Gay USA does a good job focusing on 23 cities and destinations in the United States that are arguably some of the most popular destinations for the Gay and Lesbian community. 

The cities and places covered include: Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Fire Island; Ft. Lauderdale; Honolulu; Houston; Key West; Los Angeles; Miami Beach and Miami; New Orleans; New York City; Palm Springs; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Provincetown; San Diego; San Francisco; San Juan; Seattle; and Washington DC. 

The Guide’s Layout 

Each city in Gay USA gets a chapter that follows a simple and basic format to provide the most information about that location in a fairly concise and easy to read way. Each chapter starts with a fairly detailed map (you’ll still need to pick up a map) that gives a general overview of the city and highlights the various locations identified in the text, or identifies where close-up maps are available further into the chapter. 

Then you’ll get an introduction to that city that hits on the history and highlights, especially for Gay and Lesbian travelers. It’s not required reading if you’re trying to figure out what is in a city, but it does give some nice background and helps you appreciate wherever you are visiting. 

Beyond the introduction you’ll find out how to get to the city, by plane, by bus, and by train, along with information on how to get around once you’re there. 

Still more basic information on the city is given, with quick highlights of all the important topics such as accommodations, personal safety, eating, smoking, street plans, taxes, festivals and more. 

The actual descriptions are broken down by the neighborhoods (or different regions) of each location. Gay USA provides basic information on services, dining, and attractions that are of interest to gay men. 

Each entry is color-coded (red – restaurants/clubs; blue – hotels; green – shops/outdoors; and black – sights/culture). There are several other symbols used in the descriptions, but all are fairly self-explanatory. They include the male and female symbols (alone one means that a location caters to gay men or lesbians, together it means they cater to both), a small wheelchair to represent accessibility; dollar signs to designate how expensive a restaurant, along with 1 to 4 stars rating the various restaurants. 

Each neighborhood’s (or region’s) description begins with a small close-up map of that neighborhood and highlights all of the places described in the text. The sites (accommodations, restaurants, clubs, etc) are numbered in the text and you’ll find the numbers on the map to help you figure out your vacation. 

Descriptions for all of the various locations (the accommodations, clubs, etc) are all quick descriptions. Generally there’s a short paragraph on the destination, maybe if it’s a restaurant it’ll be on a good dish, or for clubs, a description of the various theme nights they offer. After the quick description, you’ll find information on when the destination is open, its address and its phone number. 

You’ll also find quick little bites of information scattered throughout the destination descritiptions and a few more in-depth stories. For example in Atlanta, there’s a section on “Draglanta,” and you learn that in the 1980s Atlanta was the place to be for the world’s highest profile cross-dressers. There’s information on drag hotspots, along with some history. All in all, it’s a welcome addition to the fairly bland “here’s this and here’s that,” that makes up most travel guides and gives you a better understanding of the city. 

FYI 

Several sub-areas are included in Gay USA but aren’t evident from the original listing of various cities covered. For example the Boston section covers Northampton, MA and Ogunquit, ME, while Chicago also includes Saugatuck and Douglas. Other areas included are: Fort Worth; Aspen; Galveston Island; Laguna Beach; New Hope; Sedona; Jerome; Tijuana, Mexico; Russian River; and Rehoboth Beach. 

Experiences 

Call it my altruistic nature, but I seem to have collected an inordinate amount of gay stuff. I mean, I’ve never really been one who likes guidebooks, or needed a guide to gay destinations, but somehow Gay USA, along with several other guides have appeared on my bookshelves. I think my boyfriend must be putting it in my stack of books at Barnes and Noble (or the discount book warehouse) when I’m not looking, but either way, once I’ve gotten them, they have been useful, including Gay USA. 

I even managed to find out a thing or two about Boston while I was reading the book, including the fact that Boston’s Gay Pride Day is the single largest annual event in Boston. No wonder it seems like such a party every June! 

The information in the pages of Gay USA is extensive, but focused on the various cities that are covered. For Gay and Lesbian travel information outside of these major destinations, you’ll be left lacking and need to look elsewhere, like Damron’s guidebooks. 

Unlike some other guidebooks, Gay USA has left out the sex clubs and various cruisy places for gay men. Thus I guess for the more timid amongst us, you won’t have to blush when flipping through the pages of this book. 

While I know that there have been plenty of trips where my boyfriend and I never end up visiting a single place mentioned in the book, it’s a great start when you’re considering traveling and want to know what’s available to you if you are planning on being in the locations that are profiled. 

The book is also a great reference for people living in these cities, especially if you are new. Simply put, you’re never going to know every single place out there and the guidebook can help you discover a wonder that was just under your nose that you never noticed. 

Considerations 

I found this book in the discount bookstore for about $7 a year ago and I haven’t seen a newer edition than the 2000 edition that I have. While I’m not sure if there are newer editions available, Gay USA still proves to be a useful reference guide. While businesses may come and go, even an older guide like this one gives you a good idea of what is around and you should always be calling ahead anyway – and then you’ll find out if it’s still there. However, in a few years a good part of the information will be quite out of date, especially room rates and restaurant prices. 

Final Thoughts 

While not as indispensable as some other gay guidebooks, Access Gay USA does do a good job highlighting what’s available for Gay and Lesbian travelers in the various cities that are highlighted by the book. Though with time, if newer editions aren’t published, the information in this book will become more and more out of date and less useful. 

For now though, Gay USA is still a helpful guide.

Originally published on Epinions

AMC River Guide for Massachusetts, Connecticut & Rhode Island

I seriously think that the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has the guidebook business for New England cornered. The more I go through all the guidebooks and stuff that I have, the more and more I realize they’re all from the AMC. That’s okay though because AMC puts together excellent guidebooks that I have never seen surpassed for the areas that they cover.

This book is no different and like the other AMC guidebooks the AMC River Guide: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island (River Guide from now on) is an extensive look at canoeing and kayaking opportunities in southern New England.

There are four major river basins that traverse Southern New England and make up the majority of river trips described in the book (there are more rivers by the way, including ones like the Taunton and the Blackstone in Massachusetts and they are given some coverage). The basins include the Housatonic River basin in western Massachusetts and Connecticut; The Connecticut River drains central Massachusetts and Connecticut; the Thames River drains eastern Connecticut; and finally the Merrimack River, which drains northeastern Massachusetts and central New Hampshire.

So to start, the River Guide breaks southern New England and its many rivers and tributaries into an easy to follow and easy to read guide. Each of the four major rivers and their tributaries are broken down into various watersheds and then into trips of a shorter length (a day or so) by geographic areas.

Each trip description begins with a handy table that summarizes everything you need to know about the river including distance of the trip, the degree of difficulty in running the river (this book covers both flatwater and whitewater), the last time an AMC paddler field checked the river, recommended time of year for travel, maps, descriptions of any portages, scenery and campsites you’ll pass along the way.

So what’s covered in the book? 

As I said before, the four main river basins of southern New England form the bulk of the river descriptions. The book not only covers the main river in each basin, but their many tributaries, which can be major rivers in there own right. Then these watersheds are further broken down into major rivers and their tributaries and then into shorter trips to make the descriptions better organized.

Suffice to say if you can find a river to run in Southern New England, it’s probably somewhere in this book, there’s that many listings. If I started to list all the rivers included, you’d be scrolling down for some time.

What else is in the book? 

Beyond the river descriptions, the book includes a preface and a short introduction, followed by a quick overview and guide to river trip descriptions and in general how to use the book.

After the river descriptions, there’s an appendix that includes the Safety Code of the American Whitewater Affiliation, along with information on river protection, paddling safety, information on AMC and more. For a paddler without much experience, this section is a good resource. The basic safety tenets of paddling are provided, along with plenty of other helpful information. It’s always better to be prepared ahead of time and avoid any problems, than trying to deal with these situations as they happen.

Unlike many other AMC guidebooks, the index in the River Guide is very basic and only provides information on the various rivers covered. Other information such as towns or counties isn’t included to reference. That’s not really a problem though, as most people will have the river’s name and be able to work with it through the different geographic locations.

Who Needs a book like this? 

This book is most geared towards those who live in Southern New England and want to explore the paddling opportunities in their backyards. Some others from outside the area might be interested, but generally, the trips and rivers aren’t that stunning that you would travel across the country to try it. That’s not to say that the rivers in southern New England stink, they don’t, but they aren’t as large, as rugged, or as wild as rivers in other states such as Maine.

The book is an indispensable guide for paddlers anywhere in southern New England and I bet you’ll find trips you never thought of nearby.

Originally posted on Epinions

Rocks and Routes of the North Country

Learn the Story Behind the Rocks and Routes of the North Country written Bradford VanDiver

Have you been looking for a straightforward introduction to the geology of New York’s North Country (the Adirondack region – I use the two interchangeably)? Rocks and Routes of the North Country, written Bradford VanDiver, is an easily understood introduction to basic geologic concepts, the geology of the Adirondack region, and provides information on various geologic tours throughout the Adirondacks.

Part I 

Beginning with an introduction to basic geologic concepts, VanDiver explains enough geology so that readers will be able to understand concepts deeper in the book, but not so many that the average reader is lost in detail. He goes over basic concepts in mineralogy, rock types and formations and basic geologic processes.

Continuing on in Chapters 2 through 4, he continues introducing the reader to progressively more and more site-specific geology. He starts with an overview of the rocks that exist in the North Country, followed by the geology and physiographic setting of the Adirondacks in the greater geological context and finally closes his introduction to the North Country with a geological history of the area.

Part II 

Part II of Rocks and Routes of the North Country outlines seven different driving field trips throughout the North Country to better explain and explore the geology of the area. These includes trips throughout the lowlands and St. Lawrence Valley, the Potsdam area, the Whiteface Mountain area and the geology along the Northway just to name a few.

Each field trip is broken down into its respective components and directions from each site to the next are given. The directions are clear and easy to follow and the descriptions of various sites to stop at are well described and easy to find. Anyone who picks up this book will be able to follow along on the field trips and learn something new about the geology of the area.

Part III 

In Part III, VanDiver focuses on mineral collecting throughout the Adirondacks. He reviews the various minerals that are in existence throughout the North Country and provides information on where they can be collected, along with the rules and regulations pertaining to collecting samples.

For people interested in finding specific minerals, this section is quite interesting and useful. The Adirondacks contain a diverse assemblage of minerals and prospecting for them can be a fun and challenging pastime.

VanDiver also provides a bibliography of other books and writings on mineral exploration and prospecting in this section, which provides an excellent resource, should you be looking to find additional help on your rockhounding quests.

Part IV 

Finally in the fourth section of Rocks and Routes of the North Country, Van Diver looks at how geology impacts recreation in the North Country. His review includes issues related to rock climbing, whitewater rafting and the hidden beauty of geologic features in the North Country. This section is an interesting and entertaining read on the various real world impacts that geology has (and you thought geology was just looking at rocks).

Is It Worth Buying? 

The answer to that question is an unqualified “yes.” Rocks and Routes of the North Country is an excellent introduction to the geology of the entire North Country region of New York state. It is both a primer on geologic science in the area and a field guide that introduces readers to geology first hand on field trips. Then it’s also both a guide to mineral collecting in the area and a introduction to how geology impacts recreation in the area. It’s a whole bunch of things, but one of which it’s not, is overwhelming.

Rocks and Routes of the North Country is written for the average reader without much geologic background in mind. Concepts are laid out and identified in the beginning and the discussed more fully throughout the book. In addition there is a glossary defining any technical terms used throughout the book and extensive bibliographies that can point you in the direction of more information should you want to research a topic further.

So get this book, read some history, then get out in the field and look at some rocks and then have a better understanding of the geologic history of the North Country and how that impacts the area today.

Originally published on Epinions

Long Trail Guide

The Green Mountain Club’s Long Trail Guide is the only book you’ll need if you are considering a hiking trip along Vermont’s Long Trail.

A long distance trail running from the Massachusetts/Vermont border north through Vermont to its border with Canada, the Long Trail follows the ridges of the Green Mountains for 270 miles.

The Details 

The Long Trail Guide provides a thorough and complete guide to the entire 270-mile length of the Long Path, in addition to descriptions of various side trails and also of the Appalachian Trail through Vermont (which shares portions of its trail with the Long Trail). The sections, or divisions as they are called in the book are broken down into discrete geographical units and are covered in order from south to north. The Trail travels through several gaps and crosses different roads, many of which are used here to break up the trail into manageable units in the book.

This kind of formatting makes it easy for hikers not looking to hike the entire trail, find trail sections that are in areas that they are interested in and also makes it easy to link up various divisions into longer hikes.

Each division of the trail is first generally introduced, and then each trail description goes into further detail and subdivisions of the Trail within the main division. Major features along the Trail are described; as are any steep sections, trail junctions, side trails and more. Time is also given for descriptions of the various side trails that the Long Trail encounters along its route. The descriptions are detail orientated and almost seem like they were written as someone was walking the trails. The descriptions for each subdivision also contain information on the vertical elevation you will be gaining and losing on the hike, the mileage for each subdivision and an estimated trip time for that portion of the Trail.

Detailed maps are provided in a separate map section and cover each of the divisions identified in the book. The maps are printed within the book and should you want to bring one with you, you’ll either need to tear it out, or copy it out of the book. There are also two pocket maps included with the Long Trail Guide - a Vermont map that shows the Long Trail (very little detail though) and maps of both the Camel’s Hump and Mount Mansfield areas.

In addition to the Trail description within the various divisions and the maps, the Long Trail Guide includes several other sections to aide Trail users. The sections include:

- An introduction and how-to for the book
- An overview of the Long Trail
- Guidelines for the use of the Trail
- Introduction to the Green Mountain Club
- Trail Management
- Natural History of the Green Mountains
- List of Post Offices and stores near the Trail
- List of Public Campgrounds near the trail
- Useful addresses
- Guide to additional reading

There is a well-built index in the back of the Long Trail Guide that should fulfill anyone’s needs when they are looking for information on various trail locations, shelters/campgrounds, and/or mountain peaks along the trail.

The book is fairly small (roughly 4x6 inches) and can easily be packed in your backpack. Because the maps are printed directly in the book – you’re more likely than not to be carrying the book with you on your hikes and its small size is a definite plus then.

Who Needs This Book 

Hikers interested in the Long Trail, any of its side trails, or the Appalachian Trail through Vermont would be well served by having a copy of the Long Trail Guide. The book is an excellent resource for both written trail descriptions and map information on these trails and should be a great starting point for anyone planning anything from a day-hike to a trek along the entire Long Trail’s length.

Classic Northeastern Whitewater Guide

Have a kayak but nowhere to go? With the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Classic Northeastern Whitewater Guide, no whitewater enthusiast in the northeastern United States should be without a place to go.

The book covers rivers from New York and throughout New England, offering river runs in almost every area of each state. From the Hudson River Gorge in New York, to the Vermont’s Black River and Maine’s Kennebec, all the high points are hit and so are plenty of other in-between runs that you may or may not already be familiar with.

What do you find in the book? 

Part One of the guide is an introduction to northeastern whitewater providing information on river running in general and providing a broken down look at the river descriptions that follow in the next section. This is helpful for less experienced rafters, or those of us who haven’t generally used a guidebook to plan out our trips. Each characteristic that is reviewed in the river descriptions (difficult, trip distance, average gradient, etc.) are pulled out in Section One and reviewed so that readers have a general understanding of how and why rivers were reviewed the way they were in Section Two.

The second part of Part One talks about paddling safety. This is a major concern with some of these rivers – northeastern whitewater might not be as famous as say the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, but there’s plenty of difficult and highly technical runs out there that can challenge even the best paddlers. Plus accidents can happen anywhere – even in a smoothly flowing stream – so it’s always better to be careful. Information on water temperature, flotation devices, helmets, river scouting and river hazards are included here. I’d suggest that everyone reads this section before planning out trips – because we always need a safety refresher.

Part Two of the guide delves into the river descriptions. It starts out with a quick (much quicker than Part One’s discussion) guide to interpreting the river information, a discussion of wild and scenic rivers, a quick review of paddling on dam-controlled rivers and ways to maintain that access, location maps and keys for each state or area and finally Part Two dives into the river descriptions.

I won’t bore you with a list of all the rivers that are covered, but as an example, here are some of the highlights from the various states:

New York
Esopus Creek
Hudson River/Indian River
Moose River
Sacandaga River

VT/NH/Maine
Ammonoosuc River
Androscoggin River
Black River
Connecticut River
Dead River
Ellis River
Kennebec River
Mad River
Penobscot River
Saco River
Swift River

Massachusetts/CT/RI
Chickley River
Choasset River
Cold River
Deerfield River
Farmington River
Millers River
Housatonic River
Quaboag River
Westfield River

And that’s probably only about a third of the rivers that are covered in the Classic Northeastern Whitewater Guide.

Each river’s introductory description includes:

-The distance of the river run (the river itself is longer, this is the distance of the run that is covered in the description)
-The shuttle length (in miles driving) that is needed to have cars at both the put-in and take-out points along the river
-The average drop in feet per mile of the river over the run
-The maximum drop in feet per mile on the run
-The difficulty of the run – in the whitewater classification system (class I through V with higher numbers being more difficult)
-The scenery around the river
-The last time the river was field checked for the guide
-The type of water to expect due to runoff on the river
-A look at when the river is too low, low, medium, high and too high in regards to the measured height of the river at a selected gauge and where that gauge is
-Where to find out information on the water level of the river

Beyond this quick introduction (which is the 1st thing you will run across on each river’s description) you are given a two to three page written description of the run on the river, starting with a general description of the run. This is followed by information on the put-in point, and then a play-by-play guide to the river until you reach the take-out point. Information on large rapids, river constrictions, hazards, drops and landmarks are given to make your trip down the river easier and to allow you to plan ahead for your trip. Locations where you should scout the river ahead before running (getting out of your boat and walking along shore to check out the river) are called out, as is information on the take-out point and how the river changes its characteristics in different levels of water flow (a river that is easy at low flow might be extremely difficult in very high water).

With each river description and guide, you are also given a simple map of the run that provides basic information on the river – including the location of difficult rapids and the put-in and take-out points. These maps are good enough for planning, but you should get more detailed maps for the actual trips.

After the descriptions, a short glossary is included, as is the author’s biography and some information about the Appalachian Mountain Club. There is no index or guide to further reading in the book.

Experiences 

I can’t say I’ve run every river in this book – but I have used it several times to plan trips and the information is both easy to access and easy to use. The descriptions are generally accurate, but as with anything in nature – rivers are continually changing – so precise descriptions of the river will quickly go out of date. The basic information is what is helpful – you get an idea of what to expect and what you need to do for a multitude of different rivers.

I wouldn’t suggest that this be the only guide to these rivers you get – if you are considering running any of them – the Classic Northeastern Whitewater Guide provides a good starting point. Once you’ve picked where you want to go and have a general idea of what you are going to do, search out more recent and more detailed information on the river – which should be fairly easy – as the descriptions include information to find out the latest details on the river.

I would have liked an index – especially considering this is a guidebook. However the table of contents is quite thorough and if you can think of a river name, or a location, with some flipping back and forth, you should be able to find what you are looking for.

Final Thoughts 

The Classic Northeastern Whitewater Guide is a great general guide to all of the whitewater opportunities in the northeastern United States. You’ll finish the book with a better understanding of the opportunities available and you’ll be able to plan the outlines of your whitewater trips. The book won’t however provide all the details you need for the toughest of the rivers and it is always best to further study your destination (through more up-to-date resources) before you jump in the boat.

Appalachian Mountain Club's Catskill Mountain Guide

Looking for a guidebook to the hiking trails of the Catskill Mountain region in New York State?  The Appalachian Mountain Club's Catskill Mountain Guide is a good place to start.  This concise and to the point book provides trail descriptions for almost every trail in the region and includes a basic map of the area that can come in handy.

This book follows the same general outline of all AMC guidebooks.  That is there are a few introductory chapters, trails are broken down into different sections and then there is some reference material available at the end of the book

Full review of the Catskill Mountain Guide

Connecticut Walk Book East

If you are looking for a good guide to the trails of Eastern Connecticut, you should get yourself a copy of the Connecticut Walk Book East.  This book covers just about every trail in the region and gives you accurate trail descriptions and maps to make your trip planning easier and more enjoyable. 

While I don't hike all that often in Connecticut, the eastern portion of the state isn't that far from where I am in Massachusetts and I do find myself at times in the area, so I thought it would be a good idea to pick up a copy of the Connecticut Walk Book East for myself.  I'm glad I did.  It gives quite a lot of detail about a number of trail systems that I had no idea even existed and has given me the opportunity to take a number of walks that I would never otherwise even known about.

Read my full review of the Connecticut Walk Book East on Epinions

Appalachian Trail Thru Hike Planner

Thinking about doing the entire Appalachian Trail or just a longer section?

You should get yourself the Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. This books provides a single place for you to get pretty much all the information you'll need for hiking the entire trail or just some sections of it. It offers hints, tips and ideas for planning and executing your trip.

Read my full review of the Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner on Epinions

Guide to Adirondack Trails: Northville-Placid Trail

Thinking of hiking the Northville-Placid Trail in the Adirondack Mountains? If you are, you should get yourself the Northville-Placid Trail Guide from the Adirondack Mountain Club. This book offers a guide to the entire trail and includes a map of the trail that will help you plan a hike of its entire 133 miles or just a section.

Between the book and the map, this is really the only guide you'll need should you want to hike the trail. Not only that, but it's a fairly small and easily packed book, so you can take it along with you and have it as a guide on your backpacking trip.

Read my full review of the Guide to Adirondack Trails: Northville-Placid Trail on Epinions

Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer by DeLorme

Once you get off the major roadways and interstates in Vermont, the state has an awful lot of little roads. That’s where the Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer from DeLorme comes in handy. It’s a detailed guide to the entire state, showing you detail from the largest interstate to the smallest dirt road making its way across the backcountry.

Not only that, but the Gazetteer is full of information about Vermont and it’s all cross-referenced to the maps in the Atlas.

This is one handy guide to have if you do any exploring in Vermont. You’ll have a handy map set so you never get lost and you’ll have an extensive reference to all the various features Vermont has to offer.

Read my full review of the DeLorme Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer on Epinions

Hawaii the Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook by Andrew Doughty

Heading to the Big Island of Hawaii and looking for a guidebook? You have to get yourself Hawaii, The Big Island Revealed, from Andrew Doughty. This book offers island information, travel ideas and tons of tips that you just won't find in other travel books.

Seriously, when we went to Hawaii we brought two guidebooks, this one and another. We looked at the other book a few times, but with this book, it went everywhere with us and we were constantly reading up to see what we could do or could find as we made our way around Hawaii.

Read my full review of Hawaii The Big Island Revealed by Andrew Doughty on Epinions

Wilderness Mountaineering by NOLS

Want an all purpose guide to the basic tenants of mountaineering and climbing? The National Outdoor Leadership School's (NOLS) Wilderness Mountaineering is that guide, providing information and instruction on mountain hazards, climbing, equipment, safety systems, rescue and ethics. All that in a well written guidebook. The book is well written, easy to follow and offers solid advice and information that will help almost just about anyone heading out to climb some mountains in the wilderness.

This book is actually the guidebook/textbook that is used by the NOLS instructors for their mountaineering course.

Read my full review of the NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering guide on Epinions

Day Hiker's Guide to Vermont

If you are looking for a guidebook that gives you enough information to explore the many day hiking opportunities in Vermont, then you should get yourself a copy of the Green Mountain Club's Day Hiker's Guide to Vermont. This book covers the entire state and is a great resource for anyone looking to plan a trip – with trail descriptions and area maps showing the hikes.

For me, this book has been a great resource. Even though I lived in Vermont when I went to college, there's so much that this State offers, I realized that I hadn't even scratched the surface of the hiking opportunities that Vermont has.

Read my full review of the Day Hiker's Guide to Vermont by the Green Mountain Club on Epinions

Katahdin: A Guide to Baxter State Park & Katahdin by Stephen Clark

A guidebook is almost a necessity for anyone visiting Maine's Baxter State Park. That's because the park requires reservations for overnight users and without a guide, it's pretty hard to pre-plan a trip to the park.

Katahdin – A Guide to Baxter State Park & Katahdin tries to fill in this void. It's a guidebook to Baxter State Park, of which Katahdin is part of. The book does an admiral job at covering practically every trail in the park but the lack of any maps is a serious deficiency.

Read my full review of Katahdin by Stephen Clark on Epinions