3 comments about Camping Idaho (Regional Camping Series).

1. The format of this series of guides provides for really limited information, just a list of standard information about public campgrounds.
   
   We only looked at three campgrounds from this book, and in all cases the list of information about them had significant errors.
   
   For example, we stayed in space 25 of a campground listed as having 15 spaces; two campgrounds that we drove to were down dirt roads while the book stated that they were down paved roads; one of these was down a completely different road than the book said.
   
   These might seem like nitpicking complaints about insignificant details, but there is nothing in the book but insignificant details.



2. I just moved to Idaho, so wanted to get an idea of places to camp. It's a good book, I got a lot of information from it.



3. This camping guide was okay, but is getting outdated. It was done in 2005, and some of the campgrounds have changed significantly since then. (Lake Cascade's Ridgeview now has hookups). Not a lot of detail on road conditions. No information on any private campgrounds, so most of this you could find online with a trip to the Forest Service and State Parks websites. If you are camping in Southwest Idaho, there is an Idaho Statesman camping guide that has a lot more information and details and came out in 2009, so it's much more up to date.

5 comments about Living With Wolves.

1. The photography draws me into 'Living With Wolves' with a yearning to be there. Jim Dutcher and Helen Cherullo uniquely reinforce my beliefs towards the reintroduction efforts of the White Mountain Apache Tribe Sensitive Species Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.



2. This book is amazing and the photos incredible beautiful. That's an amazing study what Jaime and Jim Dutcher did. I think more people should do these type of investigations to show to the rest of the world how animals really are. If you buy this book, you should also buy the dvds, amazing!!!



3. This book exceeded our expectations. We learned so much about wolves, and the photographs were outstanding. And.... the surprise at the end was absolutely amazing, and an unexpected bonus. Enjoy, enjoy!



4. This book and CD are so inspirational and changed my view of wolves. The work Jim and Jami Dutcher did with a pack of wolf pups is beyond amazing. All should read.



5. This is a beautiful book. We have both enjoyed it so much. The pictures are not staged, but are personable and real. The message of this book is amazing. My husband is a confirmed wolf lover, and I am more so after reading this book. What amazing animals!

3 comments about Hiking the Great Northwest: 55 Greatest Trails in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Northern California, British Columbia, and the Canadian Rockies.

1. it encompasses the hikes that every avid hiker must do before or during death.



2. The hikes cover some of the best hiking over a large area.



3. I have the first edition of this book and it has been an invaluable guide to the incredible hiking in the Northwest. Living in the east and only getting to the west when business or a vacation take me there (for relatively short periods of time) I've always tried to make the most of the time I did have to hike. I have done about 1/3 of the hikes in the book and have yet to be disappointed. I have other, more detailed, hiking books for these areas but I rely on this one for selecting my hikes. I just wish this type of book were available for other areas of the country.

4 comments about The John Muir Trail: Through the Californian Sierra Nevada (Cicerone Guide).

1. I purchased this book last summer as part of a planning effort for hiking the trail in September. Even though I was quite familiar with the Sierra, I had no idea on how to plan the trip out as far as legs and campsites. I found this book to be invaluable as far as proposing a reasonable itinerary and giving the person a good idea of what to expect on each leg and where to find campsites. Castle first gives an overview of what should be done before the trip, and then breaks it out into a very doable 21-day itinerary (with 2 layover days) that range from 10-15 miles per day. He gives you a quick-hit overview of elevation gains and mileage and then a more detailed description of the day's hike. Also, he does a good job of planning the days so that you start with a climb and end with a descent. The one unfortunate is that the book is a bit heavy, though compact in size to actually carry with you -- the person I hiked with did carry it though and we enjoyed reading it along the trail as well as at night. I suppose one might xerox the pages you found necessary. By the way, I also had the Winnett book and found that far less helpful, and less organized as far as actually planning the trip. This is an awesome trip, and I strongly recommend both the book as well as doing the JMT -- it is a life-changing experience!



2. Just finished the JMT. The book was useful for planning my trek since the book is organized into a 22 day hike and I planned our hike for 20 days, so I would recommend it for that purpose. Having it on the hike itself wasn't very rewarding. The distance and altitude change intervals were somewhat useful, although the numbers don't necessarily mesh with the Harrison topo maps. What was disappointing was the lack of detail about campsite locations. The author basically indicates where they camped, but provides little information about where other campsites are located or their quality. Not a problem if you follow his itinerary, but if you're like us (and most of the other JMT hikers) it doesn't help when it's late in the day and you're trying to figure out how much further you need to go to get to a decent campsite. I basically stopped referring to the book after the first week and relied on the other guide I had which had much more detailed information on the trail and camping. I would have burned the Cicerone guide except we couldn't have fires most of the way and one of my friends wanted to carry it for reading material. The maps it contains were fairly worthless, so you'll definitely want topos. The author also comes across a bit snobbish at times, which certainly allowed my friends and I to poke fun at him and added to our entertainment. Logistical informtation on getting to the trailhead and dropping a vehicle at the end of the trail is also incomplete. YARTS only serves Merced to Mammoth, so getting from Whitney Portal to Mammoth requires a hitch, getting a local to shuttle you, or paying high dollars for a commercial shuttle. Bottom line is this is a decent book for planning a 3 week trek on the JMT, but it's not worth the weight to carry it. The Winsett guide was much more valuable on the trail, although it also has it's flaws.



3. I bought this, along with the Wenk guidebook, in preparation for a John Muir Trail thru-hike in July 2009. I recommend both books. Castle provides a nice overview of the trail, plus he recommends a specific itinerary, with the number of days & places to camp each night, which is quite realistic. I found it very helpful as a point of reference when planning my own (which was similar to his, though I didn't often camp where he did.) If you take one guidebook (or pages from) on the trail, however, take Wenk's. She gives more detailed information, particularly the location of all possible campsites, which is especially helpful if you're not following Castle's exact itinerary.
   But for folks back home who want to follow your John Muir Trail hike from their armchair, Castle's book is the better choice, and anyone planning to hike the trail should read his, regardless!



4. This is a fun little book to read as a trail memoir but relying on it could be rather dangerous. It is based upon one trip down the JMT providing little if any information about campsites or side hikes other than what the author chose to do,

No comments about Benchmark Idaho Road & Recreation Atlas - 2nd edition.

5 comments about Flyfisher's Guide to Idaho (2nd Edition) (Flyfisher's Guides).

1. There is a lot of information in this book. If you are looking for information on fly fishing in Idaho this is probably the most concise book to get. Information covers everything from the Henry's Fork to small lakes you would need to hike in to. There is probably more information in this book than you will ever need.
   
   CONS: some of the info is old. I believe the last revision of this book was 2002 and even then some of the information was out of date. Just double check before you head out. There is a lot of urban fishing in Boise and I would have liked to see some more coverage regarding that. The book just skims over it. Its doesn't detract from the book in a major way but if you don't want to leave the city to fish its great stuff to know.
   
   PROS: Lots to read. A great index to help you get right to the area you are looking for, hatch information, Detailed maps, Restaurant, fly shop, hotel, lodging, camping information. (although some of it is no longer correct) 450+ pages of content
   
   If you are looking for an everything Idaho guide for fly fishing this is the one to get. The other Idaho guides like the Fly Fishing Idaho: A Quick, Clear Understanding of Where to Fly Fish in Idaho (No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guides) and Idaho Blue-Ribbon Fly Fishing Guide (Blue-Ribbon Fly Fishing Guides) don't cover nearly as much water as this does but they do seem to be a bit more detailed on the water they do cover.



2. I used this book (and others) to plan a fabulous flyfishing, camping vacation. Then Hurricane Katrina hit. I still peruse the book, waiting for my next 2 week vacation...



3. I have fished in seven states, East, Midwest and West, and have read all the major guides. This guide is one of the best, if not the best, because of its coverage and accurate detail of the major rivers down to out of the way creeks. The lure of Idaho for me is its remote fishing venues. This guide introduces them, then gets you there with all the info to stay comfortably. This is not to say the "Big Boys" ( Snake, Henry,s Fork, Silver creek, Boise, Clearwater ) are given short shrift.Indeed, they are given the blue ribbon treatment they deserve. Stream conditions, wading, drifting, bottom conditions, hatches, suggested flies, and stream access are all covered in detail. Maps are good. You will not have enough time in your fishing life , unfortunately , to use all the info in this fine guide.



4. Outstanding reference and, well written! All fly anglers should have this book as part of their library.



5. If you are planning a trip to Idaho to fish you NEED THIS BOOK. It takes you through the state one area at a time and tells you where, when, how and why. I just bought a cabin in South East Idaho, I'm going to spend 5 or 6 months as soon as the snow melts and I can't wait to put what this book has told me to work.

3 comments about Waterfall Lover's Guide Pacific Northwest: Pacific Northwest : Where To Find Hundreds Of Spectacular Waterfalls In Washington, Oregon, And Idaho.

1. This is a MUST have book for waterfall hunters, Mr.Plumb does a excellent job in telling you how to get to the falls, how hard it is to get to it and how nice the falls are. Plus there are a lot of real nice photo's here,although there all black and white, except the cover of the book.
   I also liked how he has maps of each "section" of the three states in this book.
   Each waterfall listed in the book Mr.Plumb tells you how to get to that waterfall, what kind of waterfall it is, how hard it is to get to it, the height of the falls, a star rating on how nice the falls are, and a little detail about the waterfall, and each waterfall he listed in the book has a very good map on where it is.
   You certainly WILL NOT be disappointed in this book, I use it whenever I look to see what falls I want to go to.



2. I sent for this book at the same time as another book, The first book from another vendor got to my house within a week. I waited the 7 to 21 days and still not book from "Caiman", I e-mailed them and got an automated responce of "7 to 21 day" At 30 days I e-mailed them back, a book got to me at about 31 days, bad business!



3. This fantastic book is in it's 4th or 5th printing. The reason why is because it is so comprehensive, and so thorough, and so original.
   
   The author not only visited literally hundreds of waterfalls all listed in this book, which must have taken months of research, plus travels, and studying of topographic maps, on top of countless miles of hiking, backpacking, and even some boating. The book is also very easy to read. There are no long passages of famous quotes from naturalists of the past. Just lists of waterfalls grouped by region, making it very easy to see more than a few on one trip. Add great directions and maps on how to get there, and superb descriptions of each waterfall. He also rates the waterfalls, gives information on how worthy the view is, how easy or hard it is to get to the waterfall.
   
   If you are a waterfall lover, or even think you're interested in seeing some, this valuable book is as good as it gets.

3 comments about Hiking Idaho, 2nd (State Hiking Series).

1. The trail descriptions are great. The maps are great. The depth is great.

   BUT, there are two things this book is missing that any good hiking book has. Each and every trail description in this book has a 'quick glance' section which lists a quick description, general location, maps, special attractions, difficulty, season and contacts for more information - BUT not trail LENGTH or an estimated time to complete! You have to read the entire description to find the length and probably won't find an estimate of the time required. Sure, this is OK if your friend recommended hike 'X' and you want to look it up. But, it is terrible if you are looking for a hike of, say, 6 miles that you can complete in 3 hours. It's just not readily available - you'd have to read the whole book! Even better, many guides have an index of sorts where you can see this information (and the availablity of backcountry campsites) for all trails at a glance, then go to the specific trail(s) that interest you.

   This is what this otherwise great guide is missing. I returned mine and picked up 'Trails of Western Idaho' by Margaret Fuller instead - which does contain this information. Ms. Fuller's book is older (1992 vs. 1995 for this Falcon Guide), but not terribly so. She has some newer revisions for her other quides and I'm hoping this one will be reviced soon as well!




2. Great book for planning hikes, it's truly a must have with the "seet Spots" serie for anybody planning some hiking in Idaho. Information is accurate but you always need to prepare it using other tools (google earth, topo) and other.



3. I used this to figure out a doable backpack trip with kids. It gives details on how ot get ot the trailhead, park, elevation changes along the trail, distance, times of year to go, good map, and a head's up on permits/ fees/ whether fires are alowed, etc.
   
   We had a sucessful trip and plan to use this book for any additional trip to new places. I would've not known where to go without this book. Has tons of trails for day or overnight hikes, loops, out & back, and overnight stays.

5 comments about A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range Third Edition(Climber's Guide to the Teton Range).

1. A good climbing guide is a personal friend. You spend hours reading about possible climbs, adventures awaiting for you. There is much pleasure in browsing a climbing guide, remembering the climbs you have made, those climbs not completed due to severe weather or other reasons, and all those climbs you have yet to try.
   
   My Teton guidebook has particular value as I always inscribe notes about my climbs: the date, my companions, the weather, route finding tips (or conversely, where I went astray), elapsed time, and other items of interest.
   
   This third edition, 1996, is more than four hundred pages. It is much to bulky and heavy to carry on a climb. But it is a remarkable reference of virtually every climbing route in the Teton Range. The descriptions are detailed and well-written. I have not encountered any climbing guide that is comparable in detail and scope to this work by Leigh Ortenburger and Reynold Jackson.
   
   The number of routes and variations on the favorite peaks can be overwhelming. The most commonly used route is highlighted. Route descriptions range from easy scrambles to difficult climbs requiring substantial technical skill on ice, snow, and rock. Numerous excellent black and white photos with climbing routes overlain are scattered throughout the texts. Also, there are many detailed ink drawings of more difficult climbs.
   
   For climbers new to the Tetons, the authors have listed more than 130 of their favorite routes ranging from easy scrambles to severe climbs 5.12 in difficulty, as well as difficult technical ice climbing routes.
   
   The introduction, some sixty pages, is quite good. Major topics include a history of Teton climbing, descriptions of great climbs and traverses, details on the national park service policy, and a discussion of the difficulty rating system. The section on Teton weather and climatology is both helpful and sobering. Also, on more than one occasion I had reason to appreciate Ortenburger's and Jackson's bushwacking hints for those canyons without maintained trails.
   
   I have used A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range for many years beginning with the first edition dating back to the 1960s by Leigh Ortenburger. In the intervening years a condensed version, an extended version (volume 2), and a second and third edition have been published.
   
   This third edition is really quite exceptional and I highly recommend this guidebook to anyone planning to climb in Grand Teton National Park.



2. Excellent book. Clearly describes hundreds of routes with climbing topo's and ratings. Highly recommended.



3. If you are looking for a comprehensive, detailed, easy to understand reference guide to the history, approaches and routes of the peaks of the Grand Tetons...look no further. Complete with Topos, black and white Arial photographs, and hand drawn route diagrams, this guide is a "must have" in any mountaineer's quiver of guide books. The book opens with a history of the Grand Teton Range and introduces readers to the men and women who explored and developed many of the modern routes enjoyed by all today; particularly the "bold" first accents of the early Teton pioneers Paul Petzoldt and Glenn Exum. The meat of the book can be found in the remaining pages covering everything from, recommended equipment, mountain safety, to detailed accounts of the climbs and approaches on all the jagged peaks of the Teton Range.
   As a climber of 20+ years, I found this book to be extremely helpful on my trips to the Tetons and highly recommend this guide to anyone entertaining the possibility of climbing or hiking in the Teton Range. Whether you are a seasoned climber, or are considering cutting your teeth in one of the most spectacular mountain ranges the United States has to offer, consider this resource a must!



4. exactly what I was looking for. All the detail I needed and more. Please send my thanks to the authors for the great beta.



5. This is the classic guide book for the Tetons. Many pictures and topos are provided to help route finding, however most topos are for the more difficult routes. The text is very descriptive. The book is heavy so be prepared to make photo copies before your climb.

5 comments about Idaho Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. I made the terrible mistake of touring Idaho with an old (1994) edition of the DeLorme Idaho Atlas. Fortunately I had a whole sackful of BLM and Forest Service maps to get me out of tight situations caused by relying on DeLorme's information. The atlas shows roads that are not there, and does not show roads that are there. The land management boundaries are incorrect in many crucial instances, and sites are drastically misplaced.

   I very much like the additional topographical information in the new edition, but I also noticed they did not correct any of the cartographic errors. So-- fine for casual use or for general trip planning, but contact the BLM or Forest Service before you head out on the back roads.




2. Good points: This atlas is the most available and easy to use topographical atlas on the market. It has helped me get into many off-highway areas with great experiences. The roadnames are particularly useful, as these are not on USGS topo maps. Road condition classification also seems to be more accurate than the outdated USGS quads. Bad points: DeLorme gives a false sense of accuracy. On the reverse side of the front cover they advise to measure distance in tenths of miles. No one should pretend to be this accurate at the scale they use. They do explain that the distance will be "slightly" more than measured. On windy roads this could be up to one more mile for every three. My biggest disappointment with the Idaho atlas came after I looked at DeLorme's atlases for Washington and Oregon. Although I have never used them for off-highway travel, it is plain to see that they are better scale, better detail, and there are more features and attractions shown. All the Idaho atlas is is an updated copy of the USGS 1:250K topo maps. Is Idaho not popular enough or what?



3. I use the Delorme Gazetteers, including this one, for planning my fishing trips every year. They include comprehensive coverage of the state in question with sufficient detail to identify all the major topological features one will find, including streams and lakes. Also, they show all the roads. One criticism is that they don't contain road mileages between locations, unlike a highway atlas. But, a highway atlas will not show topographic coutour lines, or indicate locations where one may launch kayaks or rafts, or show locations reputed to have good fishing. I keep a Delorme Gazetteer for each state in which I expect to travel on any extended drive. They enable me to find campgrounds (in the indexes and shown on the maps), roads, topography, and all the essentials to plan a trip.



4. These Delorme Atlas & Gazetters are wondeful. They show you many features not available through GPS, maps or other atlases. It is a great feature to have the BLM lands marked as well as the back roads. Good resources are also included in each states atlas. A good addition to anyone's travel tools.



5. Living in rural Idaho, this guide is a must.
   Is it 100% accurate? Well, no.....our roads are often dirt and change frequently, but it's accurate enough for 99.9% of the situations that drivers would put themselves in.