BOOKS ABOUT BACKPACKING

Classic Treks : The 30 Most Spectacular Hikes in the World

By: Bill Birkett

Classic Treks will help you realize your dreams -- of trekking among the world's highest mountains, discovering remote areas far from the noise and stress of civilization, encountering rare animals and birds, glorying in sunsets over snow-covered peaks, and experiencing the satisfaction of completing some of the world's most spectacular hikes.

Written by a team of experienced guides who have hiked each of the featured treks, the text evokes the scenery, wildlife, forests and flowers, and local culture -- and transports you to some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the world. Detailed fact files provide all the essential information needed to plan your trip: distance and duration, difficulty and altitude, permits, maps and guidebooks, when to visit, health and personal safety, as well as key features about wildlife, plants, facilities, local food and customs, and scenic highspots.

Stunning photographs, illustrations, and specially commissioned maps combine to give a vivid picture of the special nature of each hike and also provide a visual guide to the terrain and difficulty level. A practical introductory section gives advice on choosing a trek, equipment, preparation, general health and safety, tips on camping and provisioning, and guidance about how to protect the wilderness in which you are hiking.

From the depths of the Grand Canyon to the foothills of Everest, Classic Treks provides both inspiration and information to help you plan your next adventure. Hikes vary from two days to three weeks in length, and from high altitude climbs in rugged, remote country to undemanding coastal walks, so that no matter whether you are a highly experienced hiker or weekend adventurer, you will find routes to suit your capabilities and inclinations.

With a worldwide directory of useful contracts, and covering all the major mountain ranges in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia, Classic Treks is sure to be the ultimate inspiration for hikers worldwide.

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Californias Wilderness Areas the Complete Guide Mountains and Coastal Ranges

By: George Wuerthner

Nearly fifteen percent of California is designated as wilderness, more square miles of wildlands than any other state except Alaska. This volume includes 60 wilderness areas, from little-known gems to national treasures such as John Muir and Ansel Adams Wildernesses. Each entry highlights the area's geology, ecosystems, plant and animal species, and recreational opportunities, along with schematic maps and suggested hikes--all the information you'll need to enjoy California's myriad wilderness areas.

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The Complete Book of Outdoor Survival

By: Wayne J. Fears

The popularity of outdoor activities is exploding as millions take to woodland trails, mountains, and deserts in search of adventure. But with adventure comes risk, and outdoor enthusiasts need the know-how to survive in a dangerous situation. This book offers that information. Scouts and hikers, hunters and fishermen, will take to the field with confidence carrying this book in their packs. More than 550 photos and illustrations support topics ranging from edible plants and animals to making solar stills and smoking meat. Each chapter contains exciting real life examples of people in survival situations. The revised edition of this highly successful classic is the perfect gift for everyone who loves the outdoors.

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Foghorn Outdoors: California Hiking

By: Tom Stienstra, Ann Marie Brown

In this new edition, all trail specifics have been updated. Added are synopses of the area's outstanding features, environmental status, and "report cards" grading particular hikes for beauty, number of people, access, campgrounds, side trips, and secret spots.

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The Backpacker's Photography Handbook

By: Charles Campbell

Whether you're on an afternoon hike or scaling the Himalayas, backpacking adventures are ideal for taking spectacular pictures. This book covers all the rigors of living and photographing outdoors, from protecting equipment to shooting on the move.

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The Complete Walker III : The Joys and Techniques of Hiking and Backpacking

By: Colin Fletcher

According to Colin Fletcher, walking can become an addiction. But it can also be therapy; he sometimes walks "along (a) ridge in order to think uncluttered thoughts or to feel with accuracy, or to sweat away a hangover, or to achieve some other worthy end." His guide touches on the spiritual but also gets down to brass tacks with a grandfather's authority. Heavy with specifics, Fletcher suggests which socks to wear and how to choose a boot based on one of the four available lacing options. He'll tell you how to pack the "house on your back," and he'll even tell you how to walk (yes, there is a proper technique to efficient walking). But Fletcher isn't an academic; his style is soothing and funny. And he'll tell you that above all, you shouldn't take your technique too seriously--walking is supposed to be fun.

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Hiking & Backpacking : A Complete Guide (A Trailside Guide Series)

By: Karen Berger, John Viehman

Never before have so many Americans wanted to experience the wild corners of this land. Now this complete guide gives them the tools and the skills to do so. Packed with imaginative ideas for the greater enjoyment of day hikes and long-distance treks alike, beginners and pros will benefit from this invaluable guide. Color photos.

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Everyday Wisdom : 1,001 Expert Tips for Hikers

By: Karen Berger

Here are expert tips and tricks for hikers and backpackers covering everything from packing and planning to field repairs and emergency improvisations.

Can't find the hole in the air mattress? Need tips for backcountry meals? A surprise cold front has rolled in...need some improvised gloves, fast? You'll find the answers in Everyday Wisdom: 1001 Expert Tips for Hikers by Karen Berger. A few small tricks from a seasoned expert make all the difference.

Here is a one-stop easy-to-use collection of practical advice, time-saving tips, problem-solving techniques, brilliant improvisations, and everyday wisdom to show hikers how to make their way, and make do, in the backcountry. The secret is preparing for the predictable and solving problems by avoiding them. Learn about the basics, food and kitchen, travel across backcountry terrain, creating comfort, weather issues, staying healthy, water, field repairs, equipment maintenance between trips, and much more.

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Making Camp : The Complete Guide for Hikers, Mountain Bikers, Paddlers & Skiers

By: Dennis Coello, John Harlin, Alan Kesselheim, Steve Howe

Here is a comprehensive, detailed camping how-to compiled by Backpacker field experts for anyone traveling by foot, boat, bicycle, or skis, through all kinds of terrain, year-around. Gleaned from the lifetime experiences of four Backpacker magazine field experts, this compendium of advice, checklists, suggestions, priorities, rules of thumb, and special considerations presents the best from the best. Learn how to select sites, arrange your kitchen, build a portable toilet, pitch a tent, build a fire, and leave no trace.

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Primitive Wilderness Living and Survival Skills

By: John McPherson, Geri McPherson

A complete, intensive how-to on ALL of the SKILLS that one would need to not only survive, but to live comfortably in the wilderness for an extended period. The ten chapters were first written as complete how-to books in themselves before being compiled. THEY WORK! Subjects include: brain tanning - friction fire making - cordage (string & rope) making - making a bow & arrow - traps and other food gathering techniques - primitive cooking techniques - dressing out large game - baskets and other containers - primitive pottery - tools from stone - wood and bone - primitive, semi-permanent shelters that shields not only from elements but allows internal fires ... and more! There is no other work available anywhere at any price that compares with this book. There are more than 700 photographs to illustrate this massive work - they used photo's to illustrate because they were tired of seeing drawings by others that couldn't (and didn't) work.

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The Outward Bound Backpacker's Handbook

By: Glenn Randall, Outward Bound

This book should be at the top of every adventurer's equipment list. Written by one of the most experienced and knowledgeable outdoorsman in North America, this manual includes instructions for everything from ecologically conscious trailside cooking to responsible trip-planning. Randall specifies how to buy the right boots, tents, and sleeping bags; how to keep warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather; and how to pack a backpack for greatest efficiency. He also addresses trekking with children, the use of environmentally friendly latrines, foot care and other first-aid concerns, as well as the wisest approach to dealing with bears, mosquitoes, poison plants, and everything in between. Filled with practical advice and invaluable insight, "The Outward Bound Backpacker's Handbook" is the essential reference book for every modern backpacker.

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Winter Camping, 2d

By: Stephen Gorman

Completely revised and expanded, this AMC classic covers the essentials of staying warm and safe in the winter. Used in outdoor education classes from Maine to Minnesota, this guide is a must have for hikers, skiers, snowshoers, mountaineers, and snow boarders.

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