Yosemite and the High Sierra

Book Description

For sixty years, Ansel Adams photographed among the great peaks of Yosemite National Park and the High Sierra range: the "range of light." Inspired by their grandeur, their wildness, and their primeval mystery, he made photographs that were to become the icons of America's national park ethic. His reverence for these places—the same reverence that fueled his commitment to environmental activism—illuminates each image. Yosemite Falls, the brooding majesty of Half Dome—we can no longer experience these "holy places" without seeing them through Ansel Adams' eyes.

During his lifetime Adams published seven books of images from this region; this new book brings together in a single volume the finest photographs from this vast body of work. Alive with anecdote and insight, his writings serve as backdrop for the images, and John Szarkowski's introduction provides testimony to the enduring impact of Adams' Yosemite vision.

Customer Reviews:

Saint Ansel, Who Art in Heaven, Hallowed Be Thy Name.......2007-09-25

Ansel Adams is SO, like, awesome!!!

These photographs are simply breathtaking! Ansel Adams had this uncanny knack for taking the beautiful mountains, trees, clouds and waterways of the High Sierras, and making them look beautiful. It's so amazing contemplating an Ansel Adams photograph: How he took something only visually stunning and transforming it into something so visually stunning is simply astounding!

How DID he do that?

Exceeded my Expextations.......2006-07-22

This is a beautiful book. I suspect the pints are as high in quality as Ansel would have wished them.
I'm glad I bought this book and will enjoy the pictures contained within it for many years.

Excellent, uncompromised beauty.......1999-07-22

Really great photos of mounatin scapes in and about Yosimite. Waterfalls, forests, mountains and sky. Typical Ansel, most flawless.

Brilliant Waters: Portraits of Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and the High Sierra

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Pretty but Boring; Nothing New
A contrarian point of view
A gorgeous book
Enveloping photos

Brilliant Waters: Portraits of Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and the High Sierra

Manufacturer: Hawks Peak Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Working the Light: A Photography Masterclass (Landscape Photography Mastercl)
Galen Rowell: A Retrospective
Recollections: Three Decades of Photography
Fine Art Photography: Water, Ice and Fog
Mastering Landscape Photography: The Luminous Landscape Essays

ASIN: 0977687708
Release Date: 2006-07-15

Book Description

Brilliant Waters combines Elizabeth Carmel's stunning landscape photography with a wonderful selection of moving poetry. Robert Redford contributes engaging insights and commentary in his beautifully written foreword. This collection of remarkable photographs captures both the intimate details and grand panoramas that exist exclusively in the Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and the High Sierra regions of California and Nevada. This exceptional book is like no other in its subject, scope, and artistry.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-07-06

I bought this book on the strength of the sample photos. Unfortunately, they were the best of the book. The rest were disappointing. Although the book is 94 pages, there are only 44 photos. Most of the pages contain just a title or a silly poem. I'm not sure why this was done, but the word 'padding' comes to mind. Very few of the photos are truly inspiring. As another reviewer said, they are kind of boring.

In the same shipment I received Working the Light by Joe Cornish, full of really stunning photos from various photographers. Highly recommended.

Pretty but Boring; Nothing New.......2007-06-28

Historically, most photographers have printed their own material. Not always, but most. W. Eugene Smith was one who was obsessive about printing his pictures to achieve exatly what it was he wanted. Other photographers did not print their own pictures, but their images shone due to the strength of their new and unique visions and compositions. This is not the case with this book or this photographer.
I found nothing new in these pictures. They are functional, but they are also prosaic and plain, and, unfortunately, reexamine tired themes and compositions previously exhausted. Clearly the photographer has strong Photoshop and printing skills, but there is no authentic or new photographic vision here. The photos look as if she spent more time on the computer than in front of the camera or even looking closely at her subjects. When she photographs a tree branch with the blurred, flowing water behind it, it has been done. Repeatedly. There is a picture on her website taken in Monument Valley that is nearly identical to one oc Ansel Adams's taken in color at least 50 years ago. The picture does not pay homeage nor does it pay respect. It does not rise above the level of mimicry.
The compositions of the photographs are also stale and freshman. The look complacent and convienent. It does not look like much effort was place into their conception or capture. There is another picture of the author on her website phbotographing in the cold and snow. This is not the suffering for one's art that the old masters, I believe, had in mind. I see more emphasis on understanding layers in CS2 than being placed on working to find a different point of view from which to photograph.
I would resists buying this book. The artist's vision and composition skills have not yet exceeded her grasp, and as a result, nothing is any different here. She does not or is not able to connect with her subjects like Weston or Sexton or others. I have no doubt that she will make a lot of money using her pictures for stock photography sales, but I do not recommend this book. It should arrive at your local library soon enough.

A contrarian point of view.......2007-03-29

This book has some very nice and perhaps unique photographic compositions, and it's perhaps worth buying the book for that alone. But I couldn't get past the almost phony or Thomas-Kincade-like appearance of many (certainly not all) of the photos.

If I want to look at paintings I'd rather buy the work of the painter or a book of reproductions. When I buy a photo book of landscapes, where it is being represented that the photos are real representations of actual places and times, that's what I want to see, not cotton-candied, smoothed over prettied-up versions. I suspect that a little too much balancing light and dark areas or messing with contrast values in Photoshop is the culprit, or perhaps something in the chain between the photo digital file and the book printer. A prime example is the cover photo.

However, I suppose that the way the photos look in the book is what the photographer intended, and represents her vision of what her artistic goals are, and that certainly is valid, but just not my taste. I suspect most people will not agree with my opinion, and that is fine, but like I titled this review - it's a contrarian opinion.

A gorgeous book.......2007-03-12

This book is beautiful - the photographs are stunning, and have a strong sense of personal creative vision. I own many landscape photography books, and this instantly became one of my favorites, its images are serene but powerful and take you to a distant place. They go far beyond simply documenting a location, and clearly show the artist's vision and love for these places. If you enjoy landscape or these places, this book shoulds not be missed!

Enveloping photos.......2007-03-09

I really enjoyed the photos, and consider them worthy of study and reflection. They were certainly evocative, and to my eye original.

High Country: A Novel (Literature of the American West)

Average customer rating:

Magnificent Achievement - T. Weck
High Country
High Praise and A Higher Recommendation
High Country a winner
a quiet strength

High Country: A Novel (Literature of the American West)
Willard Wyman
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Across the High Lonesome
Broken Trail
Five Star First Edition Westerns - Camp Ford: A Western Story (Five Star First Edition Westerns)
The Undertaker's Wife
A Tourist In The Yucatan

ASIN: 0806136979

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent Achievement - T. Weck.......2007-06-08

I admire a spellbinding story where the characters are real, their choices and dilemmas have a grab that keeps you absorbed by their story. Then you add to this a complete understaning of the settings, the profession, the way people behave in the wilderness West, and it becomes an insight into a vanishing breed as an extra bonus beyond being a great story. The prose is as good as it gets - it often has a poetic quality. This book should be a best-seller: that is the bottom line, plain and simple.

High Country.......2007-04-10

Great book, hard read, must find a place that has no noise, then you will get through, you will enjoy it. Sound like a prop from a college wrote it.
Over all I enjoyed it.

High Praise and A Higher Recommendation.......2007-01-28

Read this. It will stay with you. And it will probably lead you to check internet sites for pack trips into the mountains of western Montana and the Sierras of California so that you can experience what the novel describes and visit with the characters even more closely.

I loved this. One of my favorite reads of the last year. It communicates a life ethic that is 180 degrees from the culturally promoted one of contemporary American life. The persons you meet within its pages will awaken memories of folks from the margins of your life.

I can't say enough good things. It deserves to reach a wide audience. Make sure you've got plenty of time to give to this novel because you'll find you want to keep going and going till you've reached camp.

High Country a winner.......2007-01-05

Great book if you love the mountains and enjoy escaping into a great story line with wonderful descriptions of the life of a packer in the mountains. I could not put the book down!

a quiet strength.......2006-07-03

It's been 50 years since I last went on a packing trip (in the
Wyoming Bighorns) and Wyman's novel brings back many pleasant
memories. This is not an "action" novel, nor is it dramatic in
the usual sense of that word. It is a novel about a man who
coexits with nature--a kind of mutual respect rather than a
battle. Introspection and inner strength are the key words here.
Ty Hardin has relationships with people to be sure, and these are
important to him, but it is his relationship to the mountains and
the wilderness which is the crucial point. There are dramatic
moments--a lot of them--but in the high mountains of Montana and
California these are natural and expected (e.g. you are going
to have bad weather fronts moving in).

The writing is moving and very satisfying, and come from the
heart of someone who has lived the life that Ty Hardin does.
Packing is an unusual subject for a novel, but suddenly we have
two at the same time--High Country and Brumfield's Across the
High Lonesome--and both are excellent reading.

Climbing California's High Sierra, 2nd: The Classic Climbs on Rock and Ice

Average customer rating:

Definitely a keeper
More a collection of anectodes than a guide book
The must have guide for all aspiring High Sierra climbers.

Climbing California's High Sierra, 2nd: The Classic Climbs on Rock and Ice
John Moynier , and Claude Fiddler
Manufacturer: Falcon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

High Sierra Climbing: California's Best High Country Climbs
The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails
Climbing California's Fourteeners: The Route Guide to the Fifteen Highest Peaks
The Good, the Great, and the Awesome: The Top 40 High Sierra Rock Climbs (Eastern Sierra Climbing Guides Ser. 4)
Rock Climbing Tuolumne Meadows, 4th (Regional Rock Climbing Series)

ASIN: 0762710853

Book Description

In addition to detailed route descriptions, topos, and route ratings, the book offers a history of climbing in the region. A must-have for California climbers and for any climber traveling to the Sierra.

Customer Reviews:

Definitely a keeper.......2005-12-14

This is actually the second edition to "Sierra Classics: 100 Best Climbs in the High Sierra," although it has a new name. I gave the first one 5 stars and I feel just as strongly about this one. There has been some minor tweaking of the route selections, but the total number described is about the same.

There is more narrative in this edition, and it is smoother reading. Way more than just a guide book, the many historical notes make the book very entertaining reading. I think that many people, picking it up to find out about a particular peak or route, will extend their visit and end up reading it cover to cover.

There are more topos than before, and rock climbers will appreciate that. Personally, I prefer the thrill of discovery in the Sierra, and would rather work out the details on my own.

As with the first edition, I am familiar with a number of the routes described in the book, and the authors have done a fine job of selection. While most of them are 5th class, class 3 and 4 climbs are also represented. So there is something for everyone.

More a collection of anectodes than a guide book.......2004-04-27

This book is more a collection of climbing history and anectodes than a profound guide book. In particular for easier climbs (less than 5.9) the technical route description is usually less than 2 sentences. Consistent information on wall height, number of pitches, typical climbing times, rock quality and necessary gear are missing completely. Only for some routes (mostly rated 5.10a or higher or very popular ascents in the Mt. Whitney range) handdrawn topos are provided that let you guess some of the details in advance. The only valuable information available for EVERY route is a photo of the mountain with the line of ascent.

In case of a third edition the authors should familiarize with international standards. A more formal approach will prevent neglecting the large number of climbs that they have NOT done by themselves.

The must have guide for all aspiring High Sierra climbers........2002-01-15

This is the 2nd edition of Moynier's and Fiddler's High Sierra "best of" guide. John Moynier and Claude Fiddler are very experienced Sierra climbers/guides with hundreds of routes and dozens of firsts to their respective credits. The authors have painstakenly selected over 100 outstanding routes ranging from moderate class 3 peak bagging exercises to Grade V walls and Grade VI linkup routes. The represented climbs are among the most popular and most sought after climbs in the range. Climbers of all skills and goals will benefit from this guide. They provide topos, verbal approach, climbing and descent descriptions and a rich historical perspective on climbing in the Range of Light.

Improvements in this guide include more detailed topos, a larger selection of alternate routes, more historical anecdotes, and a refined selection of climbs.

While this book is an excellent stand alone guide, many climbers would benefit from RJ Secor's Peaks, Passes and Trails as a companion guide.

Book Description

A guidebook to the best rock climbs in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California

Customer Reviews:

Classic Climbs.......2006-07-03

This is probably my favorite guide to the Sierra and I drool just thinking about the opportunities Croft has opened up for anyone seeking a challenge. Mt tattered dog-eared copy sits right over my desk, so I can take it down and be reminded of all there is that is great.

I've used Good, Great, Awesome to add to my list of High Sierra routes. With great photos by Galen Rowell and Dan Patitucci, topo maps and Croft's hand-drawn routes, it's thorough and to the point. This is the way a guide book should be done.

Very useful addition to the Sierra Climber's library.......2003-08-07

Croft has such stature in the climbing world that by mere inclusion of a Sierra route in this book, he will define it as a classic for the next generation of climbers. We bought this book in an East Side climbing shop en route to the Sierras to bag classic climbs, and found it very useful. The topos aren't up to modern standards (e.g., "Supertopos"), but there is enough detail to get an experienced climber up most of these routes. The major contribution is to identify the classic routes of the range, something he is highly qualified to do. If you plan to do much technical climbing in the High Sierra, buy it.

Average customer rating:

Great Book!
Earth below us, drifting falling

Thelonius Monster's Sky-High Fly-Pie
Judy Sierra
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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My Cat, the Silliest Cat in the World
Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
Mammoths on the Move
Adele & Simon
Library Lion

ASIN: 0375832181
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Book Description

Thelonius Monster once swallowed a fly, and decided that flies would taste grand in a pie. That silly guy!

Judy Sierra’s funny read-aloud romp presents a monster that children will love as he makes a goo-filled crust, lures hundreds and thousands of succulent flies into it, and invites his “disgusting-ist” friends and relations to a gala fly-pie party. “How it glistens! And listen—it hums!” shout the ravenous monsters. But just as his guests are about to dig in—the pie flies off. “Bye, bye, fly pie.”

Judy Sierra’s story in rhyme begs to be read aloud during Halloween season or any season, and Edward Koren’s signature hairy monsters capture all the humor of this deliciously gross tale.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!.......2006-09-02

I love reading this book to my kids, ages 6 and 8. I enjoy the story as much as they do. It is a simple story, easy and very enjoyable to read. I think the words are clever and have a nice flow to them, and the story is really cute.

Earth below us, drifting falling.......2006-05-18

The cartoonists of the New Yorker have never been able to resist the siren song of the world of children's book illustration. Some of them, particularly Harry Bliss, have made the transition without so much as a hiccup. And of course it goes the other way around too. William Steig for years drew odd and bizarre little pieces for the mag when he wasn't penning children's classics. Edward Koren is another matter altogether. I've always loved his furry, hairy, wide-eyed people/monsters/birds/etc. Till now only book to his name was his own, "Very Hairy Harry". Now he's been paired with Judy Sierra of, "Wild About Books" fame. The result is, "Thelonius Monster's Sky-High Fly Pie" with black and white pen and inks by Koren. It's not the most original of books and the rhymes leave something to be desired, but it remains amusing enough to satisfy those parents who already like the illustrator or the author and want something droll for the nursery.

Written in rhyme the story tells the tale of Thelonius Monster (no relation to Mr. Monk) who realizes one day that flies are delicious. So delicious, in fact, that he decides to bake hundreds and thousands of them into a pie. To do so Thelonius makes a crust with an extra-sticky filling, then lures his flies from every conceivable (slash disgusting) place to stick to his pie. That done, the guest-monsters arrive and look forward to a delicious repast. All seems to be going when until all of a sudden the pie lifts off of the ground thanks to the flapping wings of the flies. It takes off, the crust falls to the ground, and the flies are free. You might think that old Thelonius would be disheartened by this development, but his guests love the taste of the now fallen crust and tell him, "You're a fabulous cook! You're a wonderful guy!". Happy ending for all.

What Sierra has done here is provide us with an alternative to the old I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie story. Sierra's chorus even offers the little after-rhymes that mimic the "perhaps she'll die" portion of the original song. Don't try to sing this book to the "Old Lady" tunes, though. Sierra's lines scan but sometimes shoot off into entirely different directions, making them impossible to sing. I give extra points to Sierra for the use of the word, "galumphing", by the way, since it's such an amusing little word. The story is fine too. It's not extraordinary. It won't grab you by the collar and wake you up. It's just nice. People who like it will like it and people who are bored with it will be bored.

Koren does some lovely things with this story. Eschewing any color except for the green of the flies' wings, the book is primarily drawn in black ink. The flies, for their part, have small human faces, which makes their eventual escape that much more pleasant. There is a rather manure-laden sequence in which Thelonius locates four different animals, each of whom has recently... um... produced some natural fertilizer (if you know what I mean). The flies congregate and the monster is able to capture them. Actually, it took me four or five readings of the book before I realized what this two-page spread was really about. Undoubtedly some parents will have a greater dislike of such a sequence in a picture book than others. Koren has certainly made Sierra's words make sense, but the amount of manure verges on the excessive. I was still fond of the book, though. I liked the signs held up at the end by the other monsters (and some flies) in Thelonius's honor. The sign, "Marry Me, Thelonius" was one of my favorites.

"Sky-High Fly Pie" is by no means meant to be confused with, "The High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious Sky Pie Angel Food Cake", though you could be forgiven for doing so. It is a fine book and will garner some fans. Nice all around.

Average customer rating:

stunning
howl at the moon

The High Sierra of California
Gary Snyder , Tom Killion , and John Muir
Manufacturer: Heyday Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Obata's Yosemite: The Art and Letters of Chiura Obata from His Trip to the High Sierra in 1927
Danger on Peaks: Poems
Mountains and Rivers Without End
Back on the Fire: Essays
The Gary Snyder Reader: Prose, Poetry, and Translations

ASIN: 1890771511

Book Description

Combining the dramatic and meticulous work of printmaker Tom Killion--accented by quotes from John Muir--and the journal writings of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gary Snyder, The High Sierra of California is a tribute to the bold, jagged peaks that have inspired generations of naturalists, artists, and writers.

For over thirty years, Tom Killion has been backpacking the High Sierra, making sketches of the region stretching from Yosemite south to Whitney and Kaweah Crest, which he calls "California's backbone." Using traditional Japanese and European woodcut techniques, Killion has created stunning visual images of the Sierra that focus on the backcountry above nine thousand feet, accessible only on foot.

Accompanying these riveting images are the journals of Gary Snyder, chronicling more than forty years of foot travels through the High Sierra backcountry. "Athens and Rome, good-bye!" writes Snyder, as he takes us deep into the mountains on his daily journeys around Yosemite and beyond.

Originally printed in a limited, handmade, letterpress edition, The High Sierra of California is now available in an affordable, full-color trade edition.

Customer Reviews:

stunning.......2007-02-07

This book is stunning the woodblock prints are so beautiful they almost make you cry. We spend a lot of time in the sierras and this book shows the beauty of these mountains better than any photographs. Get the book
look at the pictures then do your family a favor and go spend time in these incredible mountains.

howl at the moon.......2002-06-17

hop up and down in your Teva sandals. Wade the great streams as they roar over round stones down from ancient peaks... dance the silver dance of the wild rainbow... but find a place in your ultralight backpack for this book. It deserves a place next to that bag of peanuts, your titanium cup; worth its weight in gold dust from the river, split pea soup from the pouch. Ancient shaman tales and woodcut journeys... yamabushi of the mind, and lots of white space for taking your own cryptic outerspace trailnotes...

Hiking the Great Basin: The High Desert Country of California, Nevada, and Utah (Sierra Club Totebook)

Average customer rating:

Indispensable but needs updated edition
good things come in small packages!

Hiking the Great Basin: The High Desert Country of California, Nevada, and Utah (Sierra Club Totebook)
John Hart
Manufacturer: Sierra Club Books for Children
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Sierra Club | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

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50 Classic Hikes in Nevada: From the Ruby Mountains to Red Rock Canyon

ASIN: 0871566397

Book Description

Completety revised and updated. this definitive guidebook covers the vast, rugged landscape of the Great Basin region, an arid land broken by hundreds of mountain ranges (with peaks rising to as high as 14,000 feet), breathtaking canyons and cliffs, pine forests and aspen groves, lush-banked streams, even waterfalls and lakes.

Veteran hiker John Hart offers a wealth of information on this spectacular region, including:
-- Geology, ecology, desert plants and animals, history, and environmental concerns
-- Detailed descriptions of some 90 routes -- from easy nature walks to advanced cross-country treks
-- Tips on camping, supply points, weather, desert roads and driving conditions, and water sources
-- 47 detailed maps

Customer Reviews:

Indispensable but needs updated edition.......2004-02-07

John Hart is the real deal, and anyone hiking the Great Basin needs this book. His mileages are accurate and so are his descriptions of routes. The only criticism I offer is that the book is a bit dated--for example, there is an easy-to-follow use trail to Morey Peak instead of the XC route description JH offers. Also worth noting is that JH must have a very low-slung vehicle. Driving a garden-variety SUV (1996 Jeep Cherokee) I have never had any trouble on any of the roads he describes.

Happy Hiking, M

good things come in small packages!.......2000-01-19

This is a book that packs a lot of worthy information into a small book that is easy to backpack. You will need detailed topo maps as those in the book are for overview only, but the hikes are exquisitely detailed and accurate. Many of the trips are in the less well-known areas of Nevada and Eastern California and will please those who like to hike without meeting anyone else. The author encourages readers to find alternative routes to destinations and, although most of the trips are to peaks, there are some easier canyon hikes. Longer trips definitely need experience and route-finding abilities.

The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country

Average customer rating:

The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country
Wonderful off-trail hiking in the Sierra
Great book for the strong willed
practical guide to an undescribable experience
A good book

The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country
Steve Roper
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Walking | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails
Sierra South: Backcountry Trips in Californias Sierra Nevada
Sierra North: Backcountry Trips in Californias Sierra Nevada
Guide to the John Muir Trail
The John Muir Trail: Through the Californian Sierra Nevada (Cicerone Guide)

ASIN: 0898865069

Customer Reviews:

The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country.......2007-03-09

A FANTASTIC book about an awesome wilderness area! This is a must do hiking trail for me. I bought my brother this same book and I'm already planning our hike.

Wonderful off-trail hiking in the Sierra.......2006-04-06

This book is the ideal companion for everyone who likes walking off-trail on uneven terrain with a heavy pack. We used it last summer to hike a section of "the high route" (from devils postpile to tuolumne meadows) and it was so marvelous, we are going back this summer for another section. Roper gives exactly the amount of indications needed for a successful trip, although some experience in off-trail mountain-hiking is required. The high route is not trivial, even if no technical climbing is involved. The only thing: for most people it doesn't matter to have a single connected route. It would be nice to have other (shorter) routes in the same style, which are not necessarily connected. Maybe in another book? I don't know of anything comparable.

Great book for the strong willed.......2000-11-28

My girlfriend and I recently took some of Ropers advice on a Mt. Conness Loop 5 day hike in Yosemite. It was an increadible trip. Roper gives just enough hints to get you there but few enough to make it still feel like exploring. Be advised however when he referes a section of your hike as 'adventurous' or 'exciting' he means it. We pushed ourselves to the physical and mental limit on this trip.

practical guide to an undescribable experience.......1999-12-23

This book outlines a magnificent experience following an off-trail, higher version of the Muir Trail through the High Sierra. We have followed most of Roper's route over several years: sometimes we thought we were lost or overwhelmed, but it always turned out fine, and usually excellent. He treads a fine line between complete instructions that would allow no mistakes, and an experience that gives the hiker their own opportunity for route-finding, discovery, and growth. This is one of our favorite books, and we keep an intact copy plus another one torn apart for each journey and sometimes given away to people met along the way who need it. We still travel the trail some of the time, but genuinely value this alternative farther away from the crowds.

A good book.......1999-10-14

I made good use of this book to plan a wonderful cross-country trip in the Sierra. Roper was kind of vague at times, but I never got lost.

Book Description

Every year, some five million people head for the hills—California's Eastern Sierra hills, that is. At long last, those millions of skiers, snowboarders, hikers, climbers, anglers, snowshoers, golfers, campers, cyclists, sledders, wildflower-hunters and sightseers have an indispensable resource: Mammoth from the Inside: The Honest Guide to Mammoth & the Eastern Sierra.

This comprehensive new guidebook was a labor of love for Colleen Dunn Bates, author of Storybook Travels and The Unofficial Guide to California with Kids. An avid skier and hiker, Bates has combined her lifelong love for Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra with her extensive experience as a travel writer and guidebook editor. The result is a great read—a savvy book loaded with essential information for everyone headed to the mountains: rock-climbing 20somethings to car-camping seniors, skiing families to fishing buddies, backpacking adventurers to spa-loving sybarites.

Mammoth from the Inside provides readers with in-the-know reviews of the best places to stay, camp, eat, ski, snowboard, hike, fish, bike and play in this mountain paradise. It's also full of great tips: where to rent and buy gear, how to find a babysitter, where to find Mammoth's best margarita, how to avoid speeding tickets on the 395, where to get a good massage, how to prevent altitude sickness, where to find a romantic cabin, and much, much more.

Highlights include:
> How to make the most of crowded holiday ski weekends
> The best condos, cabins and motels for all price ranges
> Memorable summertime hikes, from easy strolls to adventurous climbs
> The top ten sights in the Eastern Sierra
> The dos & don'ts of ski and snowboard school
> Mammoth's best restaurants, coffeehouses and happy hours
> Great places to sled, kayak, fish, snowshoe, bike, climb and hike . . . or doze by a lake
> The best secret runs on Mammoth and June mountains
> Gorgeous campgrounds from Bishop to June Lake
> Incredible backcountry adventures, from pack trips to guided ski trips
> Good eats on Highway 395

Customer Reviews:

Terrific !.......2006-09-05

Pros - 1. This book is a very easy read. 2. Lots of very good information that you wouldn't find any place else. 3. The book is always prominently at the different Mammoth sport goods stores so its clearly popular.

Comments - 1. I really disagreed with one of her recommendations. But that is completely understandable. 2. There seems to be a little problem in mammoth with food being completely cooked at their restaurants. My wife got food poisoned at one place and my kids weren't feeling real good. The next day I talked with a "local business manager" who said she doesn't recommend restaurants in mammoth for this reason. The bottom line is to make sure your food is completely cooked and if it isn't send it back ! There are just too many fun things to do in mammoth instead of being sick.

A goldmine of information........2005-04-06

As an avid skier and hiker I have found Mammoth from the Inside to be a goldmine of information. I keep it in my Jeep so I can find those great, really special, out-of-the-way Mammoth places Dunn Bates has discovered.

I'm a Mammoth Lakes resident and learned things I never knew.......2005-02-22

Very well written and concise guidebook on Mammoth Lakes and the surrounding area and region. We enjoyed Ms. Dunn-Bates light sense of humor, which made for easy and understandable reading. My wife and I have been residents of Mammoth Lakes for over 20 years, making the trek to L.A. and back many times, and Ms. Dunn-Bates wrote about stops and sights along 395 that we now must make time for! Good job!

MAMMOTH FROM THE INSIDE.......2004-11-16

What a great book! Thanks to the author's casual style and comprehensive knowledge, reading MAMMOTH FROM THE INSIDE is like getting "insider" postcards from a good buddy. A must-have book for outdoor enthusiasts.

Loved it........2004-11-13

I've been a Mammoth enthusiast for a few years and thought I was pretty familiar with the scene, but there is really more to this area than I knew. We're winter sports enthusiasts, but now my husband and I are thinking of doing our summer family reunion up there. My three kids (ages 19 to 26) also ski and do trips to Mammoth on their own as well as with the family. They are all getting this book as a stocking stuffer for X-mas. We travel a lot and I rely on guidebooks all the time. As far as I can tell, this is the only Mammoth book out there. It has a kind of breezy style and is an insider's guide to a town I thought I knew well.

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