75 Scrambles in Washington: Classic Routes to the Summits [Paperback]

Peggy Goldman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you enjoy off-trail hiking, this is the only guide you'll need." -- Rockclimbing.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898867614
• ISBN-13: 978-0898867619
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #468,947 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Washington

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice idea generator, October 1, 2002

By 

Mike Garrison (Covington, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 75 Scrambles in Washington: Classic Routes to the Summits (Paperback)

Goldman's book contains a lot of interesting trip suggestions. Sure, anyone doing much climbing in the Cascades should own Beckey. I also recommend Jeff Smoot's "Climbing Washington's Mountains". And if you can get it, snag a copy of Dallas Kloke's "One Day Winter Climbs In The Cascades". But this book also has a place in the library of a scrambler.

My main objection is the limitation Goldman seems to place on her trips. The hardest climbs are just a little too easy. She would really open things up to another great 50 climbs if she were willing to go just a little bit farther into the Class 3 climbing arena.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Use it for inspiration, use other books for information, July 7, 2002

By 

Andrew Leonard "Andy L" (Bellevue, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 75 Scrambles in Washington: Classic Routes to the Summits (Paperback)

This book fills an interesting niche, focusing on alpine scrambles instead of the fourth and fifth class routes that fill the bulk of most climbing guidebooks. As such, it is a great resource when thinking about where to go on your next trip. Unfortunately, the information in the book is often neither detailed nor accurate enough to rely on; I find myself having to use Beckey's Cascade Alpine Guide and the Climber's Guide to the Olympic Mountains to supplement it for specific and reliable route details.

As a case in point, consider scramble number 74, "The Brothers": The GPS coordinates listed are wrong, ironic for an author that touts her "extensive experience with map and compass and GPS use." (The coordinates are in the wrong UTM Grid Zone; if you assume that she meant 10T instead of 10U, one is off by nearly a quarter mile.) Some of the coordinates that she does provide aren't particularly useful - obvious sites such as the trailhead, the summit and a large lake on the route - while those that would be useful, such as where the route crosses "The Nose," are omitted. Worst of all, the actual scramble description is cursory, as short as the trailhead driving directions.

Consider this book if you're looking for ideas for alpine scrambles - some in here are true classics. If you do buy the book, however, look for better route descriptions elsewhere, and turn a skeptical eye to trip details, lest they get you in trouble out in the woods.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Try Fred Beckey instead., November 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: 75 Scrambles in Washington: Classic Routes to the Summits (Paperback)

You're much better off buying the Beckey books on which most of these route descriptions seem to be based. Also a lot of the GPS coordinates don't match up against maps.