Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Important Resource for Hiking the Lost Coast, August 22, 2007
California's Lost Coast offers some of the most rugged hiking in the state. Trails are few and far between and generally are not constructed to modern standards. Services are even less common. Outside of the tiny communities of Shelter Cove, Petrolia, and Honeydew, travellers looking for nice accomodations will find very little that resembles the visitor ammenities commonly available along Hwy 1 and US 101 which covers the rest of the coast. This is simply not the place for 4 and 5 star dinning and hotels. Even paved roads are pretty rare. The bottom line then, if you want to explore this scenic area, is that you will have to do it on foot or by horseback. This map by Wilderness Press is probably your best resource for such explorations.
The map has a number of nice features. It is printed on water and tear proof paper. One side shows the King Range National Conservation Area and the reverse side shows Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. This is, therefore, the only map that shows the whole 64 miles of the Lost Coast Trail. The accompanying text, by veteran hiking author John McKinney, describes camping and day hiking opportunities as well as the various state and federal regulations you will need to know if you plan to backpack. He also describes some of the history and archeological sites in the region.
On the whole, I found this a useful resource and I am already planning a return trip to the region. My one concern with this map is that I would like to see closer contour lines in an area where the trails are so steep and regularly follow the ridge lines up and down (with few, or any, switchbacks). The King's Range side of this map has contour intervals at 500 feet. The Sinkyone map has the interval at a somewhat more useful 250'. But if you can find the BLM map of the King Range, it has contour intervals at 100' and is far more detailed. Alas, it is hard to obtain, even in northern California outdoor stores and park visitor centers. It also does not include the Sinkyone portion of the Lost Coast. So until a better map is available, this Wilderness Press revision is your best resource for exploring the Lost Coast area. It is well worth the price.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Bought it, but didn't use it on the trail, October 1, 2007
In researching The Lost Coast, I bought this map to decide on our campsites along the 24+ mile trail, and to get a better sense of where our water sources would be. Upon reaching our destination, however, we stopped at the BLM to get permits, and got a better map there for $5. They also gave us important information about recent landslides in the area and tricky tide spots that were not listed on the map available here.
It's not a bad investment for planning purposes, but if you are a map person and care about the most up-to-date details, go for the BLM map or a better topo map. The BLM people were super nice and informative and they appreciate the hiker data, so pay them a visit!
Either way, have a great trip - it is a beautiful place!!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Great map., May 2, 2009
My friend and I rode the Lost Range on our motorcycles. We used this map and we had a great time. Get out there and explore.
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