75 Hikes in California's Lassen Park & Mount Shasta Regions (100 Hikes In...) [Paperback]

John R. Soares (Author)

Book Description

Series: 100 Hikes In... | Publication Date: May 15, 2006

Covers California's Lassen and Mt. Shasta regions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; Rev Upd edition (May 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898864666
• ISBN-13: 978-0898864663
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been a successful full-time freelance writer since 1994, specializing in creating content for college textbook publishers and also in outdoors writing. My ProductiveWriters.com blog helps freelance writers win high paying assignments and get them done quickly so they have more time for the rest of their lives. I'm the author of Writing College Textbook Supplements, second edition, and Intelligent Productivity for Freelance Writers. I'm also the co-author of 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California, third edition, and author of 75 Hikes in California's Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic National Park Regions, revised edition, both published by The Mountaineers Books (Seattle).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mostly in and About Mt. Lassen, April 7, 2007

By 

Fritz R. Ward "dayhiker" (Crestline, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 75 Hikes in California's Lassen Park & Mount Shasta Regions (100 Hikes In...) (Paperback)

The old saying "You can't judge a book by its cover" simply does not apply to this new edition of '75 Hikes' by John R. Soares. Indeed, the cover photo of Mt. Lassen reflected in the pristine waters of Lake Helen is almost worth the price of the book itself. If that photo doesn't sell you on the joys of the southern Cascade range, nothing will. As soon as I saw the cover, I was already dreaming about another visit.

Just as Mt. Lassen dominates the cover of this book, trails in and around Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park dominate the text. Although the book has 5 chapters, each corresponding to a specific area, the first two make up almost 2/3 of the hikes described here. This is as it should be. Mt. Lassen is probably the most accessible of the major peaks in the Cascades. The rest of the park is also heavily geared towards hikers: numerous lakes, peaks, meadows, cinder cones, waterfalls, and thermal features invite hikers to linger in this remarkable place and Soares does an excellent job of describing short and long hiking opportunities for these destinations. Most of the routes he suggests make for pleasant day hikes but he also includes numerous backpacking options.

The material for Mt. Shasta and Lava Beds National Monument is understandably more limited. The main thing I got out of this section is that if I want to climb Mt. Shasta I should sign up with a guided expedition. I have lots of hiking and backpacking experience at high elevations, but none with ice axes and crampons on glaciers. Judging by Soares's descriptions, this is an absolute necessity for a successful climb on Shasta. Soares does list several options for hikers not intent on bagging the summit.

On the whole, this is an excellent guidebook. If you are interested in hiking northeastern California, '75 Hikes' is a good starting point. All the classics are included: Burney Falls, Captain Jack's Stronghold, Bumpass Hell Themal Works in Lassen Park, and many others. Nice black and white photos accompany the text which is well written and moderately humorous in places. In all, this book is a worthy investment for any vacation in the region.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hiking in Northern California, September 30, 2008

By 

Robert W. Tribe Jr. "Bob the Hiking Guy" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 75 Hikes in California's Lassen Park & Mount Shasta Regions (100 Hikes In...) (Paperback)

I have been leading hikes in northern California for 15 years and have hiked all over America. I have over 200 outdoor books, mainly trail guides. On a recent trip to Lassen National Park, Mt Shasta and several nearby locations, I took John Soares book. This was after reviewing several of my guidebooks for the locations I knew I would be hiking. I felt before going that John's book was the best guide for the area and that was validated after the trip. The directions are great for locating trailheads. I have the 1994, 2000 and 2008 versions of the book and it just keeps getting better. Additionally, as directions change over the years, so do Mr. Soares updates, which is particularly helpful. The maps are great and I love the color photos, although I know that increases the cost of publication.

I saw several new places and the guide was always with me. I would highly recommend it to anyone would wants to see some of the best outdoor locations in northern California.