The Best Hikes of Colorado (Binder edition) (Altitude Superguides) [Ring-bound]

Christina Williams (Author)

Book Description

Series: Altitude Superguides | Publication Date: April 1, 1999

"The Best Hikes of Colorado" is the definitive trailside reference to the most spectacular hikes in Colorado, from Rocky Mountain National Parks and the Front Range, through the Aspen and Vail areas to Steamboat Springs, the San Juans and the Sangre de Cristos.

A binder edition allows hikers to take out only portions needed - lightening your pack!

Full-color maps of each hike and over 200 stunning photographs describe exactly where to hike and what you'll see along the way. Sidebar information and charts outline the best seasons to see wildflowers, where you can bring you dog, the best scenic viewpoints and much more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The Best Hikes of Colorado is the definitive trailside reference to the most spectacular hikes in Colorado, from Rocky Mountain National Park and the Front Range, through the Aspen and Vail areas to Steamboat Springs, the San Juans and the Sangre de Cristos. Full-color maps of each hike and over 200 stunning photographs describe exactly where to hike and what youÌll see along the way. Sidebar information and charts outline the best seasons to see wildflowers, where you can bring your dog, the best scenic viewpoints and much more.

About the Author

Author photographer and educator Christina Williams was born near London and became an avid traveler, hiker and mountain climber while still a teenager. She immigrated to the United States in 1974 and has lived in Colorado ever since with her American teacher/photographer husband Jim. Christina holds a masters degree in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado. She worked for many years with emotionally disturbed and dyslexic students in Denver Public Schools while traveling and exploring the Colorado Rockies during the summer vacations. In 1991 she became a travel writer/photographer in order to combine her love of writing and outdoor adventure. Her articles on hiking and mountaineering have appeared in publications throughout the United States and Canada. Christina has trekked extensively in the Alps, Andes, Himalayas and numerous other mountain ranges worldwide. She has climbed many of Colorado's 54 Fourteeners and scaled a number of peaks in the Alps. She is a member of the society of American Travel writers, the Colorado Author's League, the Colorado Mountain Club and the Austrian Alpine Club.

Product Details

• Ring-bound: 272 pages
• Publisher: Altitude Publishing (Canada); 1 edition (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552650073
• ISBN-13: 978-1552650073
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,716,263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Book Undiminished by a Couple of Minor Discrepancies, August 20, 2001

By 

M. Pirtle (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best Hikes of Colorado (Binder edition) (Altitude Superguides) (Ring-bound)

Having used this book to take just over half of the hikes it discusses, I highly recommend it to someone new to Colorado. I'm in the military and I have only 2-3 years in each duty location. So, when I saw this book, I bought it and have used it extensively so far. I have only a couple of minor points to make about it, however. The author never reveals how she "grades" her hikes, and I strenuously disagree with 3 of the grades she doled out to particular hikes. The Pitkin Lake hike (near Vail) is by no means an "easy" hike--at best it's a high-moderate to low-strenuous! Also, the Rock Creek (also near Vail) hike is by no means one of the 40 best hikes Colorado has to offer. In fact, I'm baffled when trying to think why she might've included it in her book. Finally, the Three Island Lakes hike (near Steamboat Springs) is by no means a strenuous hike. At worst, it's a moderate. Still, the book has led me to THE most spectacular scenery I've ever seen, and I credit the author for that. I do wish she revealed the time of year she took these hikes, in addition to other hikes she took before coming to her conclusions. However, I will always be grateful to her for providing me with a valuable tool for finding some of the most beautiful places on Earth. I certainly don't regret buying the book, and in fact, I've given it as a gift many times. I've bought 2 copies for myself, having worn the first copy out in just two years. Another note: buy the binder edition. It has removable pages for taking the portion of the book that deals with the hike you want to take, avoiding your having to pack the entire tome around with you. Just slide the two or three applicable pages into the plastic cover (included with the binder edition), and off you go!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great resource, but not comprehensive enough, July 14, 2005

By 

Brett Twomey (Silverdale, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best Hikes of Colorado (Binder edition) (Altitude Superguides) (Ring-bound)

If your planning on doing some hiking in the Southern rockies of Colorado this is a great resource.

The author has listed some rxcellent hikes in different regions throughout the state. The hikes include complete descriptions and maps so that you can get a look at the area. In addition there are thorough descriptions of how to access the trailheads. Of course if you obtain a USFS or NPS map of the area you could find these trailheads without turn by turn descriptions.

Another plus are the numerous sections describing local plant life, animal life, and historical places.

The only problem I had is that it left out a lot of hikes in the areas it covers. I would highly recommend this book, I just wish there was more of it.