The most popular of the Hawaiian islands for backpacking and hiking. Explore miles of seldom-trod trails through areas of magnificent natural beauty: immense waterfalls, untrammeled golden beaches, dense banks of ferns dotted with wild orchids, and more. Dayhikes and backpacks.
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Hello, readers! I'm always happy to receive your constructive comments on books of which I'm the sole or co-author. Please submit your comments right here on this page, or address e-mail to me in care of publicity@wildernesspress.com. I'm also on Facebook.
My dear friend and superb photographer Susan Morning, of a local weekly, "The Mammoth Times," took the photo of me at the 2010 Mammoth Lakes Jazz Jubilee, where she was taking photos and I was working as a volunteer. Since much of the featured jazz music dates from the nineteen-teens and twenties, we enjoy dressing up a little with things like feather boas (this one courtesy of my friend April at Burger's).
I'm a native Southern Californian, a graduate of Stanford, and a now-former-but-previously-long-term employee of Hughes Aircraft Company (now part of Raytheon). In the mid-1970s, friends at Hughes took me on my first backpack -- something I'd never even heard of before. But I was driving a small station wagon at the time, and I think they were more interested the wagon's capacity for packs and people than in my company.
That little trip changed my life! We went to a trailhead on the west side of the Sierra Nevada, a trailhead whose name I can't recall. For the first quarter-mile, which was through forest, I thought I was going to die. I just KNEW I had made the worst decision of my life by getting mixed up in this ridiculous and painful "adventure."
Then we reached a point on the trail where the forest gave way to meadow, and the light, space, and sheer beauty of the Sierra blew me away. I fell madly in love with the Sierra Nevada. That never changed: the Sierra Nevada is the great love of my life.
Later in that decade, I visited Hawaii for the first time but saw only the populated sides of it. Eventually, I did more research into the islands' history, human and natural, and into the wide range of opportunities they offer for hikers and backpackers. After seeing the islands from that perspective, I was a convert. With respect to the "beach scene," I'm a great one for the mountains. There's nothing like Haleakala's "crater," or the great lava moonscape of Mauna Loa. Oh, wait, there are the marvelous trails in the Koolau Mountains behind Honolulu, especially out of Makiki Valley, and Kauai's Kokee State Park is always a joy....You get the picture. So while Hawaii might not be a great love like the Sierra, it certainly has stolen much of my heart.
I've been sidelined for 3 years by breaking my leg in 2008 and in the process destroying my knee severely enough that it didn't heal after initial surgery. I had to have the knee replaced in early 2009. Then, in 2010 shortly after the Jazz Jubilee, I developed a heart problem that I've since learned to live with -- and take meds for. Now I'm back to hiking and loving it, though not yet going as far as I plan to eventually. The crystal ball says there's llama-packing in my future!
This summer, 2011, I look forward to re-hiking as many of the trips in *Hot Showers, Soft Beds, and Dayhikes in the Sierra* as I possibly can, plus making a long, llama-assisted loop through beautiful Emigrant Wilderness.
I live on the east side of the Sierra now, in a little burg called Big Pine. If you blink between Independence and Bishop, you'll miss it. There's a truly great High Sierra trailhead just up the hill from me. And all the eastside trailheads are rather close, to my great delight.
It's my sincere hope that by using my books, you'll find more enjoyment than ever in exploring our glorious Sierran and Hawaiian outdoors, and that you'll support the never-ending campaign to keep them from being over-exploited for commercial gain. Happy hiking to all of you!
My dear friend and superb photographer Susan Morning, of a local weekly, "The Mammoth Times," took the photo of me at the 2010 Mammoth Lakes Jazz Jubilee, where she was taking photos and I was working as a volunteer. Since much of the featured jazz music dates from the nineteen-teens and twenties, we enjoy dressing up a little with things like feather boas (this one courtesy of my friend April at Burger's).
I'm a native Southern Californian, a graduate of Stanford, and a now-former-but-previously-long-term employee of Hughes Aircraft Company (now part of Raytheon). In the mid-1970s, friends at Hughes took me on my first backpack -- something I'd never even heard of before. But I was driving a small station wagon at the time, and I think they were more interested the wagon's capacity for packs and people than in my company.
That little trip changed my life! We went to a trailhead on the west side of the Sierra Nevada, a trailhead whose name I can't recall. For the first quarter-mile, which was through forest, I thought I was going to die. I just KNEW I had made the worst decision of my life by getting mixed up in this ridiculous and painful "adventure."
Then we reached a point on the trail where the forest gave way to meadow, and the light, space, and sheer beauty of the Sierra blew me away. I fell madly in love with the Sierra Nevada. That never changed: the Sierra Nevada is the great love of my life.
Later in that decade, I visited Hawaii for the first time but saw only the populated sides of it. Eventually, I did more research into the islands' history, human and natural, and into the wide range of opportunities they offer for hikers and backpackers. After seeing the islands from that perspective, I was a convert. With respect to the "beach scene," I'm a great one for the mountains. There's nothing like Haleakala's "crater," or the great lava moonscape of Mauna Loa. Oh, wait, there are the marvelous trails in the Koolau Mountains behind Honolulu, especially out of Makiki Valley, and Kauai's Kokee State Park is always a joy....You get the picture. So while Hawaii might not be a great love like the Sierra, it certainly has stolen much of my heart.
I've been sidelined for 3 years by breaking my leg in 2008 and in the process destroying my knee severely enough that it didn't heal after initial surgery. I had to have the knee replaced in early 2009. Then, in 2010 shortly after the Jazz Jubilee, I developed a heart problem that I've since learned to live with -- and take meds for. Now I'm back to hiking and loving it, though not yet going as far as I plan to eventually. The crystal ball says there's llama-packing in my future!
This summer, 2011, I look forward to re-hiking as many of the trips in *Hot Showers, Soft Beds, and Dayhikes in the Sierra* as I possibly can, plus making a long, llama-assisted loop through beautiful Emigrant Wilderness.
I live on the east side of the Sierra now, in a little burg called Big Pine. If you blink between Independence and Bishop, you'll miss it. There's a truly great High Sierra trailhead just up the hill from me. And all the eastside trailheads are rather close, to my great delight.
It's my sincere hope that by using my books, you'll find more enjoyment than ever in exploring our glorious Sierran and Hawaiian outdoors, and that you'll support the never-ending campaign to keep them from being over-exploited for commercial gain. Happy hiking to all of you!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book - but here's an update!,
By
This review is from: Kauai Trails: Walks, Strolls and Treks on the Garden Island (Paperback)
This is easily the best Kaua'i hiking book - buy it if you intend to do any hiking on Kaua'i. A small nit, the information on the Alaka'i Swamp Trail is out of date. This trail is now boardwalk right through to it's end at the Kilohana lookout (an amazing feat of engineering!). Far from being the endless slog through inhospitable "telephone pole bogs", this hike is now a snap, rewarded by an awesome view of the whole NE quadrant of the island from the edge of the Wainiha Pali (weather permitting!).
24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Too bad this is the authoritative volume on Kauai trails,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Kauai Trails: Walks strolls and treks on the Garden Island (Kauai Trails: Walks, Strolls & Treks on the Garden Island) (Paperback)
A trail guide should do two things:1. Accurately describe, in detail, trails, access, condition, etc. 2. Inspire the reader to hike said trails Kauai Trails: Walks, Strolls, and Treks on the Garden Island is mediocre when it comes to the first, and horrible when it comes to the second. The author seems to do her best to convince a hiker planning a trip to Kauai that (s)he should visit California instead. She rails on about garbage, introduced species, erosion, hippies, etc throughout the entire books. Let's keep it to one chapter, Kathy! Worst of all, she bashes the Kalalau Trail, discouraging any Kauai visitor from hiking it. Nevermind that it's ranked one of the best hikes on the planet. Nevermind that on every internet hiking forum, trip reports are invariably glowing. Nevermind that many people who live on Kauai or visit Kauai regularly think it's a DON'T MISS hike. Kathy says, "It's overrated. Don't bother." I'm sad that we don't have a guide to hiking the Garden Isle that's more positive and informative, better organized, with better maps...one that actually makes you think you'll have an enjoyable time hiking in paradise. Purchase this book only because it's the best one there is, not because it's good. I personally recommend The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook. While it doesn't go into as much detail on the trails, it's far more informative, positive, and better updated. Kathy's book lists many trails as CLOSED which aren't closer, or may be damaged but are still hikable.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
good information but not well organized,
By A Customer
This review is from: Kauai Trails: Walks, Strolls and Treks on the Garden Island (Paperback)
Has good detailed hiking information, but not well organized. Book is essentially a list of trails. Trails in same area tend to be grouped, but there is no real breakdown by area to give a better idea of choices and how hike routes could be put together by combining connecting trails or to help choose hikes by by area. The information is there, but you have to work to sort through it and make your actual plan. Improves upon a key flaw of Robert Smith book(s) which is poor directions to finding hike starting points (except where does things like tells you to refer to #92, and #92 then refers to #85), but would recommend it more as a supplement than a substitute.
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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hiking boots mandatory, huge koa trees, banana passionflower, beach naupaka, sugi cedars, hiking description, swamp mahogany, driving instructions, hala trees, koa haole, lehua trees, falls viewpoint, kukui trees, marked plants, silk oak, line convention, strawberry guava, ohia trees, picnic shelter Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Waimea Canyon, Kauai Trails, Kee Beach, Kumuwela Road, Mohihi Road, Alakai Swamp, Kawaikoi Camp, Nonou Mtns, Kalalau Trail, Kalalau Valley, Kawaikoi Stream, Distance Elevation, Pihea Trail, Wailua River, Pihea Vista, Halemanu Valley Road, Wiliwili Camp, Awaawapuhi Trail, Mountains West of Kapaa, Makaleha Mountains, Canyon Trail, Haena Difficulty, Kokee State Park, Hanalei River, Follow Trip Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
hiking boots mandatory, huge koa trees, banana passionflower, beach naupaka, sugi cedars, hiking description, swamp mahogany, driving instructions, hala trees, koa haole, lehua trees, falls viewpoint, kukui trees, marked plants, silk oak, line convention, strawberry guava, ohia trees, picnic shelter Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Waimea Canyon, Kauai Trails, Kee Beach, Kumuwela Road, Mohihi Road, Alakai Swamp, Kawaikoi Camp, Nonou Mtns, Kalalau Trail, Kalalau Valley, Kawaikoi Stream, Distance Elevation, Pihea Trail, Wailua River, Pihea Vista, Halemanu Valley Road, Wiliwili Camp, Awaawapuhi Trail, Mountains West of Kapaa, Makaleha Mountains, Canyon Trail, Haena Difficulty, Kokee State Park, Hanalei River, Follow Trip Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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