Customer Reviews

Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The earlier editions of this book were one of the best mapping job ever to be found in a trail guide for the West. However, this new edition seems not to have been field-checked. In my neck of the woods (Lassen National Forest) re-routes made a few years ago are left out of the new edition. Specifically, the re-route in Chips Creek is missing. Also, the new view point on Hat Creek Rim is missing, although the old dirt trail was converted to a paved sidewalk for 100 yards. New 1:24,000 maps have been published by the USGS, but Wilderness Press still uses the old 1:62,000 maps in Chips Creek and other places. The earlier editions were nearly flawless, but this effort is Wilderness Press resting on its laurels and re-issuing old material with a new cover.

We've used this guide for the entire Northern California section, and haven't gotten lost. The only problem is that some of the jeep roads mentioned in the guide are now invisible, at least to our aging eyes, and also, some of the data points indicate zero elevation change, when there might be a 1000 ft up or down between the points. Add a few more data points, please.

This is the book I use to plan my yearly trips on the Pacific Crest Trail. The mileage reports are good. But mostly I like to sit by the wood stove, in the winter (enduring the dreadful northern California rain--with this book in hand; I sit and look forward to hitting the trail. Planning. Dreaming. Waiting for the PCT to rejuvenate me. And perhaps that is the best use of this book: dreaming and planning to hit the trail.