Snowshoe Routes: Washington [Paperback]

Dan A. Nelson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1998

Washington hikers are fast discovering that there's no reason to stop hiking when snow falls. Since 1990, the number of snowshoers has increased by more than 300 percent. Covering 81 routes ranging from beginner-level to hard-core backcountry, Nelson provides much-needed access information for finding the best winter trails. Introductory material discusses basic techniques, equipment and clothing, winter camping tips, route selection, safety, and maps.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The must-have guide for Washington is Dan Nelson's Snowshoe Routes: Washington." -- Western Journey

Beginners and advanced winter hikers will appreciate the detailed trail descriptions, photos, and personal narratives. -- Sports Etc.

Nelson points out places where the beginner can get safely started while also detailing routes only the experienced should tread. --Sequim Gazette --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Dan A. Nelson is the former executive editor for the Washington Trails Association. A frequent contributor to The Seattle Times and to Backpacker magazine, he is the author of Best Hikes with Dogs: Western Washington and editor of Best Loop Hikes: Washington. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 1st edition (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898865859
• ISBN-13: 978-0898865851
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,539,470 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Snowshoe Routes : Washington, April 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Snowshoe Routes: Washington (Paperback)

My wife and I snowshoed for the first time this past winter - now were hooked. This book is a great resource for locating good hikes. When it is raining during the Seattle winter - grab your shoes, this book and head out. Your sure to find deep powder and a great trail. Well worth the money!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice resource for either the novice or the expert!, May 11, 2000

By 

"kanaeda" (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Snowshoe Routes: Washington (Paperback)

This winter I went snowshoeing for the first time, and this was the guide that I used. Nelson provides a helpful resource for those searching for a nice trail or a backcountry spot to take on during a nice winter day. I found his directions and descriptions both informative and fun. If you live in the Northwest and own a pair of snowshoes, or want to try it for the first time -- as I did with a few friends -- than this book is well worth the cost!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Snowshoe Routes Washington, February 28, 2009

By 

Eric Jain (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Snowshoe Routes Washington (Paperback)

I've only done a few of the routes described in this book so far, but the author appears to have done a great job of choosing and describing snowshoe routes in the region.

The overview table in the appendix is especially useful when deciding where to go, though I wish more information (such as the region, required parking permits and avalanche exposure) was shown there.

There are some black and white photos scattered throughout the book. Sometimes they are useful, sometimes less so (a close up photo of a snow-covered branch may be nice, but is not all that useful here).

Estimating hiking times in winter is difficult: Under poor conditions a route can take twice as long as under optimal conditions. Too bad the conditions on which the indicated times are based are not described.

The full-page overview map at the front of the book is sad. For example, it does not include a single road or geographical feature (apart from two rivers) NE of Seattle! It does give you an idea about what routes are in the same region, at least.

Two common features I've grown accustomed to but that are missing from this book are trailhead coordinates and elevation profiles. This is surprising, given that Mountaineers Books has at least one other series ("Day Hikes") that contains all this information.

But the single biggest issue I have with this book is the complete lack of topographic information on the route maps. Summer hiking books that follow marked trails may be able to get away with this, but not this kind of book. The problem here isn't that I don't want to bother carrying a separate map, but that I sometimes have a hard time transferring a route from the book onto the map. Even with the descriptions in the text, which sometimes reference unreliable and changing features such as "turn at the end of the groomed track".

Still, this is the only Washington snowshoeing book I was able to find, so I'll keep using it until something better (or an improved edition) comes along.