Customer Reviews

Wind River Trails

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

 

 

Finis Mitchell (Author) is known as the ultimate authority on the Wind River Range (Wyoming). He began exploring the Wind Rivers as a teenager (1920s), later worked as a guide and outfitter there, planted most of the lakes with fish. Book is small (fits in backpack). Has maps (including USFS/USGS references), photos, very detailed written descriptions of trail systems in Wind Rivers. Marvelous detailed accounts of how he planted hundreds of lakes with Fish back in the 30s. Great detail on which trails are best for which purpose, etc. There are other, fancier, newer-style books on the Wind River Range, but only this book is written by a man who literally walked every single inch, scaled every peak, fished every lake in the entire range....the book is sort of a novelty item as well, in that it is actually printed in what looks like his original typewriter font...the maps are hand-drawn, but are actually more reliable in some ways that actual USGS maps of same area. FANTASTIC BOOK...A COLLECTORS ITEM..AND A VERY USEFUL TEXT AS WELL.

This is a no-nonsense, old-style guide to the Wind River Range. The author has been a guide there since the Great Depression. He provides some autobiographical information about his guiding business. He recounts, with pride, stocking high-mountain lakes that had never had fish before -- a practice that runs directly counter to today's views about preserving ecosystems.

The book is small (about 4x6 inches, 144 pages) with poor production values -- Courier font that has not been typeset, old black and white pictures, hand-drawn maps. It's organized by access point. You'll need a road map of the region to make sense of the directions, however, and there is no map of the Winds as a whole. There is elevation information for some peaks (not all), and no elevation for anything else.

The prose is straightforward. He tells you where the trail is, and how to follow it. Mitchell doesn't provide any information about why you might choose this route or that, this destination or that one. He just tells you that Trail X goes to point Y by route Z. There is no sorting of routes by day hikes, overnights, week trips, or the like, which have become standard in hiking guides.

Mitchell clearly knows every inch of these mountains well -- so well, in fact, that mileage information is irrelevant to him. So too is elevation, for the most part. Sometimes he'll tell you that "a Boy Scout troop would make this trip in two or three days," or similar information. He also sounds entirely credible when giving advice about likely snow conditions on peaks.

Standards for hiking books have changed. A LOT. Don't rely on this one all by itself, and buy a Wyoming map and topos for your route. But when I go to the Winds, I'll carry this little book in my pack. It's full of an old-timer's sharing of his wisdom.

A hiking guide by the "elder statesman" Wind River mountain man. One of the highlights of this short book is the autobiographical sketch. Finis Mitchell has hiked the Wind Rivers since 1909, taken 105,345 pictures and has scaled 244 peaks. The book provides short descriptions of numerous hikes, gives directions to trailheads, and, for fishermen, describes the fish species that the lakes along the trails contain. Scattered throughout the book are poems and sayings by Mitchell. Only 144 pages long, the book lacks details found in other Wind River trail guides, but nonetheless is a gem.

I met Finis some 20 years ago when he was giving a presentation on the Wind Rivers to a club of some sort. A captivating presentation with amazing photos of carrying the fish up to the lakes in old coffe cans and the like.

As others have said, this is a primitive book by today's standards, my biggest gripe is no index. But if you want to know about the trials, along with some insights as to where to go, this is the book to have.

I do agree that you will be best served by a second book, and some good maps... and with google earth you can see it as well.

But my autographed copy is a special possesion, and I higly recommend it. I wish I could have hiked with Finis, when he passed much that was known about this high country passed with him.

Finis Mitchell is the real thing; a true nature lover who hiked the Wind River Range so many times, that he can actually give you landmark by landmark directions to hikes, fishing and scaling peaks. He has a no-nonsense wisdom paired with a poetic nature. The story of how he stocked many of the lakes with trout is fascinating. Very clear routes to Gannet and Dinwoody Pass.

Ok, nowadays before you go marching into the Winds you probably need to get some more current info. But back in the day, Finis Mitchell was the man. Reading what he says is inspirational and will add a lot to your trip. I love this book.