Winter Hikes in Puget Sound & the Olympic Foothills: Mostly Snow-Free Trails from Lowland Forests to Summit Views (Paperback)

by Robert L. Mooers (Author) "Sumas Mountain is unique among the foothills of western Washington..." (more)
Key Phrases: avalanche potential, reset your odometer, starting elevation, Getting There Drive, Deception Pass, Feet Forest (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
...Winter Hikes is everything you would want in a guidebook. -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer,December 1998

This book should be a double blessing to local intermediate backcountry skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers. It's full of the requisite guidebook information-directions to trailheads, total vertical feet, topographic maps...and the like. But more important, it's written in a way that passes Blair's indefatigable enthusiasm for the outdoors to the reader. -- The Seattle Times, December 1998

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Sasquatch Books (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570611491
• ISBN-13: 978-1570611490
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #709,646 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful year-round guide, June 10, 2000

By	Douglas Welzel (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Winter Hikes is a useful guide for all seasons. For the most part, the only thing that makes the hikes in this book "winter hikes" is their elevation. In reality the hikes in this book are enjoyable all year.

The summary information provided with each hike includes the distances, estimates trip time, trail type and other useful information such as the potential avalanche danger on the trail. It also includes the starting elevation and elevation gain of the trail so you can judge the potential for encountering snow.

The rating system takes some getting used to. Since many of the trails are in the lower elevations, don't expect jaw dropping views at every turn. Even highly rated trails will spend a lot of time in the woods.

Although I have said this guide is useful year-round, I think it is best for 3 season hiking. During the summer you should use other guides that provide better coverage of the high elevation trails.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't cover much of the Puget Sound Area, February 24, 2006

By	Stefohnee "stef" (Redmond, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This book mostly covers hikes around the Olympic peninsula, not in or around the Puget Sound/Seattle area, as might be indicated by the book's title. I was trying to find a hike near Seattle this past weekend, and the book fell completely short. The closest hikes to the Seattle area were more than an hour's drive away, which I wouldn't really consider to be in the Puget Sound area. The Olympic hikes look good, though, so all hope is not lost. They do have detailed information on the hikes that are featured in the book, though. I'd definitely recommend this book if you're planning on doing some hikes on the Olympic peninsula, but not if you're looking for hikes around Seattle and the Puget Sound area - there are some great hikes within Seattle (Discovery Park) as well as nearby (Issaquah alps), but unfortunately these are not covered in this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Access is what counts, September 12, 2007

By	John B. Case (Burlington, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What makes a "winter hike?" Well, you can hike almost anywhere in the winter that you can in the summer, with the right equipment and skills. Mooers offers hikes, though, that are easy to get to. Access counts.

I've used this book to find places that keep me from developing cabin fever in the winter. People who do a lot of hiking will know most of these spots, but there were a few I hadn't heard about. Good directions to the parking.