100 Classic Hikes in Northern California (Paperback)

by John R. Soares (Author), Marc J. Soares (Author) "Secluded ocean beaches where powerful waves pulse against rock, sand, and cliff..." (more)
Key Phrases: permit for this hike, signed trail junction, signed trail intersection, Mount Shasta, National Forest, October Water (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Fraternal coauthors John and Marc Soares celebrate the beauty of Northern California's extensive wilderness, drawing from a varied collection of treks in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade, Coast, and Klamath Mountain ranges as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. Hike selections include the long trek to Caribou Lake that takes you "deep into the heart of the Trinity Alps"; the easy three-hour hike to Peener Lake; the trail to Cinder Cone, which leads you to surreal painted dunes; and the "isolated Lost Coast, "one of the most coveted get-away paradises in the country." Like the other volumes in the 100 Classic Hikes series, this easy-to-use guide includes at-a-glance information detailing trail length, hiking time, difficulty, seasonal considerations, and additional contacts. Color maps and commentary on each trail offer directions to trail heads, campsites, views, and swimming holes. Amateur botanists will appreciate the notes on trees and wildflowers, including the rare red snow plant. --Jenny Burritt

Review
The text has it all-clear directions to trailheads, what to look for along the trails, lengths, times and difficulty. -- Sacramento Bee

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Product Details

• Paperback: 205 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 2 edition (June 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898867029
• ISBN-13: 978-0898867022
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #680,588 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The photos alone are worth the price of the book, August 17, 2000

By	David Simmons (Santa Rosa) - See all my reviews

I just got this book. It is the most beautiful hiking guide I've ever seen. There are nearly a hundred full-color photos, and even the maps are creatively colored. We leave it on our coffee table for easy perusal. It's an updated edition of 100 Hikes in Northern California, and it has thorough descriptions of all my favorite hikes, and many others my wife and I are planning to do this winter (in the Bay Area) and next summer (in the Sierra Nevada and maybe in the Trinity Alps). We have two other hiking books on Northern California, but this one is definitely our favorite. If you are only getting one hiking guide for the north state, this is it.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't be topped, November 6, 2002

By	Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This is an exceptionally well-designed book for hikers across the spectrum. Whether you're a neophyte or have climbed Denali, this book contains all the essential information you need to tackle the hikes listed. The photos are all in color and are breathtaking! You really get a sense of what each hike will look like before you undertake it. Every hike also has a color map to accompany the text description. The maps are easy to follow and instructive.

Equally pleasing is that the authors take the time to describe each hike in extensive detail, though they are never wordy. They list the elevation gains, give succinct but necessary directions to each trailhead and provide ample analysis of the strengths/weaknesses of each trek. The book is small and light enough to carry in your backpack, if you feel the need to consult it while on the trail.

I have over 50 hiking books in my library and it would be hard to imagine a more complete, more photographically stunning or better written guide. I enthusiastically recommend this gem!

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice photos and narrative, but lacking in practical aspects, April 12, 2004

By	muff (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I agree with the other reviews in that this is a nice book to put on your coffee table and flip through. The photos are pretty nice, and the text descriptions make for a pretty entertaining read. However, if you are looking for a book with detailed logistics and good makes that will make for a practical companion on your hikes, this is NOT it. The maps are lacking (maps of the actual trails are decent, but there are no regional maps that aid you in finding the trail in the first place). Also, while the glossy paper makes for pretty photos, it's far too heavy for a practical guidebook that you'll want to carry with you.