Tahoe’s Spectacular Wildflower Trails
By Julie Carville
Mountain Gypsy Press
Tahoe’s Spectacular Wildflower Trails covers 21 of the best scenic wildflower hikes in the Tahoe Basin and surrounding national forest. More than 900 color photos, including a tree and wildflower photo guide, make plant identification user friendly. Native American earth wisdom and plant uses, along with birds and other animals and pollinators, feature the richness and diversity of Tahoe’s plant communities. Includes hikes for all abilities and interests, from day-hikers to backpackers. Stories about the plants and animals make botany more fun and help to deepen the reader’s natural love for the amazing beauty and sacredness of nature.
Top Trails: Lake Tahoe:
Must-Do Hikes for Everyone
By Mike White
Wilderness Press
Top Trails: Lake Tahoe explores the best trails for hiking and biking in the Tahoe area, including the north side’s splendid backcountry, the lake’s scenic western side, the picturesque and popular areas south of the lake, including Desolation Wilderness and D.L. Bliss and Emerald Bay state parks, and the relatively undeveloped eastern side. Several hikes follow sections of the Tahoe Rim Trail awnd Pacific Crest Trail. Veteran author Mike White has selected the 50 best trips in the area, ranging in length from a mile-long stroll through a lush, lodgepole-lined meadow to a 20-mile trek on the Tahoe Rim Trail with excellent lake views. Among other significant updates, the thirdedition includes the Rim to Reno Trail, newly constructed by volunteers in the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.
The Pacific Crest Trail: A Hiker’s Companion
By Karen Bergerand Daniel R Smith
Countryman Press
This book begins where basic trail guides and maps leave off. For each section of the trail, the authors describe the route in detail and recommend the best day hikes and short backpacks from each trailhead. They describe plants and animals hikers will see, tell stories about local history, explain plate tectonics, and in a thousand other ways enrich your experience of the journey. For many people, the Pacific Crest Trail is the ultimate long-distance hiking trail. Beginning in the dry valleys of southern California, it follows the crest of the snow-capped Sierras and ends in the ancient forests of Washington’s Cascades. Along the way, national treasures such as Yosemite, Crater Lake, and Mount Rainier make this trail one of the premier hiking destinations in the world. But hiking is about much more than getting from A to B. Berger and Smith draw on their tremendous experience — together they have logged more than 12,000 miles on the PCT — to give tested advice to long-distance hikers on trip planning, gear and safety, seasonal considerations, trailheads and resupplies, permits, and more.
Tahoe Rim Trail: The Official Guide for Hikers, Mountain Bikers, and Equestrians
By Tim Hauserman
Wilderness Press
The fourth edition of longtime Moonshine Ink contributor Tim Hauserman’s guide to the Tahoe Rim Trail has just been released and may not be available at Word After Word just yet. The TRT winds completely around spectacular Lake Tahoe, the highest and largest alpine lake in North America, taking you through wilderness areas, national forests, and state parks. Whether you’re traveling on foot, mountain bike, or horseback, the most important part of your trip is planning it. Hike, bike, or ride along the peaks and valleys of the trail, safely traversing a landscape that’s rich in history and diverse in geology, flora, and fauna. Hauserman breaks the entire 165-mile trail into nine sections. Each entry includes information on difficulty, trail highlights, driving directions, and more. The in-depth descriptions help you know what to expect, while the trail maps ensure that you know where you are and where you’re going. You’ll appreciate the hundreds of tips for planning your excursion, whether it’s a day hike or a backpacking adventure. Plus, there’s plenty of specific details for mountain bikers, equestrians, and anglers. Endorsed by the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.
Night Sky: A Field Guide to the Constellations [With Card Flashlight]
By Jonathan Poppele
Adventure Publications
Stargazing is among the most peaceful and inspiring outdoor activities. Night Sky, the award-winning book by Jonathan Poppele, makes it even better. Take a simple approach to finding 64 constellations by focusing on one constellation at a time, instead of attempting to study dizzying charts. Start with the easy-to-find constellations during each season and work toward the more difficult ones. Better yet, you’ll learn how to locate any constellation in relation to the Big Dipper, the North Star, and the top of the sky. With multiple ways to locate each constellation, you’ll know where in the sky to look and what to look for. Along the way, you’ll be introduced to mythology, facts, and tidbits, as well as details about the planets, solar system, and more. This revised and expanded edition includes new photographs, new discoveries, and more constellations, including a section that introduces the 44 constellations of the Southern Hemisphere.
