Hiking the Sierra Nevada

got the book for a hike from giant forest to mineral king. This book was able to help me chart half of it. The altitude maps are a wonderful addition, the maps are effective and helpful... If only someone would put a map of all the bear boxes in one place.

In addition to everything you'd expect from a Falcon Guide--accurate trailhead information, good maps, elevation-gain graphs, topo references, etc.--the descriptions of the hikes are engagingly written, with humor and insight. Covering the entire Sierra is a pretty daunting task, but the author has obviously been hiking in the range for years and I thought the coverage was pretty comprehensive and balanced. In the two areas I'm familiar with, Mammoth and Yosemite, he chose some great hikes. The book is no substitute for local guides, but at least it should help readers choose a region to focus on. To me, this was much more helpful than its cluttered Lonely Planet rival. You feel like you're being conducted along the trails by a personable as well as knowledgeable guide. Since the other reviewers complained about it, I thought there were a sufficient number of few photos. However, a little black and white image is never going to do justice to a Sierra landscape.

This hiking guide contains all the required elements for a useful hiking book: excellent driving directions to each trailhead, elevation gains, topographical maps and other random thoughts about each trek. There is an absence of photographs, which is the only reason I don't give this the ultimate "5 star" rating. There is an emphasis on hikes south of Lee Vining, so if you're looking especially at the Bridgeport or Virginia Lakes area, there are better guides out there. But if your speciality is Mammoth and Yosemite, lace up your boots!

I purchased this book before a summer trip to Mammoth last summer and have been very happy. I have always enjoyed FalconGuide books, and this is no exception. There are plenty of hikes to chose , my only complaint is that there could be better maps and more photos included.