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Books

| Trail Guides | Maps | Hiking and Camping | Natural History | Environmental Issues |
| Simple Living | Politics/Democracy | Edward Abbey |

Books included in the list below all contain subject matter which deals with the desert southwest, the outdoors, natural history or other topics of interest to the author. I have found that the more you learn about a place the more you see, the deeper your understanding becomes, and the more it becomes a part of you. A rating system (1-5 stars) has been included based on my own subjective and opinionated viewpoint, which you can ignore or attach unwarranted importance to as you see fit.

Trail Guides

• 
  Mazel, David, Arizona Trails - 100 Hikes in Canyon and Sierra, Wilderness Press, Berkley, CA, 1992
  This was the first hiking book I purchased after moving to AZ and it has proved to be one that I continue to reference (though it's looking a little ratty these days). Hikes from the Grand Canyon to the Chiricahuas (including many longer ones) are described in detail and include trail lengths, elevation changes, natural history,  trail descriptions, best times to hike and photos. Maps are also included, but are cropped in odd placed and have to be read across several pages making them difficult to read (I have gotten lost using only this book, so carry a separate map as well). This book may no longer be in print.

• 
  Kelsey, Michael, Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau - 4th edition, Kelsey Publishing, Provo Utah, 1999
  This is the definitive canyon hiking book out there. The book outlines 118 hikes (including a number of technical canyoneering trips) mostly in southern Utah and northern Arizona (with a few hikes in Colorado) and provides a tremendous amount of information for it's size (maps, geology, photos - the works) all in a great, easy to reference format. Many people have strong opinions of this book - I have to confess it's one of my favorites. I learned of canyons and the sport of canyoneering by reading this book and visiting the many of the locations listed. Be aware, however, that the book contains some idiosyncrasies that take some getting used to: 
  
  • Some descriptions are brief and/or sketchy - the phrase "route find east to the next canyon" may encompass several hours of nasty bush wacking and a thousand foot elevation gain. This brevity may also lead to difficulty in following described routes or finding trail heads. 
    
  • Michael is a hard core hiker - if he uses the words steep, long, difficult or narrow, you can safely add the qualifier "extremely" before each of these adjectives. In cases where he lists the length of time it took for him to complete a particular hike, multiply that time by 1.5 or so to determine how much time you may want to allot. 
    
  • Like any book, information becomes dated over time. Actual hiking or road conditions may have changed since the hike was written up.

• 
  Kelsey, Michael, Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell - 3rd edition, Kelsey Publishing, Provo Utah, 1999
  Another great Kelsey book. Not so many hikes as the publication above, but still well worth the sticker price. 

• 
  Annerino, John, Hiking the Grand Canyon, Sierra Club Books, San Francisco, CA, 1993
  I use this book as a reference for every Grand Canyon backpacking trip (mainly for the trail mileage information).  This book also contains trail descriptions, natural history, canyon history, geology and a dose of environmental protection info as well.  You have to skip around in the book to find the information you are looking for, but it's a good reference.

• 
  Allan, Steve, Canyoneering 1, 2 & 3, University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, UT, 1992
  This series of books covers:
  1: San Rafael Swell
  2: Technical Loop hikes in Southern Utah
  3: Loop Hikes in Utah's Escalante
  Many interesting canyons are described, including many technical hikes. I have heard high praise for Steve's books, and the descriptions (when I have used them) are quite thorough. Because specific hikes/canyons are difficult to reference, there are no maps to speak of, and most of these canyons are covered by Michael Kelsey, I don't really use these books very much for hike planning (except perhaps as another source of descriptive info where Kelsey is brief). Maybe I'll get into them more at some point, but will have to summon the effort to break out the maps and follow along as the author describes a particular route.

• 
  Cosmic, Ray, The Favorite Hikes, Flagstaff & Sedona, Cosmic Ray, Flagstaff, AZ, 1996
  More of a pamphlet than a book, a bunch of short hikes are described along with some pretty good hand drawn maps. You can get some good ideas for placed to go, but you'll have to bang out 3 or 4 of his hikes for them to add up to a full day of walking. Directions to the trailheads are good.

Maps

• 
  Bryce Canyon National Park, National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated
  I own a number of these Trails Illustrated maps which cover many of the southwest's national parks.  They are made of plastic, are easy to read with good trail and road information and have detailed topo lines.  The drawbacks are that no trail mileage is listed and they are fairly pricey (around $10 each).  Bryce Canyon is fairly small so you probably don't even need this map.

• 
  Canyonlands Maze District, National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated
  The topo part of this map is good, but there are quite a few errors in the layout of the trails and no trail mileage.

• 
  Glen Canyon NRA Capitol Reef NP Rainbow Bridge NM, National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated
  The topo part of this map is good, but once again the trail and road locations are weak.

• 
  Grand Canyon National Park, National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated
  Good, easy to read map with topo and trails.  No trail mileage listed though.

• 
  San Francisco Peak, EarthTracks Map
  This map covers Mt. Humphrey and the surrounding peaks.  EarthTracks makes very good, easy to read maps that have trail and topo information combined (including trail mileage).  They are made of paper, so bring a resealable plastic bag to store it in the event of a rain storm.

• 
  Santa Catalina Mountains Map, Rainbow Expeditions Inc.
  The best map around for hiking in the Catalina's near Tucson.  Includes topo, trails and mileage.  Made of a coated paper that is moderately durable.

• 
  Superstition Wilderness Arizona Topographic Map, Beartooth Maps
  Beartooth makes the kind of maps I wish I had for every area I hike, unfortunately they only seem to have a few hiking maps out at the moment.  Definitely the best map around for the Superstitions.

• 
  Tonto National Forest, US Forest Service Map
  Encompasses a very large area some of which is not covered in other maps, however, like most USFS maps they are made of paper, do not have topo markings, do not have trail mileage and are difficult to read.

Hiking & Camping

• 
  Jardine, Ray, Beyond Backing, AdventureLore Press, LaPine, OR, 2000
  Ray has been described as the father of ultra lightweight backpacking. His book on the topic gives many excellent suggestions for shedding pack weight (the main reason to buy this book) and shatters many of the myths propagated by gear manufacturers to get us to buy their products. He also covers topics ranging from minimum impact camping to techniques for crossing streams & snowfields. The writing is rather dry (alright who's to talk, but I'm not charging you $20!) and his section on gear mentions GoLite (a lightweight gear manufacturer he is associated with) like 100 times, but so much great info can be garnered from this book it more than makes up for it.

Natural History

• 
  Epple, Anne O., and Epple, Lewis E., A field Guide to the Plants of Arizona, Falcon Press, Mesa, AZ, 1995
  This is the best book available for identifying plants you are likely to encounter as you hike in Arizona. There are 853 color photos as well as written descriptions and some natural history facts. The one drawback is that the photos are arranged by flower color and type which makes identification of plants without flowers rather difficult.

Environmental Issues

• 
  Sessions, George (editor), Deep Ecology for the 21st Century, Shambhala Publications, Boston, 1995
  A collection of philosophical essays that examine mans relationship with the natural world and the concept of 'Deep Ecology' an ecocentric rather than anthropocentric way of viewing the world.  Many essays are very good and thought provoking & may help crystallize your own thoughts or feelings.
   
• 
  Meadows, Donella H., Meadows, Dennis L., Randers Jorgen, Beyond the Limits: Confronting Global Collapse Envisioning a Sustainable Future, Chelsea Green Publishing Company, Vermont, 1992
  The authors treat the earth as a system examining such variables as: population, lifespan, raw materials, industrial output, pollution, food production, technology and standard of living. They look at the current and future state of each variable and attempt to model their complex interactions. They analyze a host of possible future outcomes using various assumptions as to population growth, the availability of undiscovered resources etc. The resulting models most often show overshoot and unsustainable use of available resources, resulting in environmental and economic collapse. The authors advocate for fundamental changes in the way the human population lives (particularly those in the developing world) to move towards a sustainable society.

• 
  Reisner, Marc, Cadillac Desert, Viking Penguin Inc., New York, 1993
  Describes the insanity behind many of the water issues and ongoing battles faced by the west.

• 
  The Union of Concerned Scientists, The Consumers Guide to Effective Environmental Choices, Three Rivers Press, New York, 1999
  Where and how you spend your money has a very real effect on the environment. This book provides good, practical advice outlining the areas where your spending has the greatest influence and what you can do to minimize the environmental impact. Though many of the conclusions are obvious (buying a fuel efficient compact is better than a gas guzzling SUV/pickup) and the authors back away from any controversy (the environmental impact of your decision to have children), there is still some interesting and useful information to be gleaned from this publication.

• 
  Carson, Rachel, Silent Spring, G.K. Hall & Co., Maine, 1962
  An important and influential book which focuses on many of the dangers and effects of pesticide use. Though the book was published over 40 years ago, there is much that remains relevant today.

Simple Living

• 
  Dominguez, Joe; & Robin, Vicki, Your Money or Your Life, Penguin Books, New York, 1992
  Billed as a book to 'Transform your relationship with money and achieve financial independence'. Really great book which may help to prioritize your values. Delves into a topic you hear all too little about in todays society - "enough". Also offers practical tips to live better for less. The author and his wife have begun following the steps in this book. You'll know whether they are successful or not when you begin to see hike descriptions updated on a daily basis instead of weekly or monthly!

• 
  De Graaf, John; Wann, David; & Naylor, Thomas, Affluenza, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. , 2001
  Successfully argues that 'too much' is a disease (perhaps terminal) that is draining our lives, the community and the planet. Entertaining, well written and right on the mark. Also offers tips for developing a life style that is more sustainable and rewarding.

Politics/Democracy

• 
  Huffington, Arianna, Pigs at the Trough, Crown Publishers, New York, 2003
  Outlines the closed loop process of corporate greed and political contributions that are subverting democracy and bankrupting the small investor. Very lively, funny and maddening to read. 
   
• 
  Stauber, John; Rampton, Sheldon, Toxic Sludge is Good For You (Lies, Damn Lies and the Public Relations Industry), Common Courage Press, Maine, 1995
  Many groups, industries and think tanks would like to influence your opinion to suit their needs. The book explains who these groups are and the techniques they use, enabling you to recognize their lies for what they are. A serious issue? Definitely, but also an entertaining and enlightening read.

Edward Abbey

• 
  Abbey, Edward, Desert Solitaire, Ballentine Books, New York, 1968
  One of my favorite Abbey books.   It really captures the beauty, fragility and spirit of the desert southwest with insight and acidic humor that only Abbey could pen.

• 
  Abbey, Edward, The Monkey Wrench Gang, Avon Books, New York, 1985
  The other Abbey 'must read', quite subversive and funny.