Identify the plants you’ll see growing right next to you on the trail! Quickly find, identify, and learn about the amazing range of plants growing along the Southern California stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s easy with The Plants of the Pacific Crest Trail, the first book of its kind, organized by type, color, and trail section. Over 1200 color photos and lively, accessible descriptions make your outing memorable. Did you know that you can see the world’s biggest pinecone along the PCT? Or discover a plant that smells like cheese? Whether you’re enjoying a day hike, exploring with your family, or setting out on the trek of a lifetime, you’ll forge a deeper connection with nature through the beautiful plants on display mile after mile.

First published in 1973, The Pacific Crest Trail, Vol. 1, California quickly established itself as the "PCT Bible"-- the book trekkers could not do without. Now thoroughly updated and redesigned into two portable volumes, Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California starts at the Mexican border and guides you to Yosemite's beautiful back country. Its companion volume meets the trail at Tuolumne Meadows and drops you at Oregon's door. Thru-hikers to Canada will find the rest of their journey in Pacific Crest Trail: Oregon & Washington. Our PCT gurus help you locate the trail, water sources, and resupply access routes with detailed descriptions, customized maps, and tips on alternate routes. Whether you're planning day hikes, weekend or week long backbacks, or an ambitious thru-hike, everything you need to know about--from bears to trees--is here.

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 the 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 much more.

From the time the PCT leaves the Mexican border, until it reaches Canada, it has traveled 2,650 miles through 24 national forests, 37 wilderness areas, and 7 national parks. In Pacific Crest Trail: Northern Cali-fornia, you'll meet up with the PCT in Yosemite National Park's Tuolumne Meadows, then hike, climb, descend, and switchback your way to the Oregon border. You'll discover rivers, peaks, forests, meadows, fascinating geological formations, and other natural wonders. You'll pass through Emigrant, Desolation, and Marble Mountain wildernesses; Trinity Alps and Lassen National Park; and, you'll see Lake Tahoe, Burney Falls, Mt. Shasta, and Castle Crags. This book helps you locate the PCT and side-trips, find water sources, and access resupply routes. Jeffrey P. Schaffer also describes the rich geological and natural history of these mountains. Information on camping, permits, and the best seasons to go is provided along with updated maps.

Manual on planning and preparing for hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail through California, Oregon, and Washington. Jardine's initial presentation of his lightweight-hiking theories