Elizabeth Wenk

This book aims to introduce scientists and educated laymen to the fascinating geology of the Bergell Alps, first with some background information on geology, tectonics, minerals and rocks and then to lead readers on excursions to observe geological features in the field. We believe the best way to make readers familiar with local geology is to lead them to intriguing outcrops. Such books are common in North America, but missing in Europe, particularly for the Alps. With this work, we use hands-on experience at a series of sites to educate readers how individual outcrops, moraines, landslides or other features contribute to our broader understanding of the region’s unique geology.

This authoritative guide for hikers and backpackers describes the 220-mile John Muir Trail, from Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mount Whitney. Stretching 220 miles from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney and onward to Whitney Portal, California's famed John Muir Trail (JMT) is one of the most popular backpacking routes in the US. It passes through some of the most dramatic scenery in the country: massive granite peaks, dizzying waterfalls, pristine alpine lakes, and vibrant meadows filled with Sierra wildflowers. Plus, it offers the mildest, sunniest climate of any major mountain range in the world The John Muir Trail contains the information you need for hiking or backpacking the route. The comprehensive guide describes the entire passage, with detailed directions as well as UTM coordinates for important junctions, lateral trails, campsites, food-storage boxes, and other points of interest. The book divides the trail into 13 sections, and each section includes an elevation profile and a table that lists elevation, distance from the previous point, and total mileage. Inside you'll find Detailed description of the entire trail from an expert author Trail junction locations and distances between junctions Comprehensive table of campsites 17 topographic maps plus elevation profiles Side trips to 15 notable peaks Pre-trip planning information about food resupplies, gear, permits, and more Whether you're hiking the entire JMT or just sections of it, you'll find expert start-to-finish advice in the updated edition of this guidebook

Get this condensed version of the guidebook John Muir Trail, featuring only the data sections--perfect for the pack-weight-conscious hiker or backpacker. Mileages, campsites, and resupply data, this light-weight and efficient data book strips away the author's trail descriptions and natural history information and presents the essential data for the 220-mile John Muir Trail (JMT), from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney and onward to Whitney Portal. Whether you're hiking the entire JMT or just sections of it, your first step begins with this guide by Sierra Nevada expert Elizabeth "Lizzy" Wenk. The cut-to-the-chase handbook splits the trail into 13 sections. Each section offers easy-to-read maps and tables of data, giving you the details you need to design your own trip in advance or as you explore the JMT. Inside you'll find Trail junction locations and distances between junctions (for southbound and northbound routes) Comprehensive table of campsites Elevation profiles for each section Maps of Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, and Lone Pine 17 topographic maps plus panoramic photographs Pre-trip planning information about food resupplies, transportation, and permits This abbreviated version of John Muir Trail: The Essential Guide to Hiking America's Most Famous Trail is designed to lighten your pack while providing everything you need to know along the way

The Essential Guide for Hikers, Backpackers, and EquestriansYosemite National Park is a hiker's paradise. Many people return time and again to experience its multifaceted landscapes. With 800-plus miles of maintained trails and several hundred more just beyond the park's boundaries, the options for exploration are endless. It would take years to visit every corner of the park-yet each trail yields new wonders to admire. Fortunately, expert hiker Elizabeth Wenk helps you choose where to go and what to see in this meticulously updated guidebook.Yosemite National Park describes almost every trail in Yosemite and most of the trails just outside the park. The routes are divided into 96 trips of varying length and difficulty, each with a standalone map that complements the author's trip description. Take in the stunning views of the Pothole Dome hike in less than an hour. Plan a family backpacking trip along the remarkably flat Twenty Lakes Basin. Enjoy endless views of El Capitan on the Valley Loops Trail. Discover granite slabs, subalpine lakes, rugged peaks, and endless flowers on the Clark Range Circuit. This classic book leads you to sequoias, waterfalls, and canyons in Yosemite and the surrounding Emigrant, Hoover, and Ansel Adams wilderness areas.In this book you'll find96 routes along popular and less-frequented trailsDetailed trip narratives that let you know what to expectAt-a-glance icons highlighting the best spots for views, camping, swimming, and moreComprehensive information on lodging, permits, and other park activitiesDescriptions of the region's history, geology, flora, and faunaIf you're planning a visit to Yosemite, you must have this book!

Find the Best Hikes and Backpacking Trips in California's Sierra NevadaThe rush of trekking through nature, the thrill of experiencing new places, the reward of discovering beautiful sights-all of this awaits in the Sierra Nevada. For more than 40 years, this definitive guidebook has led readers along the top trails between Tehachapi Pass and the southern border of Yosemite National Park. Now, with the revised and updated edition, let hiking experts Elizabeth Wenk and Mike White show you the way.Sierra South features 80 meticulously selected trips, from new routes to old favorites. Traverse the stunning wilderness areas and national forests of the region, including Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park, John Muir Wilderness, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and many more. The trips are organized around major highways and roads, so it's easy to choose your next adventure. Just pick an area, drive there, and go hiking. Inside you'll find84 trips that range from quick overnighters to 12-day excursionsComplete trip details, including day-by-day trail descriptions, GPS waypoints, and elevation data41 trailhead maps that show the routes for every tripBeginner tips and trusted advice on camping, fishing, and bear safetyInformation on side trips, geology, natural history, and morePlanning your trip into the southern Sierra backcountry is easier than ever before. For additional hiking and backpacking opportunities, see the companion guide Sierra North.

Find the Best Hikes and Backpacking Trips in California's Sierra NevadaThe rush of trekking through nature, the thrill of experiencing new places, the reward of discovering beautiful sights-all of this awaits in the Sierra Nevada. For more than 40 years, this definitive guidebook has led readers along the top trails between the mountain range's northern boundary and the southern edge of Yosemite National Park. Now, with this revised and updated edition, let hiking experts Elizabeth Wenk and Mike White show you the way.Sierra North features 86 meticulously selected trips, from new routes to old favorites. Traverse Hoover Wilderness, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, Emigrant Wilderness, Desolation Wilderness, and more. The trips are organized around major highways and roads, so it's easy to choose your next adventure. Just pick an area, drive there, and go hiking. Inside you'll find86 trips that range from quick overnighters to 11-day excursionsComplete trip details, including day-by-day trail descriptions, GPS waypoints, and elevation data36 trailhead maps that show the routes for every tripBeginner tips and trusted advice on camping, fishing, and bear safetyInformation on side trips, geology, natural history, and morePlanning your trip into the northern Sierra backcountry is easier than ever before. For additional hiking and backpacking opportunities, see the companion guide Sierra South.

Hike, backpack, bring the kids-there's a trail for you in Yosemite National Park.With its towering granite cliffs, impressive waterfalls, and lush meadows, Yosemite National Park offers boundless outdoor adventures. Now in its second edition, Top Trails: Yosemite, by Elizabeth Wenk and Jeffrey P. Schaffer, describes the park's classic destinations and lesser-known jewels in 45 must-do hikes.As part of the award-winning Top Trails series, this updated guide includes innovative trail-feature charts with information on child-friendly trails, wildflowers, scenic vistas, and more. Detailed route maps and elevation profiles, along with expert trail commentary, ensure that you know what to expect on every outing. Trailhead directions and "don't get lost" milestones help you to find where you need to go. Campground, RV, hotel, resort, and facility information provide extra details to plan your perfect trip.Top Trails: Yosemite includes treks to the base of Yosemite Falls, to the top of Half Dome, and across remote wilderness high in the Sierra Nevada. Whether you're looking for a scenic stroll to stretch your legs, a full-day adventure, or a rewarding backpacking trip, you'll find it here.

This new book by Sierra expert Elizabeth Wenk includes photos and descriptions of approximately 300 species of wildflowers and flowering shrubs in the High Sierra. Focused on areas above 8,000 feet in elevation from Yosemite south through the Whitney Region, by restricting the collection of species to higher elevations, the book can include all commonly seen species and nearly half of all higher elevation species in a compact guide. Make plant identification more approachable to hikers, this book differentiates between species using features easily identifiable to a non-botanist. Descriptions include the species' common and scientific names, family name, growth form, flowering time, elevation range, region, specific locations on popular trails, and how to identify the plant using color, petal number, leaf shape, height, and more.

45 “Must-Do” Yosemite Hikes It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amazing number of choice destinations in Yosemite National Park—Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Tuolumne Meadows, Hetch Hetchy, and many other famed locales. Now in full color, Top Trails Yosemite by Elizabeth Wenk and Jeffrey P. Schaffer helps you sort through the options. It doesn’t describe every possible hike in the Park, only the best. Whether you’re looking for a scenic stroll, a full-day adventure, or even a spectacular backpacking trip, you’ll find it here. And with at-a-glance information for each hike, visitors can determine which hikes are most suitable to their skills, schedules, and preferences. Books in the affordable and easy-to-use Top Trails series feature elevation profiles, detailed maps, driving directions, and “don’t get lost” trail milestones. Innovative trail-feature charts give information on which trails are child-friendly; which allow horses; where to see giant sequoias, waterfalls, lakes, wildflowers, and autumn colors; which trips have the best photo opportunities; and which have camping, running, or biking opportunities.

As the highest mountain in the lower 48 states, California's 14,505-foot Mt. Whitney is on the "life list" for many hikers. And it's no wonder: The views from the top of the 21-mile round-trip Mt. Whitney Trail are unbeatable, extending across the jagged granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the expansive Owens River Valley and beyond. While tremendously rewarding, this hike is demanding even for experienced trekkers. Would-be hikers need to be prepared for the altitude, long distance, elevation gain, mountain weather, and other potential dangers. One Best Hike: Mt. Whitney by experienced hiker and author Elizabeth Wenk is a step-by-step guide that will tell you exactly how to tackle this trip with confidence.

Find everything you need to know about the Grand Canyon’s one best hike, from the rim to the river—and back again. The Grand Canyon’s striking geology and overwhelming scale inspires the millions who stand on its South Rim each year. Let expert author Elizabeth Wenk lead you into the canyon’s depths on the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails to the mighty Colorado River, and spend the night at Indian Garden or Bright Angel campgrounds, or Phantom Ranch. While tremendously rewarding, this 16.1-mile loop hike demands much, even of experienced trekkers. Hikers need to prepare for the hot temperatures, lack of shade, long distance, elevation change, and other potential dangers. One Best Hike: Grand Canyon is a step-by-step guide that helps you tackle this trip with confidence. Inside you’ll find: Trail-tested details on how to choose hiking partners and an appropriate pace, what to pack, when to go, how to get a permit, and what side trips to considerAdvice on proper physical conditioning, including acclimating to the desert heat, staying hydrated, and preventing illnessDetails about the area’s human history and the geologic features, plants, and animals you’ll see One Best Hike: Grand Canyon, with its can-do approach, nuts-and-bolts advice, and practical tips, will leave you wondering why you waited so long to embark on this truly special hiking adventure.

50 Best Short Hikes: Yosemite National Park and Vicinity leads hikers of all skill levels to some of the most stunning landscapes Yosemite has to offer including: bubbling alpine creeks, smooth glaciated slabs, giant sequoias, deep dark blue lakes, and rock as far as the eye can see. In addition to in-depth hike descriptions, the author has also included information about the parks natural history, complex landscape, and its human history. Additional information includes tips on keeping yourself and your family safe, the park's natural predators, and helpful weather information.

Successfully hike Mount Whitney with the highly informative guide that helps you prepare and provides the details you need to know. As the highest mountain in the lower 48 states, California’s 14,505-foot Mount Whitney is on the “life list” of many hikers. And it's no wonder: The views from the top of the 21-mile-round-trip Mount Whitney Trail are unbeatable, extending across the jagged granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the expansive Owens River Valley and beyond. While tremendously rewarding, this hike is demanding. You must prepare for the altitude, long distance, elevation gain, mountain weather, and other potential dangers. One Best Hike: Mount Whitney by experienced hiker and author Elizabeth Wenk is a step-by-step guide that tells you how to tackle this trip with confidence. Inside you’ll find: Advice on proper physical conditioning—including hikes for altitude trainingDetails on finding your pace, what to pack, when to start, how to get permits, and trail safetyHelpful maps and tables to identify campsites and water sources, plus a panorama to help identify peaks from the summitDozens of photos so you know what to expect One Best Hike: Mount Whitney, with its can-do approach, nuts-and-bolts advice, and practical tips, is your first step toward a truly special hiking adventure.

This new book by Sierra expert Elizabeth Wenk includes photos and descriptions of approximately 300 species of wildflowers and flowering shrubs in the High Sierra. Focused on areas above 8,000 feet in elevation from Yosemite south through the Whitney Region, by restricting the collection of species to higher elevations, the book can include all commonly seen species and nearly half of all higher elevation species in a compact guide. Make plant identification more approachable to hikers, this book differentiates between species using features easily identifiable to a non-botanist. Descriptions include the species' common and scientific names, family name, growth form, flowering time, elevation range, region, specific locations on popular trails, and how to identify the plant using color, petal number, leaf shape, height, and more.

50 Best Short Hikes: Yosemite National Park and Vicinity leads hikers of all skill levels to some of the most stunning landscapes Yosemite has to offer including: bubbling alpine creeks, smooth glaciated slabs, giant sequoias, deep dark blue lakes, and rock as far as the eye can see. In addition to in-depth hike descriptions, the author has also included information about the parks natural history, complex landscape, and its human history. Additional information includes tips on keeping yourself and your family safe, the park's natural predators, and helpful weather information.

One of the world's most spectacular places, the Grand Canyon annually attracts over 4 million visitors who peer over the edge of the abyss. A smaller number of them trek from the rim to the banks of the Colorado River on one of the nation's best-known hikes. Many of these hikers are inadequately prepared for the rigors of what can be a deadly journey. This indispensable guide describes the most popular route into the canyon -- the 16.2 mile round-trip route from the South Rim to the Colorado River. It addresses the many possible hazards (extreme heat, cold, elevation gain/loss of over 9,000 feet), gives advice on physical conditioning, and includes helpful charts, maps, and GPS waypoints for the best rest points. The hike itself is covered mile by mile, with expert coaching and hints along the way. Experienced and novice hikers alike will benefit from its encouraging, can-do approach.