Simply the
Best Alaska Hiking Book
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Hiking Alaska
by Dean Littlepage
Who must have this book: Anyone who has any
plans to hike in any area of Alaska.
Who should have this book: Anyone who lives
in Alaska and needs persuasion to get out on the trails.
ISBN: 0762722371
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I
have looked through a lot of hiking guides for Alaska, and there is
only one that I suggest to everyone who asks, this one. This book
is a great overview for hiking every region of the state with enough
suggestions to keep you hiking for your lifetime. It does not try
to be exhaustive in its coverage of trails, but it is impressive in
its scope. For each region, the author gives a good selection of short
day trips through multi-day backpacking trips. He doesn’t overwhelm
the reader with options, but goes in depth into the best trails in
the region while mentioning other good options for further exploration.
This Second Edition – For those familiar with
the first edition of this book, this book has pretty much the same
content. There are a few changes in trail selection, but they are
minor. What is different is the design of the book. The book has gone
through a pretty big redesign. The pages and organization is crisper
and cleaner and the new trail maps and elevation profiles are the
best I have seen in any hiking guide.
Overview
There is a basic introduction to hiking in Alaska that fills the first
30 pages, but it is pretty basic and covers the usual, equipment,
leave no trace… But there is some Alaska specific information
like river crossings, hypothermia, and, of course, bear and moose
safety. Note if you are looking for a book to cover general hiking,
you may want a companion to this book, this is a book about trails,
not how-to info.
The vast bulk of the book is filled with information about where to
hike in Alaska. The book is divided into the main areas along the
road and marine ferry; South Central, Interior and Southeast. A fourth
section covers wilderness and off road areas like the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge, the Northwest and National Parks that are off the
road system.
For the trail section, each covered trail typically has a summary
that includes distances, highlights, difficulty ratings, elevation
gains, fees, contacts and associated maps. There is also a written
description of the trail which includes highlights and other suggested
trails. Most trails also have very detailed trail maps and elevation
profiles.
If you are on the fence about what guide to get, unless you have a
specific location in mind, this is the guide to get.
Author
Dean Littlepage was a long time resident of Alaska (recently
moved to Montana) who has traveled extensively throughout the state.
During his stay in the state, he was very involved in outdoor stewardship
and conservation.
