Book Description
The acclaimed author of The End of Nature takes a three-week walk from his current home in Vermont to his former home in the Adirondacks and reflects on the deep hope he finds in the two landscapes.
Bill McKibben begins his journey atop Vermont’s Mt. Abraham, with a stunning view to the west that introduces us to the broad Champlain Valley of Vermont, the expanse of Lake Champlain, and behind it the towering wall of the Adirondacks. “In my experience,” McKibben tells us, “the world contains no finer blend of soil and rock and water and forest than that found in this scene laid out before me—a few just as fine, perhaps, but none finer. And no place where the essential human skills—cooperation, husbandry, restraint—offer more possibility for competent and graceful inhabitation, for working out the answers that the planet is posing in this age of ecological pinch and social fray.”
The region he traverses offers a fine contrast between diverse forms of human habitation and pure wilderness. On the Vermont side, he visits with old friends who are trying to sustain traditional ways of living on the land and to invent new ones, from wineries to biodiesel. After crossing the lake in a rowboat, he backpacks south for ten days through the vast Adirondack woods. As he walks, he contemplates the questions that he first began to raise in his groundbreaking meditation on climate change, The End of Nature: What constitutes the natural? How much human intervention can a place stand before it loses its essence? What does it mean for a place to be truly wild?
Wandering Home is a wise and hopeful book that enables us to better understand these questions and our place in the natural world. It also represents some of the best nature writing McKibben has ever done.
Customer Reviews:
A Connection to the Land.......2007-06-26
I have spent much of my recreational time in the two places Bill McKibben writes about in this book -- The Adirondacks of New York and the Champlain Valley of Vermont. They both offer some of the most beautiful, pastoral scenery in the US. From Lake Champlain itself you can see the Green Mountains of Vermont on one side and the Adirondack Mountains of New York on the other. As Mr. KcKibben points out, while they may look similar and proximate from afar, each is quite different from the other. The Champlain Valley is more pastoral, bucolic and New England-like. The Adirondacks are much more rugged, wilderness-like and rough around the edges. Both can call to you in a way that becomes a lifetime's pursuit.
This book is an easy and short read. It is engaging, paints wonderful pictures with words and gets you to think about the tension between a simpler life closer to the natural world and modern society and progress/development. He is fair in his assessment of the joys and the struggles associated with a simpler life closer to nature. I don't know who would enjoy this book more - the person who has enjoyed this simpler life or one who can only imagine it through books like this one. I highly recommend this book for people who love this part of the world or who have thought about getting closer to the land and living a simpler life.
An Insight into Place and Community........2006-10-17
Bill McKibben describes a walk through place and community. The community is bound by a geographic region but the displaced reader is imperceptibly drawn into the mind-set of McKibben and his guests. You are introduced to a group who love the land on the Vermont/New York border and recognise it as one of the few "wild" places left in America. It is their passion to preserve and conserve that comes through and it is infectious. The book inspires the reader to analyse their relationship to place and modes of behaviour driven by place. The antithesis of economic consumption exists in all of us, however repressed. Bill brings it to the fore. The effect on the distant reader is such that you will join the community despite being so far way. Bravo Bill !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review of Bill McKibben's "Wandering Home".......2006-05-15
Bill McKibben walks for sixteen days through the Adirondack Mountains to share his love of the land with his readers but what makes the book so special are the people Bill introduces, walks with, and talks with (and about...) along his journey. I was a Travel Agent for five years and was lucky enough to be sent to some of the best, first class places in America and this journey that Bill McKibben takes us on with his words is more meaningful than many of those places I went to which include the Grand Canyon & Scottsdale, AZ; the San Francisco Bay Area; Paradise Island & Nassau, Bahamas; Manhattan; the Sierra-Nevada Mountains (by train); and New Orleans & Mississippi River Cruise!
Each authentic and real person that McKibben joins on his trek lends a hand in telling the story. The book is as much about the beauty of the people as it is of the land. I grew up twenty miles away from the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania, and presently I am a steward and guardian of 400 acres of land in central PA with my husband, his uncle, and my husband's brother and I share and appreciate Bill McKibben's deep love for the power of nature, the wild, and the people. I found John Davis (owns a bicycle, no car) as one of the most interesting characters in the book. I also like the stories of Chris Shaw, who has the good sense of memorializing the people who have passed on but that once lived in the Adirondacks and give the book historical authenticity. My favorite stories in the book are from Donald Armstrong and especially Armstrong's memory he shares with McKibben (and us) about Don's wife, Velda and a fly-fishing event. I laughed so hard I cried! It is a funny moment, but this husband-wife story is so cute and sweet, and gives one a feeling of nostalgia. (The church steeple is a cool part, too.) This is a gem of a story and Wandering Home is a gem of a book.
I am a people person and for the first few chapters of Wandering Home I'm thinking that it is too bad Bill McKibben spends all this passion on the Adirondacks. I imagine what his passion could do to improve the lives of the infirm or impoverished people. Much to my chagrin, in the last few chapters McKibben admits this deficit with charm and honesty. He admits he should spend more time helping the less fortunate, and then justifies his love and preservation of the Adirondacks as his way of giving something back to people. And, I agree that he has. Furthermore, he explains that he tries not to be a drain on the planet. If only we could all think this way, maybe our global warming and environmental problems would vanish. For the first time in my life, I realize the full extent of the impact that people have had and still have on our surroundings and I am saddened and sickened by it. (I imagine a sunrise or a sunset over a mountain, or an ocean breeze I thank God there are still a few areas left in this world that man / woman hasn't been able to get his / her hands on.)
I do have one eco-criticism of Wandering Home. Bill writes that he and John Davis climb to the top of Owl's Head on page 93 of his book. Owl's Head is a considerable distance away from Bristol, and is not included in the path outlined on the inside covers of his book. But, every author has to create mystery in some way, right? Judging by the description of Owl's Head I can see why McKibben would include it in his "walk" since Owl's Head sounds like a stunning place with it's 390 degree view of the Adirondack mountains. On my map, Owl's Head is about sixty miles north of Lake Placid one way, as the crow flies.
Dr. Robert Bernard Hass (English Professor, poet, writer, and Robert Frost expert at Edinboro University) and I got into a discussion about hyper-individualism in class one day. Dr. Hass told me about his friend named Bill McKibben and how McKibben writes about hyper-individualism and that a good place to start on the subject would be Wandering Home. I am grateful that Hass recommended the book to me. It was a book that I was sad to see end, but a journey I will always remember in more ways than one. I was so inspired that I am planning on a short family vacation to the Adirondacks for this summer. I will do my best to demonstrate a sense of forest preservation and protection while I'm there, visiting the wild of the Adirondacks.
Thin but worth reading.......2006-04-06
This book is thin. I mean literally. It is really just a somewhat longish essay. I was disappointed that there was not more depth, more history, more "more."
This is the story of McKibben's amble from Vermont to the central Adirondacks, with a crossing by row boat of Lake Champlain. McKibben is a good writer and he loves this landscape and is very concerned about it and its place in the global environment, but I could not help comparing him and this book to another Bill-namely Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. Bryson is a much more energetic writer. In my opinion, he is funnier and deeper than McKibben. A Walk in the Woods is a great book, Wandering Home is light weight by comparison.
McKibben has some very good thoughts on environmental issues and expresses an admirable moderation in this book. He is especially sensitive to the complexity of many environmental issues and actively criticizes the "knee-jerk" environmentalists for over-simplifying the issues in many cases. On the other hand, McKibben is something of a romantic airhead. Often his ruminations are fatuous and patronizing; for example, his dogma that those simple Vermont farmers and old Adirondack loggers that he's met are more "authentic" than you or I (McKibben makes this claim more than once in Wandering Home).
Nevertheless, I liked this book and enjoyed reading it. McKibben loves the Adirondacks and so do I. In this short book he's managed to capture something of the flavor of the hidden Adirondacks, that fortunately so few people know. The Adirondack Park of New York is the most beautiful sylvan landscape in the world. McKibben's book raises, but barely starts to answer, such questions as why and how to protect and preserve the Adirondacks and other similarly blessed places.
A dangerous book.......2005-10-24
Bill McKibben is a thoughtful writer. Most of all, this book made me wish I could take a hike with him and meet the land he loves so much. Be warned that this book might make you homesick, even if you've never been to Vermont or the Adirondacks. But beyond that, the book has some serious points to make.
I'm a suburbanite trapped in the cycle of debt that has sucked in so many Americans (in my case, student loans and a mortgage). I work for the Department of Commerce. I have a husband. I have a child who is addicted to video games. I don't have the money or the freedom to move to the Adirondacks, or even take a trip there. This book is a reminder that Americans don't have to live the way we do. We might very well be happier if we got rid of a lot of our stuff and lived more lightly on the land. Of course, McKibben punctures that little bubble by pointing out that a lot of people have tried to do that in Vermont, with laughable results.
I believe that once the cheap oil is gone, life in America is going to be very different. Ordinary American life today puts so much emphasis on getting places quickly. In the not-so-distant future we're going to be staying much more in one spot, and only rarely going anywhere we can't reach on foot or bicycle. This book is a reminder that such a stationary life might not be so bad. There's more to a meaningful and happy existence than what cheap gasoline and Wal-Mart can bring. Maybe someday the science of economics will remember that.
Book Description
60 hikes selected to delight your dog (and you) in New Hampshire and Vermont—all close to urban areas.
·Trails rated 1-4 paws to show difficulty for dog owners and their four-legged friends
·Terrain that's hazard free and easy on the paws
·On most trails, no leashes required and no large crowds
Lisa Densmore hiked more than 300 miles in New Hampshire and Vermont mostly with her faithful trail companion Bravo, a Chesapeake Bay retriever, but also with other dogs, while researching this book. Here she shares her favorite trails of easy day hikes to overnight backpacking trips, presented through canine-centric eyes. These hikes will delight both you and your pet with panoramic views, long ridge walks, lush forests, and pristine lakes.
Advice is given on topics such as proper canine trail etiquette, wildlife encounters, and weather concerns. Additional features include what to pack for your pooch, including the Ten Canine Essentials, a doggy first aid kit, and a Trail Finder chart that lists hikes by length, terrain, difficulty for dogs, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Dog-Friendly Hiking.......2005-09-18
I had been looking forward to this book's publication since a New Hampshire bookseller told me this summer it was coming soon. I live in Vermont 7 months of the year, and New Hampshire the remaining 5. I own a 4-year-old shepherd/black lab mix, Diamond, who loves to go hiking with me. So this book is perfect for us to plan new adventures.
The author has selected hikes which are safe and suitable for dogs, as well as delightful hikes for their human companions. I was glad to see some of my favorite hikes are included in the book, and there are many others I look forward to doing with Diamond.
The hikes are rated from one to four paws for difficulty, and dog regulations specific to each hike (proof of rabies, leash laws) are given. I am impressed with the detailed topographic maps, especially since the maps in my two "Best Hikes with Children" books, by the same publisher, are a bit disappointing.
I was glad to see that the author details many safety-related and ethical issues pertaining to hiking with dogs. The ten essentials include gear one should carry for dogs (leash, water, portable bowl) as well as obedience training (to be done before the dog goes hiking). The ten canons of trail etiquette are guidelines to ensure that your dog won't offend other hikers, and that you won't lose the privilege of hiking with your dog on the trails.
Book Description
Divided according to the 11 natural regions of Vermont, the hikes described in this FalconGuide include views, hikes and rambles.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Guide That Makes for Great Reading.......2005-04-30
In a rural state such as Vermont, although plenty of opportunities for hiking exist, finding them can be difficult since they are off the beaten path. This guide will help you find those hidden (and some not-so-hidden) hiking gems that are scattered throughout the Green Mountain state.
This guide describes 61 hikes scattered fairly evenly across Vermont. Hikes range in length from 0.5 miles to 15 miles with the average at around 4-6 miles. Each hike comes with some basic facts about the trail, a rather detailed set of directions to the trailhead, a map, a detailed trail description, and usually a photo. The maps are typical Falcon maps: they show the trail, a couple of main features, and not much else. I have to say I don't understand why Falcon doesn't upgrade their maps to the USGS topo variety that are found in the 50-hikes series and most other top hiking guides these days. Still, I have lots of Falcon hiking guides on my shelf, so I guess my wallet speaks louder than this review.
Perhaps the most outstanding quality of this guide is the author's wide and varied vocabulary. In fact, this guide has a literary quality not found in most hiking guides. Occassionally this gets in the way of clarity. For example, the author describes the trail to Camel's Hump as a "bony" trail. Does he mean rocky? narrow? These cases are the exception, and usually the author's vocabulary simply makes the reading experience more enjoyable.
I have heard some other people complain about the lack of Long Trail information in this book. On this point I must respectfully disagree. True, if you are looking to hike the Long Trail from start to finish, you will need better information than what is provided here. Still, 16 of the hikes in this book describe dayhikes along the Long Trail, and this is a book on hiking, not backpacking. Most dayhikers will find plenty on the Long Trail here to keep them busy for a long time.
In summary, this may not be the best guide to Vermont hiking on the market, but this book merits serious consideration. I withheld one star, mainly for the maps and slightly for the potentially vague descriptions. As I said though, this book has a literary quality not found in most hiking guides. So if you enjoy reading hiking guides or you are interested in Vermont hiking, this book should find its way onto your shelf.
Excellent guide for discovering Vermont.......2003-09-19
This is an excellent addition to the Falcon Guide hiking series, and the author adds a touch of humor and class to each route description. The driving directions to each trailhead are detailed and accurate. the route descriptions are similarly packed with information that any hiker can use. If there was a chance of seeing wildlife, Pletcher duly notes it and informs you when the best times are for seeing bears or moose. If you're backpacking, he tells you where to find water and where reliable springs are located.
I was a little disappointed that he didn't concentrate more on the 260 mile Long Trail which traverses the length of Vermont. I was looking for information of their shelters and side routes into towns along the way. But for day hikers, this is a good, reliable and handy guide. Recommended.
Book Description
This definitive guide to hiking in Vermont has been completely revised and updated and includes six new hikes. In addition to covering the Green Mountains it now includes 6 more new hikes ranging throughout the state.
From gentle nature trails to rugged peak climbs, from remote fishing holes to historic ghost towns, from rushing waterfalls to rare peregrine falcon habitat, the Green Mountain State has much to offer hikers. This completely revised and updated sixth edition leads hikers up classic peaks like Camel's Hump, Mount Mansfield, and Mount Ascutney, as well as revealing many more lesser-known gems.
The hikes range in length from a half-mile stroll to a 22-mile backpacking trip. Each hike description includes a topographic map, mile-by-mile directions, and information on distance, difficulty, terrain, and hiking time. An overview chart makes it easy to pick a hike for every ability. And each hike description is enlivened by knowledgeable commentary on the area's geology, history, flora, and wildlife. 50 black & white photographs, 51 maps, index.
Customer Reviews:
decent "starter" trail guide for VT.......2007-08-19
I purchased this book when I first moved to Vermont to help me find my way around the trails here. It provides a decent cross-section of hikes, "rambles", and overnights throughout the state and across the entire spectrum of difficulties (from "easy (even with kids)" to "oh goodness, that was rough").
If you are just starting out with outdoors activities, this is a good place to start because you are almost certain to find something near to you that is within your comfort zone (as far as challenge goes). However, if you are a more experienced hiker, you will outgrow this book too quickly. (And if that is the case, I would suggest the Green Mountain Club's "Day Hiker's Guide" instead.)
Beautiful guide with essential information.......2003-09-19
Living in California, I don't get a chance to hike in Vermont as often as I would like. But when I do, I always take this lightweight guide along in my car and in the pack. The best part about the guide is that hikes are described in detail and directions to each trailhead are given in exhaustive detail. This is especially important for out-of-towners who aren't familiar with the back country roads. The authors have hiked each of the trails and they offer pithy comments on trail conditions, the possibility of seeing wildlife and other pertinent information.
There is a separate section on the magnificent Long Trail, the 260 mile hike which runs from the Massachusetts border to he Canadian border. My one slight criticism is the photos, which could be of better quality, but the text, route descriptions and ancillary material are of high quality.
Good not Great.......2002-08-29
This book does provide good trail descriptions for a reasonable number of hikes in Vermont. I've hiked about a dozen of the trails listed in here, of those 10 there were:
2 in which the directions to the trailhead listed the wrong forest service road to take.
3 in which I saw other trails at junctions that weren't mentioned in this book leading to nearby attractions (without giving full descriptions it would be nice to mention alternatives for longer hikes available).
1 in which the directions led to a difficult hike, but it turned out talking to people at the top that a much easier hike was available to reach the same destination from the same trailhead.
Having said that, this book does give the visitor an easy way to plan some hikes in Vermont. The Falcon guide looks to be similar, so it might be useful to read both before planning your hikes.
Before you buy this book..........2001-06-11
I liked this book - easy to read and informative. The only problem was it didn't have very specific information on things like shelters, camping, etc. - it's more of a day-hike book. I phoned the Green Mountain Club (the authors) to get more info, and it turns out that they have written a book of their own called "The Long Trail Guide")that is much more comprehensive and they recommend it more than this one. I would check that book out before you get this one. But if you just want a good book for day hikes, I like this one fine.
Comprehensive hiking book for the right price.......2000-09-17
The fifth edition of this book, written by two members of the Green Mountain Club, covers hikes everywhere in the State. To no one's surprise, the majority are located along the Appalachian trail and the area with the least hikes covered is in the Northeast Kingdom.
The authors offer a very good "At A Glance" section in the beginning with hike name, location, and so forth-- many of the things also covered in the individual hikes, but what stands out in this secion is whether or not each hike has a view, good for kids, nearby camping, good for winter, and my personal fav, notes that state whether the hike is good for x-c skiing, snowshoeing, waterfalls, historical interest, etc. The book also contains a "hiker's" guide to trail map symbols, safety, what the pack and more.
There are no surprises in the write-up for each hike. The authors have not left anything out: distance, hiking time, vertical rise, difficulty rating, pictures and topographical maps.
You won't find a better book about hiking in Vermont for this reasonable price.
Book Description
Official guidebook and maps for the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire and Vermont, including the White and Green mountains—325 miles from Grafton Notch in western Maine to North Adams in northwestern Massachusetts. Packaged with eight, waterproof four-color topographical maps on four sheets, with elevation profiles.
Product Description
5th Edition
Hiking Trails change over time. Don't get caught looking for a trailhead that doesn't exist, or relying on outdated trail description. Get the new 5th edition of the Day Hiker's Guide with updated full color maps. The new guide provides the most comprehensive coverage of Vermonts hiking trails outside the Long Trail System. The Day Hikers Guide paired with the Green Mountain Clubs Long Trail Guide provides thorough coverage of Vermonts varied hiking trails.
Visit Vermont's high peaks, lakes and ponds, natural and historical areas, state parks, nature centers, and recreation paths. This guide includes short walks in the woods as well as daylong treks --there are trails to suit most anyone.
Everything you need to hike Vermont
1. Detailed maps and descriptions for more than 200 different trails
2. Summaries of distance, time, and elevation gain
3. Detailed directions to trailheads
4. Listings of Vermont's trail organizations
5. Helpful hiking and equipment tips
Customer Reviews:
The Essential VT Trail Guide.......2007-08-19
If you could have one (and only one) trail guide for Vermont, I would suggest this one. While there are plenty of references and resources out there for Long Trail hikers, it can sometimes be a bit harder to find (or hear about) mountains and trails that are off the LT. Because this book's focus is on those non-Long Trail hikes and rambles, it fills in the blanks that are left wide open in nearly every other VT hiking guide I've found (be it $35 book, $6 map, or freebie bulletin in a visitor center somewhere). The maps are detailed and easy to follow and the writing is superb.
Product Description
A full color, waterproof hiking map produced by the Wilderness Map Company in partnership with the Green Mountain Club.
When the first edition of this popular new product appeared last summer, it jumped off shelves. The second edition is now available, and it is even better, with enhanced graphics and the latest information about shelter changes, trail relocations, mileages, and more. All proceeds go to benefit the nonprofit work of the Club to maintain and protect Vermonts hiking trails.
Customer Reviews:
handy to have stuffed in your pack.......2007-08-19
Not necessarily helpful in finding the trailheads but this Long Trail map does help one keep the length of the trail in perspective and can help you match up your hikes with the legs of the LT. (So that if you (like me) are not "through hiking" the LT, you can mark off the stretches that you hike, as you hike them...)
Average customer rating:
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Great Hikes in Central Vermont
Leslie Schomaker
Manufacturer: Great Guides for Outdoor Fun
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Map
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ASIN: 0966364147 |
Book Description
Great Hikes in Central Vermont offers a unique, new, user-friendly format that makes hiking a more pleasurable experience. Rather than a book, which is cumbersome to use on the trail, this is a set of individual "hiking cards". Each colorful and graphically pleasing card combines trail map, route description, elevation gains, level of difficulty, historical notes, best picnic spots, explanation of mountains seen from overlooks, directions to trailhead and much more. The hiking cards come with a clear, protective map-carrier that can be worn around your neck or carried in a pocket of your pack for quick reference. Carry just a single card with you for more information than most books have to offer. Hikes are selected for great views and interest. They are suitable for novice and serious hikers alike, and make great gifts or souvenirs.
Product Description
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