John McKinney's New Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California ebook

by John McKinney

One of the first hiking books I purchased when I came to Southern California was John McKinney's 'Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California.

McKinney charts treks to wildflower-strewn meadows. One of the first hiking books I purchased when I came to Southern California was John McKinney's 'Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California. McKinney, then hiking columnist for the LA Times, wrote extensively about his experiences throughout California and around the world, but local destinations remained his specialty.

Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Start by marking John McKinney's New Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California as Want to Read: Want to Read savin. ant to Read. McKinney charts treks to wildflower-strewn meadows, lovely waterfalls, and even up two-mile high Mt. San Gorgonio, the region's highest peak. Both novice and experienced hikers will find a wide array of outings in McKinney's trusted and comprehensive 336-page book.

Start by marking Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California as Want to Read . The classic Southern California hiking guidebook. Includes 150 best hikes throughout the Southland, from San Diego to Santa Barbara, Santa Monica to Palm Springs.

Start by marking Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California as Want to Read: Want to Read savin. Mountain, coastline, island and desert hikes for hikers of all abilities-from easy family nature walks to daylong challenges. An essential volume for exploring the natural side of Southern California.

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Find nearly any book by John McKinney. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers. HIKE for Health & Fitness: Slim Down, Shape Up, and Reconnect with Nature. ISBN 9780934161442 (978-34161-44-2) Softcover, The Trailmaster, In. 2012.

This lively and comprehensive guide puts you on the trail to adventure in 150 California State Parks, Preserves, Beaches, Widerness Areas and Historic Sites. Complete with nature lore, colorful stories and detailed maps.

One of the first hiking books I purchased when I came to Southern California was John McKinney's 'Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California.

Candidate for Governor of Connecticut. Eight-term State Senator from Fairfield. State Senate Minority Leader since 2007. Mr. McKinney made a renegotiation a centerpiece of his unsuccessful campaign for his party's 2014 gubernatorial nomination. Mystic Aquarium, City Pier New London, Charles Morgan Tall Ship, Cottrell Brewery in Pawcatuck, ended the day up in the Northwest Corner, Torrington GOP Meet the Candidates Picnic. On the Road in Eastern Connecticut.

Another John McKinney book worth noting is The Joy of Hiking: Hiking the Trailmaster Way (Wilderness Press .

Another John McKinney book worth noting is The Joy of Hiking: Hiking the Trailmaster Way (Wilderness Press: Berkley, 2005). Content: He begins the book with 12 pages of introductory matter, including, Getting the Most from Hiking .

John Randolph McKinney was a United States soldier who received the Medal of Honor in World War II during the campaign to recapture the Philippines from Japanese forces in 1945. Although greatly outnumbered by about 100 Japanese soldiers, McKinney was single-handedly able to secure a crucial battlefield area before reinforcements arrived. He was presented the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony by President Harry S. Truman on January 23, 1946.

150 favorite hikes in Southern Californias still-pristine and wild areas. McKinney charts treks to wildflower-strewn meadows, lovely waterfalls, and even up two-mile high Mt. San Gorgonio, the regions highest peak. Both novice and experienced hikers will find a wide array of outings in McKinneys trusted and comprehensive 336-page book. There's an eclectic mix of hikes, including time-tested classics, personal and reader favorites, and new trails in new parklands, in this just-published version of his popular guide.

Generously illustrated, with a map for every hike, the book covers outstanding terrain: Santa Monica Mountains, Ventura County, San Gabriel Mountains, Orange County, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Catalina Island, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs and much more!

Wetiwavas

One of the first hiking books I purchased when I came to Southern California was John McKinney's 'Day Hiker's Guide to Southern California.' McKinney, then hiking columnist for the LA Times, wrote extensively about his experiences throughout California and around the world, but local destinations remained his specialty. The book helped introduce me to the myriad of wilderness experiences available in this otherwise highly urbanized area. As someone who grew up in Idaho, McKinney eased the "culture shock" I experienced when I came to Southern California for graduate school.

This newer edition (2004) has sharper pictures than the earlier versions, but it still has the same general format. Hikes from Santa Barbara to San Diego are described in rich and sometimes humorous detail. Each area receives a nice introduction and details about local history are included in many of the hike descriptions. Readers (and walkers) will learn about the famous Mt. Lowe Railroad, the observatory on Mt. Palomar, the state's first gold rush in Placerita Canyon (1842) along with many other interesting notes and historical trivia. I've hiked over half of the 150 routes described here and all are very nice.

That said, this book already needs a new edition. Although it was published in 2004, the text does not reflect the changed conditions brought on by the extreme wildfires of late 2003. For example, the North Shore Trail near Lake Arrowhead, described in this book as "a woodsy retreat shaded by sugar pines and Jeffrey pines" was completely burnt over. Even now in 2007 the area is showing only limited signs of recovery and the trail is eroded in spots. It will be many years before any true forest cover returns.

Readers should also note that McKinney tends to underestimate mileage for many of the hikes he describes. He lists the Vivian Creek Trail to San Gorgonio Summit as 14 miles roundtrip. The Forest Service, however, now gives the mileage as 17.2. Similarly, McKinney wisely starts the trip to Deep Creek Hot Springs from the Mojave River Forks Dam (a more scenic hike than the shorter "Goat Trail" from Bowen Ranch) but he claims it is only 8 miles. Readers should know it is actually 10 miles.

Still, having noted these problems, this remains an excellent book. It offers a variety of hikes and is a good introduction to the wilder side of Southern California. In addition to this book, I would also recommend Jerry Schad's 101 Hikes in Southern California. If you want shorter walks (most of McKinney's hikes are in the 5-10 mile range) check out Ann Marie Brown's Easy Hiking in Southern California. You can hardly go wrong with any of these books as you begin to explore the many wildlands that surround our cities and suburbs. Happy Trails.

Olwado

This book is full of great ideas for hikes/walks/runs on trails and even frames many areas in very in-depth historical perspective. My only issue is that, in many cases, the actual maps and directions are pretty vague. Good for background and ideas, but you'll still end up googling most of the basics yourself...

Bladebringer

I enjoy the book. It helps me locate exciting places to hike to.

Lavivan

Great little book to have on your self! I bought it for the BF for the holidays. We are always looking for good hikes to do on the weekend and this easy to read format makes finding the perfect hike easy! The book is easy to navigate and well detailed.

Uste

I am sure it will be a good guide for my photographic journies. I specifically wanted to know about the LA River, and it seems to fill the bill.

Owomed

this book is great, it has all the info I need for my favorite places to hike, my girlfriend has one and I had to have my own.

Kulabandis

I grew up in Southern California, but I still didn't know about a lot of the hikes in this guide. It's fun to discover new hikes when I visit my family!

McKinney is a journalist, so his writing is crisp. I love his dry wit: "Rattlesnake Canyon Trail is serpentine, but otherwise far more inviting than its name suggests." Each region and trail has an introduction that includes historical tidbits, and then the hike itself is described in great detail. He writes helpful hints for families with small kids, suggesting places to turn around and so forth. (I really appreciated his note in the introduction about how hiking with kids can help instill in them a love of nature.)

The introduction helps you decide which hikes to focus on - he covers 150 in the book! He must be in great shape. There's a very helpful "Best Hikes..." section with listings like "For Watching Whales," "With Kids," "For Tree-Huggers," and "For Romance." But its conversational tone makes you want to read every listing!

If you're just getting into hiking, are not in excellent shape and have a little trepidation about venturing into the "wilderness," then I highly recommend this book. It has good descriptions of each trail and driving tips to the particulae trailhead. It also gives essential basic information about hiking gear, equipment and style that novices will need.
However, if you're an experienced hiker, this is not your book. Opt for the John Robinson guides, because the treks here are not strenuous. It's inconceivable that any guide purporting to be about Southern California omits the three greatest hikes of the region: Mount Baldy, San Gorgonio and San Jacinto. But again, this book is for beginners and it goes a good job for them. I just don't want someone looking for long, strenuous hikes being disappointed with this purpose. Happy hiking to all!