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Rating: 
Summary: this book is not for beginners
Review: For all of those people giving this book one and two stars either you need to come more prepared or the desert is no place for you. I have been on many hikes in this book and his other books and the only time I had a problem is when I forgot a map or tried to find a trailhead in the dark. Yes he gives you enough rope to hang yourself but there is nowhere else you will find this much info on these remote incredible places. If you can't negotiate these canyons maybe you should go on a ranger guided tour at your local national park.
Rating:
Summary: Opens the door
Review: Before Kelsey, all the guide books declared many canyons impassable. In this book, Kelsey has provided the information to hike canyons safely that were unvisited before his book. I've used this book since the First Edition in 1986. It's a classic and still tops. One warning. Kelsey is a stronger hiker than most of us. Add about 50% to his hiking time estimates if you're not under 35 and in good shape.
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Summary: Excellent book on slot canyons
Review: I bought this book at the advice of a friend. I used the book last year (1998) and did several of the hikes mentioned. Descriptions are accurate and detailed. Well worth the money if you want to find those out of the way canyons that the typical tourist doesn't know about.
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Summary: excellent source of hikes in Colorado Plateau, esp. Utah
Review: I have used this book to hike and camp in the Colorado Plateau over the last ten years.Excellent maps and directions, including accurate mile marker information for road turn-offs. Most of the hikes have geological cross-sections, and give interesting facts, from geology to archeology.
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Summary: A Lot of Information of Spotty Quality
Review: I really like this book, but I take it with a big chunk of salt. It has information about hikes all over the Colorado Plateau, from Zion to the Res to Grand Junction, and this is its big win - variety. A few classic canyons in each area. But the information is not always accurate. Bring the map, a pack full of common sense and read with skepticism, and you'll be just fine. Be a beginner, take this as the bible and you're heading for trouble.
Rating: 
Summary: Some good info, but be careful reading Metric Mike!
Review: I was glad to find this book, and got lots of ideas about places to go from it. It does have lots of useful information, but I found it to be lacking some very necessary details about the canyons needed to plan a hike to this area. Take a good map and call the local BLM office for details before going. I've seen people turn up on the local six o'clock news a couple of times because they got into a canyon they couldn't get out of using one of his books! Also, all distances are metric :( so be prepared to convert everything to feet and miles.
Rating: 
Summary: A dangerous book
Review: Kelsey's directions to trailheads is seriously lacking in this book. I followed his directions to a trailhead in Zion National Park, and ended up in the totally wrong canyon. This was after following his directions and mileage points to the letter!
Rating:
Summary: A dangerous book
Review: Kelsey's directions to trailheads is seriously lacking in this book. I followed his directions to a trailhead in Zion National Park, and ended up in the totally wrong canyon. This was after following his directions and mileage points to the letter!
Rating:
Summary: The One and Only Classic
Review: My son and I have personally hiked many of Michael Kelsey's routes as described in this book. Yes, you need to know something about hiking and route finding, Michael does not baby you along the way or remove responsibility from the hiker. But he does not overdramatize the hikes to avoid liability, and he also does not preach to his readers. What he does do extremely well is concisely give you an idea of how to get to some of the most remote, pristine, and special places in the entire world, places innaccessible merely because most people were unaware of their existence. Michael has opened the door to these places. For this I will be forever grateful.
Rating:
Summary: It's a Friggin' Adventure Bible, but Treat with Respect
Review: This is the bible of Canyoneering in SE Utah. The simple maps, concise descriptions and knowledgeable tips will get you into as much trouble as you want . . . and that's why we do this, right? The park service has baned Kelsey's books from their bookstores because he "reveals too much," and they claim people "get into trouble" following his guides -- bugger to them! People can be unprepared idiots. If you read the damn book you'll realise that only trained people should be stemming up slot canyons, swimming hypothermic plunge pools and gingerly investigating delicate Anaszi ruins -- not your average hee-haws looking for a good place to swill a 12-Pack of beer. The beer swillers don't want this book, go to Lake Powell instead.
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