Around Mt Hood in Easy Stages

Rating:
Summary: A useful little book for Timberline Trail hikers
Review: This is a useful little guidebook, rating segments of the Timberline Trail and showing an elevation profile for each segment. Nice for those of us who prefer to select our trail segments with more downs than ups when possible! Each segment has a concise summary of what you can expect to find in terms of scenery and river crossings (not to be taken lightly on Mt Hood; these aren't little babbling mountain brooks, they're raging torrents that can roll hundred pound boulders with ease). For those who are doing car shuttles, each trail is also described for clockwise and for counterclockwise hiking (relative to the entire circle of the mountain). This also creates the only disadvantage to the book, that is, it's twice as long as it needs to be due to repeating the same information in reverse sequence. Backpackers would do well to photocopy only the relevant portion and leave the book at home. The authors also suggest the preferred direction for each trail segment, which is useful. This book is worth the price.