Rating: 
Summary: An exhilarating look at the Beautiful North American West!!!
Review: Once again, Dan Smith and Karen Berger provide the reader with an exciting and thrilling journey through the Pacific Crest Trail. Their flowing prose reads like a soothing but energized story that transports the reader through each day of the adventure. The utterly brilliant photographs taken by Bart Smith add to the clear and picturesque visualizations of the scenic landscape. This monumental book is a must-read for any lover of the outdoors. My coffee table is hardly worthy of supporting such a masterful piece work.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking color photopgraphs and a truly excellent read
Review: Outdoor enthusiasts will find wonderful photos of the Pacific Crest Trail. An accurate depiction of what its like to be on a thru hike in this part of our beautiful country.
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous photos and a great story to boot
Review: The photographs of the PCT by Bart Smith will take your breath away. I've section hiked long parts of the PCT and the sheer beauty of certain parts is etched in my mind forever. This book brings back a flood of memories and makes you feel as if you're back on the trail, enjoying all the stunning vistas, meadows and expanses of wildflowers. Though the photos are the backbone of the book, there is also an interesting narrative by Karen Berger, who has written several other thru-hiking books about the PCT. Berger tells about her own hiking experiences on the trail and the text is never intrusive, merely instructive and entertaining. She narrates a story about her time spent near Thousand Mile Lake near Mammoth and alongside is a stunning color photo of the lake. Anyone with an interest in the Sieraa range, the PCT, hiking or who simply enjoys beautiful photographs, will gravitate to this guide. Rarely have so many sumptuous pictures been grouped together in one volume. If you're not a hiker, this book very likely will persuade you to get in shape and hit the trail. The vast majority of scenic wilderness in the United States can never be seen from a car window. You must lace up your shoes and get out there. I highly recommend this book for its simple beauty and awesome photos. If it persuades one coach potato to explore the endless beauty of California, then it's worth its purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Spectacular look into the mind and eyes of a PCT thru-hiker
Review: The photos are unbelieveably breathtaking - only the first-hand view itself can compare. The photos were taken over several years by a professional outdoor photographer to capture each section of the trail in its best and most beautiful season, but the text was written, in superb style, by a backpacking author along her own great non-stop walk of the 2600+ mile journey. Of course, you don't need to hear that from me... you can read her own comments of it above. The best part is the fact that she writes it truly from the perspective of a thru-hiker. It isn't about how many miles have been covered or how many more are left, but rather pays attention to the details... colors of the flowers, the feel of a thin, crisp breeze, and the occasional awesome sight of a massive ridge across an epic mountain valley in the high Sierra Nevadas. It documents the trials, tribulations, heat, rattlesnakes, cold, clouds of mosquitoes, and doubt that they (as well as thousands of other thru-hikers) encounter along the way. This is coupled with the thrill and exhiliration of feeling truly alive in one's most basic existence. Truly a grand compilation, for the avid outdoor enthusiast to the typical couch-potato liking to be inspired. Don't hesitate to cherish it yourself. Worth every penny.
| 
