Rating: 
Summary: Wingers have a Winner!
Review: Charlie & Diane have surprised the hiking public once again with their great new guide to the Sand Dunes. Soon to be declared a National Park, this full color book is set up in easy to understand color-coded sections, a first that I have seen. It is focused on a small area, so understandably goes into great detail, something many guidebooks can not do as they pretend to cover a huge aray of peaks, or trails, or entire state or regional hiking concepts. If you like getting every last bit of info on a cool place like Sand Dunes, well, this is your book. You will probably wake up with some grit in your teeth, but that's OK, sand is the name of the game here.
Rating:
Summary: Wingers have a Winner!
Review: Charlie & Diane have surprised the hiking public once again with their great new guide to the Sand Dunes. Soon to be declared a National Park, this full color book is set up in easy to understand color-coded sections, a first that I have seen. It is focused on a small area, so understandably goes into great detail, something many guidebooks can not do as they pretend to cover a huge aray of peaks, or trails, or entire state or regional hiking concepts. If you like getting every last bit of info on a cool place like Sand Dunes, well, this is your book. You will probably wake up with some grit in your teeth, but that's OK, sand is the name of the game here.
Rating:
Summary: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (GSDNP&P)
Review: Having read and reviewed many a guidebook, I can say without hesitation that GSDNP&P is one of the best I've yet to come across. Indeed, its closest competition may come from the Wingers' HIGHPOINT ADVENTURES, a guide to climbing (or, in some cases, driving up) the summits of the fifty States.Charlie and Diane Winger must have enjoyed researching and writing this book--that's obvious as its so much fun to read. Covering vitually every conceivable aspect of the National Mounument (which is expected to become a National Park shortly)--natural and cultural history, park facilities, hiking, climbing, biking, fishing--there's never a dull moment, with maps, insets and photos galore. Although I haven't been to the Park personally, after reading the Winger's paean to the area, I'm planning to do so as soon as possible.
Rating:
Summary: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (GSDNP&P)
Review: Having read and reviewed many a guidebook, I can say without hesitation that GSDNP&P is one of the best I've yet to come across. Indeed, its closest competition may come from the Wingers' HIGHPOINT ADVENTURES, a guide to climbing (or, in some cases, driving up) the summits of the fifty States. Charlie and Diane Winger must have enjoyed researching and writing this book--that's obvious as its so much fun to read. Covering vitually every conceivable aspect of the National Mounument (which is expected to become a National Park shortly)--natural and cultural history, park facilities, hiking, climbing, biking, fishing--there's never a dull moment, with maps, insets and photos galore. Although I haven't been to the Park personally, after reading the Winger's paean to the area, I'm planning to do so as soon as possible.
Rating:
Summary: Evaluation of the Great Sand Dunes National Park guide book
Review: The Essential Guide to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is absolutely the best I have ever seen. It is extremely well organized and very informative. The authors did an outstanding job of providing area history along with available facilities and activities. They also included detailed maps, safety considerations and overviews of the various ecosystems. The photography is inspirational throughout each section of the book. I found it to be very entertaining and easy to read. Sincerely,
Bud Norlin
Rating:
Summary: Evaluation of the Great Sand Dunes National Park guide book
Review: The Essential Guide to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is absolutely the best I have ever seen. It is extremely well organized and very informative. The authors did an outstanding job of providing area history along with available facilities and activities. They also included detailed maps, safety considerations and overviews of the various ecosystems. The photography is inspirational throughout each section of the book. I found it to be very entertaining and easy to read. Sincerely,
Bud Norlin
Rating:
Summary: Essential guidebook for visiting the Great Sand Dunes
Review: This book is a must read for anyone visiting this area. The diversity of activities which are covered in the Guide should make everyone want to vist this area. Whether you are a tourist from the "flatlands" or an experienced mountaineer, this book has something for everyone.
The Winger's have done an outstanding job describing the sights and sounds of the Park. You can almost feel the breezes caress your body as you spend your night amongst the dunes watching for shooting stars!
While the dunes are the main attraction, the surrounding fourteen thousand foot peaks have an alure all their own. Especially enjoyable was their description of the Zapata Falls area and what adventurous person could resist a trip to those Marble Caves? Spanish Gold, you say?
The book contains many treasures of its own and will occupy a special place on my bookshelf for years to come. "Essential" is surely the correct word to describe this guidebook.
Rating:
Summary: A gem of a book
Review: This is a beautiful and informative book, filled with hiking information, places to see, fun activities, history, and hundreds of color photos. I was amazed at the variety of scenery, plant and animal life, and terrain found within the National Park and the huge National Preserve around it, as well as other great nearby natural wonders. This guide is well-written, with something for everyone. You'll spend hours paging through it "ooo-ing" and "ah-ing" over places like Zapata Falls and Marble Caves and chuckling about Colorado's alligator farm. Our family can hardly wait to plan a trip to see "the dunes" and everything around them!
Rating:
Summary: Accurate and entertaining
Review: This is an excellent guidebook. Most importantly, the maps and descriptions are very accurate yet still entertaining to read. The guidebook encompasses short family appropriate hikes such as the Visitor Center Interpretive trail (.5 miles) to the more strenuous bushwhacking ascent of Carbonate Mountain (9.2 miles and 4,580 feet). A resource guide at the back of the book summarizes hikes by destination, difficulty, distance, and duration. I have to not only recommend the guidebook, but the Great Sand Dunes area as well. I have spent many days hiking in Colorado (as well as other states and countries), and the Sand Dunes is truly a wonderful place for its unique beauty and ruggedness. Last July 4th weekend, I hiked up Tijeras Peak which rises to 13,600 feet. The trail took me trough alpine meadows to an open expanse of lakes surrounded by peaks up a steep snow chute and eventually to the summit of Tijeras with awesome views that truly have to be experienced to be understood. And I had the summit all to myself. I look forward to many more days in the Sand Dunes with this guidebook.
Rating:
Summary: Accurate and entertaining
Review: This is an excellent guidebook. Most importantly, the maps and descriptions are very accurate yet still entertaining to read. The guidebook encompasses short family appropriate hikes such as the Visitor Center Interpretive trail (.5 miles) to the more strenuous bushwhacking ascent of Carbonate Mountain (9.2 miles and 4,580 feet). A resource guide at the back of the book summarizes hikes by destination, difficulty, distance, and duration. I have to not only recommend the guidebook, but the Great Sand Dunes area as well. I have spent many days hiking in Colorado (as well as other states and countries), and the Sand Dunes is truly a wonderful place for its unique beauty and ruggedness. Last July 4th weekend, I hiked up Tijeras Peak which rises to 13,600 feet. The trail took me trough alpine meadows to an open expanse of lakes surrounded by peaks up a steep snow chute and eventually to the summit of Tijeras with awesome views that truly have to be experienced to be understood. And I had the summit all to myself. I look forward to many more days in the Sand Dunes with this guidebook.
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