Exploring the Inside Passage to Alaska: A Cruising Guide from the San Juan Islands to Glacier Bay

Customer Reviews:

How to get from Here to There (and where to stop in between).......2000-02-24

This book was one of the most important references my wife and I used on our passage from Seattle to Skagway. Not only did it give us ideas on where to go the next day, but where to hide in case the weather didn't cooperate. A must have reference for every boater cruising the Inside Passage.

The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship, Tragedy, and Survival in the Alaskan Wilderness

Average customer rating:

Not all that great a bear tale but....
A book to consider.
A Beautiful Book
Beautiful book worth reading.
Elegant writing reveals love of wilderness

The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship, Tragedy, and Survival in the Alaskan Wilderness
Lynn Schooler
Manufacturer: Ecco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Grizzly Bear Family Book, The (The Animal Family Series)
Hoshino's Alaska
Grizzly
Arctic Homestead: The True Story of One Family's Survival and Courage in the Alaskan Wilds
The Blue Bear : A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild

ASIN: 0066210852
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Amazon.com

"People step into the [Alaskan] landscape and vanish without a trace," writes wildlife guide Lynn Schooler in this ode to the wild beauty of the Alaskan coast, an unusual friendship, and a mysterious bear with fur the color of "burnished metal." Schooler spent a decade searching for the elusive blue (or glacier) bear with Michio Hoshino, Japan's preeminent wildlife photographer. Hoshino was a gentle genius who would sit still for hours, his face swelling from mosquito bites, for the perfect photograph, and who had the same patience and consideration for a bruised heart like Schooler's. Schooler had lost all ability to trust, scarred first by the scorn of classmates for his twisted body and finally by the brutal murder of the woman he loved. But as a guide--both for wildlife photographers and for readers of this evocative and gracefully composed memoir--Schooler richly reveals the place that sustains him. He makes remarkable connections between whales and the complex workings of old-growth forests, between glaciers dropping 100-foot columns of ice into waiting fjords, and the breathing of the planet. Ultimately, though, it is Hoshino's death by a bear that finally enables Schooler to make peace with humanity and death. A quiet, profound gem. --Lesley Reed

Book Description

With a body twisted by adolescent scoliosis and memories of the brutal death of a woman he loved, Lynn Schooler kept the world at arm's length, drifting through the wilds of Alaska as a commercial fisherman, outdoorsman, and wilderness guide. In 1990 Schooler met Japanese photographer Michio Hoshino and began a profound friendship forged by a love of adventure and cemented by their mutual obsession with finding the elusive glacier bear, an exceedingly rare creature, seldom seen and shrouded in legend. But it was only after Hoshino's tragic death from a bear attack that Schooler succeeded in photographing the animal -- and only then that he Was able to complete his journey and find new meaning in his own life.

Set amid the wild archipelagoes, glittering fjords, and dense primordial forests of Alaska's Glacier Coast, The Blue Bear is an unforgettable book that shines with purity and passion.

Customer Reviews:

Not all that great a bear tale but...........2007-04-02

The theme of this is really the author's life, both past and now as a small boat captain in Alaska's dramatically beautiful south coast. If you are passionate about bear stories this is not that great. Toting the Japanese film crew got old and his own entry into photography was tedious. Taken in total with the cultural history, the sea, forests, wildlife, and glaciers, and the author's own qwest it is worthwhile, but certainly not epic.

A book to consider........2006-11-11

A slightly slow start, but please persevere, as this book has so much to offer. Set in Alaska, with glorious descriptions of this environment provided by Lynn during the search for the elusive blue bear. However, I believe the real story lies in Lynns life experience, his battle for a normal childhood, his relationship with his father, his yearning for true love, the pain of loss, and his almost self imposed exile in this heaven on earth.

A Beautiful Book.......2004-12-10

The Blue Bear is a fantastic read! If you are at all interested in Alaska, nature, wildlife or friendship I am certain you will love this book.

Beautiful book worth reading........2004-05-14

My only regret is that the book wasn't longer. Every page is full of descriptive prose and fascinating narrative. You will feel like you're there with the author, either on the boat, hiking in the wilderness, or examining the joys and sorrows of friendships gained and lost.
What a well-written book!

Elegant writing reveals love of wilderness.......2004-03-11

Elegiac is the perfect word to describe both the cadence and direction of this book: somber, straightforward, yet filled with joy. We come to know both men -- the author and the late Michio Hoshino -- through dialogue and description that is utterly natural, yet weighted with meaning. Pivotal scenes are described so elegantly that you want to read them again and again to extract every nuance of mood. Small vignettes speak volumes, such as the visit of the two men to a village where hundreds of native women and children died by starvation due to a US government relocation program. Or the choice of the author to pilot the boat away from Hobart because he could not bear the sight of the ravaged hillsides.
The author's lightness of touch is captivating especially because it is paired with such a deep knowledge and love of the flora, fauna and weather of the region. Reading Blue Bear, you become effortlessly acquainted with the Alaskan coast, as though it is indeed home, and come to mourn its slow, relentless destruction. I look forward to Lynn Schooler's next book.

Average customer rating:

Worst of three Glacier hike books
This is the one.
Good, but there are better
A Hiker's Guide
Great Advice on Seeing Glacier National Park

Glacier Day Hikes
Alan Leftridge
Manufacturer: Farcountry Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Moon Glacier National Park (Moon Handbooks)
Best Easy Day Hikes Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks, 2nd (Best Easy Day Hikes Series)
Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks, 3rd: A Guide to More Than 60 of the Area's Greatest Hiking Adventures (Regional Hiking Series)
National Geographic Road Guide to Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks (NG Road Guides)
Top Trails Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks: Must-Do Hikes for Everyone (Top Trails)

ASIN: 1560372486

Book Description

This excellent guide describes 34 hikes (ranging in length from an hour to a day)—from easy to difficult—in Glacier National Park, known as "the hiker's park." Each hike includes detailed trail information, text explanation of what you are seeing along the route and how it came to be (both natural and manmade objects), a custom-drawn map, and a color photograph. A great way to get the most from a visit to Glacier National Park!

Customer Reviews:

Worst of three Glacier hike books.......2007-07-31

This one seemed like the friendliest and easiest to use, but it ended up being the most inaccurate, the worst organized, and the most incomplete. For example, one famous trail was described as "easy" and "7.5 miles round trip." In fact, it was 15 miles round trip; and describing 15 miles in any terrain, much less an alpine one, as 'easy' is a curious choice, and one I found myself grumbling about several times around miles 11 and 12.

Erik Molvar's book proved to be far more trustworthy.

This is the one........2007-07-30

If you are looking for a book to help you plan your shorter day hikes, this is the one.I bought 3 books on hiking in Glacier but "Glacier Day Hikes" was the best. This book gave me the information I needed to determine which hikes would get me to the best shots in Glacier in a relatively short period of time.

Good, but there are better.......2007-06-25

Glacier Day Hikes was one of two guides I purchased prior to a recent trip to Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes (the sister park in Canada). There are 34 hikes listed here broken down by geographic regions inside Glacier. At the beginning of each hike listing, there is some basic information such as length in miles, level of difficulty, and best time of year to complete the hike. The maps and detailed descriptions are clear and relatively easy to use.

Overall, this is a good guide and if it was the only one I had purchased, I probably would have been pretty happy with it. Since I had the opportunity to compare it to another book, however, certain flaws became rather apparent. First, this book is too large to fit in a pocket so you can't easily bring it on the trail. Second, the elevation change (or amount of climbing) during the hike is not given either in the summary or the detailed description. This is a huge factor in determining the difficulty of a hike and should be included. Their difficulty rating is nice, but I prefer to gauge some aspects of the hike myself. Another quirk in the book is that the geographic categories don't make a lot of sense. Glacier National Park has several areas that lend themselves to this kind of distinction but in some cases the book made up its own boundaries instead and I found this very confusing to use. Finally, the book includes no hikes from Waterton, so if you go to the Canadian side, you will get no guidance here.

Comparing Glacier Day Hikes to the Best Easy Day Hikes Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks, 2nd (Best Easy Day Hikes Series) it's pretty easy for me to say that the Falcon Guide was more helpful. It had none of the flaws that Glacier Day Hikes did and was the one that I carried with me during the whole trip including the hikes themselves. This book does list more hikes within Glacier, but they are all longer hikes that many people won't want to try anyway. This is certainly not a bad book; it has a lot of useful information. But it is not as helpful as "Best Easy Day Hikes" so I can't recommend it.

A Hiker's Guide.......2007-04-12

Maximize your time at Glacier National park with this trail guide. Details on each trail will help you decide which ones you want to hike first.

Great Advice on Seeing Glacier National Park.......2007-03-25

When you drive a great distance to visit a National Park like Glacier, you want to maximize your time. This guide helps you do exactly that.

Glacier National Park cannot truly be appreciated from a car. Sure, the Going To the Sun Highway is a wonder in itself, but Glacier National Park is about the trails. And if you are physically able, one has to get out and see the true beauty of the park on foot. There are hundreds of miles of trails that criss-cross the park, and some are better than others. This guide tells you so much about the trails themselves, such as how long they are, what you are seeing, the elevation gain, difficulty level, etc. One can plan a trip to Glacier by using this guide, deciding which trails to hike, which lakes have fish to catch, which "must-see" sights to explore, and what animals you can expect to see.

I have been to Glacier National Park nearly a dozen times over the past 25 years, and have walked virtually all the trails. This guide helped me prioritize my hiking experience and made my many trips to Glacier so much more enjoyable.

Highly Recommended.

Jim "Konedog" Konedog

The Only Kayak: A Journey into the Heart of Alaska

Average customer rating:

I was offended
One of my favorites !!!
Coming of age in Alaska
Better than five stars!
A real treasure

The Only Kayak: A Journey into the Heart of Alaska
Kim Heacox
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddling Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska
On Island Time: Kayaking The Caribbean
Walking the Big Wild: From Yellowstone to the Yukon on the Grizzly Bears' Trail
The Blue Bear : A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild
Spirited Waters: Soloing South Through the Inside Passage

ASIN: 1592288944

Book Description

Finalist for the 2006 Pen Center USA Western award in creative nonfiction.

Customer Reviews:

I was offended.......2007-09-29

Instead of restating (much more poorly) Bill Marsano's review (1 star) below, I will just recommend you go there.

I read a ton of adventure and kayaking books, and this one was 90% bad. It didn't have to be, but Kim is on a mission to lambaste anyone who has ever driven a car, or anyone who isn't living in a cabin deep in the wilderness. He does more damage to his ideals than good.

For better kayaking books, try these:

Celtic Tides (nice prose, not much real adventure)
Running the Amazon (wow, lots of action)
Keep Australia to your Left ( funny disfunctional team try to kayak around Australia)

One of my favorites !!!.......2007-07-08

I loved this book! It is now one of my all time favorite adventure books. Very well written. A very interesting Alaskan adventure true life story.
If you like this type of book you may also enjoy:
Arctic Homestead: The True Story of One Family's Survival and Courage in the Alaskan Wilds by Norma Cobb

Coming of age in Alaska.......2007-03-19

Kim Heacox writes a thought-provoking book about environmental issues affecting mostly Glacier Bay, Alaska using an eclectic mixture of personal stories, quotes from literature (such as from "The Great Gatsby"), and discussion of environmental issues to weave a story about Alaska. How does one share the wonder of a place such as Alaska without innundating it with tourists? Not everyone can kayak through the wildness. But if only those fit enough to hike and kayak in a remote place such as Alaska can enjoy its beauty, who will speak to protect it from commercial exploitation? The personal stories and photos keep this from being just another ecologic treatise.

Better than five stars!.......2006-10-18

This book struck me deeply. I laughed out loud because it was so unexpectedly funny. Mostly though it is gracefully written about beautiful places - in Alaska and in the heart and mind. It is lovely to read but painful also. I loved the frequent quotes (Muir, Abbey, Leopold and many others); the snatches of conversation from history (Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir); and funny lyrical present day conversations. It isn't cheating to use so many quotes from others - it is a gesture of great respect and this book makes me want to seek out those other writers and photographers to reread or open for the first time. Heacox probably doesn't realize that within his own writing are many excellent lines that will be quoted by future generations. He brings Michio to life in a wonderful way. Heacox has an incredible gift of putting life, friendship, love, the essence of wilderness, and deep inner thoughts into words. This review written by Cecily Fritz (Paul's wife). He would die if this was attributed to him! Thank you Kim for making me think.

A real treasure.......2006-07-25

This book is a "must-read" for anyone who loves kayaking and/or the rugged outdoors. Not only will you learn some history, you will soar with the eagles, hear about a land that is wild, and the people who love it.

Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southeast Alaska : The Best Day Trips and Tours from Misty Fjords to Glacier Bay

Average customer rating:

Comprehensive Guide for Independent Kayakers

Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southeast Alaska : The Best Day Trips and Tours from Misty Fjords to Glacier Bay
James Howard
Manufacturer: Globe Pequot
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Sea Kayaking | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

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Adventure Kayaking: Trips in Glacier Bay (Adventure Kayaking)
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Kayak Routes of the Pacific Northwest Coast: From Northern Oregon to British Columbia's North Coast (Kayak Routes of the Pacific Northwest Coast)
The Wild Coast: Volume 2: A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreational Guide for the North and Central B.C. Coast (The Wild Coast)

ASIN: 0762704098

Book Description

Features full descriptions of 41 trips, including mile-by-mile descriptions, detailed maps, trip difficulty ratings, and tips on the logistics of kayaking this largely uninhabited area.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive Guide for Independent Kayakers.......2001-04-14

This book contains everything that an experienced kayaker needs to know to plan a trip to Alaska's Inside Passage. For those who already know where they want to paddle, the first chapter and apendices still provide great local information and advice on gear, clothing, and techniques that are most appropriate for this area. Anyone who will be paddling in these waters should read these sections of the book not only because they will answer many of the difficult logistical questions but because they will make your trip safer and more enjoyable while helping reduce your impact on the area. For those seeking ideas on where to paddle, the rest of the book offers a wealth of suggested routes without getting so specific that you lose all sense of personal discovery.

As a sea kayak guide based in Gustavus I have paddled most of the northern routes described in Jim Howard's book over the past 20 years and I can report that his descriptions and advice are current and accurate.

Something that really bothers me about some guidebooks I have seen is that they name specific campsites and suggest day-by-day itineraries for a few selected routes; they are like a journal of the author's trip. This approach leads to over-use of a few areas and sites and diminishes the sense of discovery that is one of this wild area's greatest attractions; following one of those guidebooks is more like taking someone else's trip than one's own. Not only that, but many of the best sites along a route are (thankfully) NOT named in those guidebooks, so kayakers can have a better trip by ignoring those authors' detailed suggestions.

Jim Howard took a different approach. His routes cover most of the region and for each he gives a description of the area and an assessment of the difficulty of the trip. He names the hazards and gives helpful logistical advice and a general description of the route. This is just what I look for when visiting a new area. I want to know whether I am getting in over my head and how to get to the area. I don't want to know exactly where someone else paddled and camped and what they saw. Finding my own campsites, wildlife viewing areas, and special places is what sea kayaking in a wild place is all about.

Because Southeast Alaska is a wild place with plenty of hazards far from help, it's wise to have solid sea kayaking skills if you are alone or leading less experienced paddlers here. Therefore, this book doesn't cover basic sea kayaking and navigation. Beginners will need to find this information in one of the many other general sea kayaking books and by going with experienced paddlers.

Jim Howard does an excellent job of giving helpful area-specific information while preserving opportunities for wilderness self-discovery. I can tell he's explored the area thoroughly and talked to lots of local folks. Get this book if you're coming here.

Geology of Southeast Alaska: Rock and Ice in Motion
Average customer rating:

A comprehensive introduction and guide to one of Alaska's most endearing and timeless areas

Geology of Southeast Alaska: Rock and Ice in Motion
Harold Stowell
Manufacturer: University of Alaska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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The Nature of Southeast Alaska: A Guide to Plants Animals and Habitats

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Guidebook to Geology of Anchorage, Alaska

Alaska's Southeast, 10th: Touring the Inside Passage (Alaska's Southeast)

Alaska Birds (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)

ASIN: 188996381X

Book Description

The most powerful forces on earth have shaped the landscape of Southeast Alaska. Scientists and visitors from around the world trek north to experience wild rivers, powerful glaciers, and breathtaking mountain peaks. Now, for the first time, a handy guide to the region is available. Complete with color illustrations revealing millions of years of geological history and in-depth descriptions of Sitka, Juneau, and Glacier Bay, Geology of Southeast Alaska is essential reading for anyone fascinated by rock and ice in motion.
Written by a geologist with over twenty-five years of experience in the north, Geology of Southeast Alaska will entertain and inform with abundant photographs and detailed drawings. Whether you want to understand the forces that shaped the state of Alaska, or you want to learn the basics of glacial movement, this compact, authoritative book is for you.

Customer Reviews:

A comprehensive introduction and guide to one of Alaska's most endearing and timeless areas.......2006-04-06

Geology Of Southeast Alaska: Rock And Ice In Motion by Harold H. Stowell (Professor of Geology at the University of Alabama) is an impressively informative and thoroughly "reader friendly" documentation of Alaska's southeastern landscapes hallmarked by fascinating geological landmarks and natural beauty. Engaging the reader with 152 pages of educated writing enhanced with the inclusion of maps, gorgeous colored and b/w illustrations, Geology Of Southeast Alaska ably serves students and travelers alike as a comprehensive introduction and guide to one of Alaska's most endearing and timeless areas. Geology Of Southeast Alaska is very highly recommended as 140-page compendium of awe-inspiring sights and area maps of Alaska's great geographical underpinnings.

Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddling Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska

Average customer rating:

Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddling Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska
Been There, Did It ... With This Book.
Not Just a Kayak book
Kayaker's and Armchair Cruiser's Delight

Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddling Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska
Robert H. Miller
Manufacturer: Countryman Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Boating | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

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The Only Kayak: A Journey into the Heart of Alaska
Spirited Waters: Soloing South Through the Inside Passage
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Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southeast Alaska : The Best Day Trips and Tours from Misty Fjords to Glacier Bay
Kayaking Puget Sound, the San Juans, and Gulf Islands: 50 Trips on the Northwest's Inland Waters

ASIN: 0881506427

Book Description

The Inside Passage is something of a holy grail for contemporary sea kayakers. It is without question the most scenic and challenging paddling trip in North America. Kayaking the Inside Passage will aid kayakers both in planning and in carrying out paddling trips on the rugged Pacific artery that runs along the western edge of North America.

It is a complete through-trip guide to sea kayaking the entire 1,300-mile length of the Inside Passage along one select route with some alternate variations. This route runs from Olympia, Washington, past Vancouver Island and up through Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. No other paddling guide covers the entire length of the Inside Passage. There are 33 maps, 50 photos, and pen-and-ink illustrations. Miller includes complete historical and natural background along with proficiency and equipment recommendations. 50 black & white photographs, 33 maps, index.

Customer Reviews:

Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddling Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska.......2006-03-02

Mr. Miller has a wealth of knowledge in kayaking, the passage, and the environment. He shares this with humor and historic accuracy. I particularly enjoyed his observations of human interaction. However, it would be a much more digestable read if I didn't have to use the dictionary every ten minutes to discover the meaning of the obscure language he uses throughout the book. Although I clearly understand the gist, the audience (me)... would be more interested in a text that had a manageable rhythm. Perhaps he is trying to prove he is a literate, intellectual outdoor person. I will use this book to help plan my own month long trip in the inside passage.

Been There, Did It ... With This Book........2005-10-20

This summer 2005 I used this book to kayak the inside passage from Anacordis WA to Glacier Bay, AK. I left Anacordis on 18 June 05 and reached Glacier Bay on 25 Sept O5. This book was my guide the entire way. I tried every recommended campsite, and paddled the recommended route almost entirely, without stopping, for 1400 miles, and 3 1/2 months. So ... perhaps, in a small way, I am qualified to review this book.

The book's recommended route is impecable - perfect all the way from Anacordis to Glacier Bay, with one exception, as follows: Between Petersburg and Juneau AK, the author routes the kayaker along admiralty island to see a bear sanctuary, and then into a blind lagoon where the kayaker is forced to use a land trolley to transport his kayak across a peninsula. This route is a poor selection because 1)The bear sanctuary is impossible for kayakers to see because of beligerant forest service policies requiring advance reservations. No exceptions; 2)The blind lagoon's trolley has the rails disconnected at the north end, requiring the kayaker to CARRY his kayak on his back down a steep, high hill to finish the portage. Instead, kayakers buying this book would do best in ignoring the author's Petersburg to Juneau route, and instead paddle along the mainland shore, where multitudes of iceburgs float, where the second best whale-watching area in north america is, and best of the best, where the Tracy Arm Glacier is, arguable the finest, most impressive and actively calving glacier in all of Alaska. Why the author bypassed the miraculous Tracy Arm to NOT see a bear sanctuary that doesn't permit impromptu kayakers ... we can only guess.

Campsites: The author openly admits that he lost his notes on what his campsites were for much of the trip. Thus, the campsites recommended on the book's maps are anotated in the book with painful phrases paraphrased like "... the topo map shows this to be flat ground, so there maybe SHOULD be a campsite there...." OUCH. Speaking as a traveller who has visited all the author's recommended campsites, the author is right only better than half the time, and when the campsite he recommends turns out to be a swamp ... or indeed IS flat ground but is fronted by jagged rocks impossible to haul a kayak up the beach on ... that means the tired kayaker must continue paddling blindly and exhaustedly, perhaps with light failing and conditions deteriorating, looking for a campsite on his own. Now this wouldn't be so bad, except that for the vast majority of the inside passage, the mountains fall directly into the sea, leaving jagged cliffy coastlines where campsites appear only once every ten miles or so. Campsites are as scarce as hens teeth. So ... a tired kayaker having timed his paddling day to end at the author's recommended campsite ... has only a 50-50 chance of indeed finding shelter there, and will perhaps be forced to continuing paddling on ... and on ... and on.

Author's commentary and background research is superb. Many times I found myself teaching the locals about their own area by reading them this guidebook's commentary. The book is very readable and fun, yet is highly educational. The author's anecdotes had me rolling on my tent floor in laughter many times. Exceptions: The author comments that one can expect to see one to five bears a day along the inside passage. This is not so. I paddled 3 1/2 months, and only saw 6 bears, all of them black, none of them browns. Bears, and signs of bears, were few. Land wildlife is actually very rare along the entire inside passage ... but marine wildlife abounds. Only three places in 1400 miles did I see a deer, for example.

Overall, this book earns its 5 stars. But note the exceptions above to correct the book's few quirks. Hats off to the author on doing such a good job guiding us through such a demanding, lengthy, and thrilling journey.

Not Just a Kayak book.......2005-10-04

Full of history, regional politics, and local knowledge, this book is not just for kayakers. Anyone planning or dreaming of an Inside Passage voyage will enjoy this read. And yes, it has the maps,references, and all the hard-to-find details for actually doing this trip.

Kayaker's and Armchair Cruiser's Delight .......2005-07-08

Miller's book is filled with delights on every page. I picked it up because I'm heading up The Passage by ferry for the first time and I thought a kayaker's perspective could be interesting. I was not disappointed! Every page is an entertainment. From the trials of flood and ebb tides to the ever-present danger from bears to the capsulated history about almost every one of the 3,000 islands along the way. I felt I was present.

This is not just about paddling, which is detailed to the max, but about economics; and the climate; and the sheer brutality as well as the compassion of the men and women who braved it;

As I go on my comfortable armchair cruise, I will now know not only what is in front of me but what transpired at this spot 100 years ago, 500 years ago and even how the surface of the earth came to this spectacular visage.

How the eminent naturalist, John Muir got his come-up-ence from an elderly chief; how the first settlers crossed the land bridge into the new continent; how the more recent "discoverers" overcame hardship and missed opportunities to enter into a struggle between nations that, although currently without bloodshed, is still continuing.

I received much more than I was expecting from "Kayaking...". I received a wealth of background which will make my coming trip a true "delight".

Adventure Kayaking: Trips in Glacier Bay (Adventure Kayaking)

Average customer rating:

Terrific guide to kayak paddling/camping in Glacer Bay
Extremely valuable resource. Gave me courage to go solo.

Adventure Kayaking: Trips in Glacier Bay (Adventure Kayaking)
Don Skillman
Manufacturer: Wilderness Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Guide to Sea Kayaking in Southeast Alaska : The Best Day Trips and Tours from Misty Fjords to Glacier Bay
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Spirited Waters: Soloing South Through the Inside Passage
Adventure Kayaking: Inland Waters of the Western United States: Includes Selected Areas in California, Arizona, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Washington (Adventure Kayaking)

ASIN: 089997225X

Customer Reviews:

Terrific guide to kayak paddling/camping in Glacer Bay.......2003-08-26

Interestingly written and very informative. His maps are rather crude but used with a NOAA map (17318, 17318a, 17318b) they are excellent guides to camping sites, points of interest, and dangerous currents. 6 of us did a self-guided 115 mile trip over 11 days based on this book. Excellent description of routes almost mile by mile. A must buy if you are going to do any lengthy trip and are trying to minimize surprises.

Extremely valuable resource. Gave me courage to go solo........1999-09-09

Provides all the information needed for brief or extended solo trips in Glacier Bay National Park. Includes excellent summaries of a dozen multi-day trips including trip highlights, photos, distances, ratings of difficulty, likely hazards, hints for locating campsites and maps suitable for scoping your trip. Also includes additional resources you may need in the appendix along with phone numbers. The book gave me the courage and information I needed for my first long, solo trip in a wilderness area. An excellent addition to my library.

Exploring Alaska's Prince William Sound, its fiords, islands, glaciers, and wildlife

Average customer rating:

Exploring Alaska's Prince William Sound, its fiords, islands, glaciers, and wildlife
Neil C Johannsen
Manufacturer: Alaska Travel Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Average customer rating:

Don't Ignore the Essays!
I was there
Glacier Bay by Mark Kelley
"Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska"

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Mark Kelley
Manufacturer: Mark Kelley Photography
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 188086519X

Book Description

A coffee-table style book with 120 color photos by Mark Kelley of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The photos cover the abudant wildlife (humpback whales, bald eagles, seals, birdlife, and bears), the park's major glaciers, ecosystems, mountain ranges, and recreational users. There are 11 essays by award winning Fairbanks writer Sherry Simpson. The book also contains a six-page history with 20 vintage photos.

Customer Reviews:

Don't Ignore the Essays!.......2005-10-07

My family has a summer cabin on the outskirts of Glacier Bay National Park, and I have seen the park from both air and water. The book catches every image of Glacier Bay a human being would ever want to see. Those who view this book and then visit the park might even be disappointed, because the park and landscape is so overwhelming that you often get so caught up in the enormity of the country rather than the small elements that form the picture. Anyways, yes, the pictures are fantastic. But even better are the essays. Sherry Simpson is one of the most over-looked yet talented writers in the modern world. The essays she wrote for this book are truly amazing. For more works by Sherry Simpson, pick up a copy of Alaska magazine sometime, she writes for it, and you MUST read "The Way Winter Comes" which is a collection of Alaska stories that are anything but mundane.

I was there.......2001-08-23

We went to Glacier Bay in August 2001 and I can truthfully say that Mr. Kelley's photo's captured what we saw. We never got as close to the brown bear and we didn't see a hoary marmot, but, hey, we're not professionals and we were just there for a week. The glacier shots are so perfect; just open your freezer, put on some warm clothes, look at those photos and save yourself a few thousand dollars in air-fare, etc.

Glacier Bay by Mark Kelley.......2001-07-21

We just came back from kayaking for a week in Glacier Bay and this boook captures the place and the experience beautifully! A "must have" book if you've been there to relive the experience or just to feel like you've been there without leaving home. A great book!

"Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska".......2000-07-24

I just bought this beautiful "coffee-table" book in Juneau 2 weeks ago. We had spent almost an entire day cruising Glacier Bay. This is the first collection of pictures I've ever seen that truly does justice to the majesty of the place. I love it so much I'm buying another as a gift. You can tell Mark Kelly lives in and loves this very special part of the world. This guy is gifted!

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