Product Description

Customer Reviews (22)

Spot On
We used this book to plan our dream vacation to Glacier. We purchased it months in advance and took it with us. Becky Lomax didn't miss a thing. Every detail was spot on. From scenes to see while getting to the lengths of the hikes. A very accurate reference book. A very valuable tool for the travel. Becky knows Glacier for sure. Some prices may have changed on boat rides but that is to be expected. The most accurate travel book I ever purchased!

Great travel guide
We just got back from Glacier and found this travel guide to be extremely helpful.

Excellent resource
Just full of excellent information from what to see and do to where to stay.It will certainly go on the trip with me!

pretty good
The book has good info but was not amazing in its delivery and convenience.I am happy with it enough.

Not quite a full Moon guide
The Moon series of guides my wife and I have used are accurate, organized and very helpful.The Canadian rocky mountain park guide was particularly good and matched our experience in all the national and provincial parks.Although published this year, the glacier guide was not so reliable.Its description of the park layout was confusing but somewhat justified by the fact that the park layout consists partly of separate sections with separate entrances accessed by dead-end roads.Accommodations were not always described accurately which lead to some embarrassment.For example, the guide stated that it was alright to bring alcohol into the St. Mary's Cafe.Our waiter denied it and was offended by the thought that anyone would ever be allowed to do so. We stayed at the Johnson cabins there partly because the guide stated that they rented for $75-$100/night.They were $159/night minimum and the owner was annoyed when showed the book citation. He said the price hadn't been that low since he built the cabins.Our experience hiking the trails did not always fit our expectations based upon reading the guide which was not always clear or correct regarding location of trail heads and trail details.For example, the scenic trail lookout point in Two Medicine was described as lying below the main trail while in fact it is above it.Nevertheless, most of the information was useful and we were glad to have the book to help us organize our stay. ... Read more

Product Description
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is home to avast network of hiking trails.But if you’re only going to be inGlacier and Waterton national parks for a day or two, have time foronly one or two short hikes, and you’re looking for trails that arenot too physically demanding, which trails should you choose?Thisbook answers that question.Best Easy Day Hikes Glacier & WatertonLakes contains short descriptions and maps of the author’s favoriteeasy day hikes in Glacier and Waterton.All of the hikes in thislittle book are relatively short, on well-defined, easy-to-followtrails that take you to some of the area’s most spectacularscenery—without taking you to physical extremes.Features 28hikes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

I trust Falcon Guide Books
Because I own a lot of Falcon Guidebooks, it was easy for me to purchase this one.I am planning a trip to Glacier in the near future and have been to the park several times before, but not hiking.At the time of my last visit, hiking was not in my vocabulary.

I always try to familiarize myself with any guidebook when I purchase it even when my trip might be years in the future.That way I am comfortable with the location of each trail, the description, length, and time required to make the hike.

The book seems to be very comprehensive in nature and the information seems to be very accurate, to my prior knowledge of the park.Once I have taken my trip, I will come back and leave a more detailed review of the book.

I also plan on visiting the Canadian side of the park and will include that in my future review.

If you plan on hiking in Glacier National Park or the Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, I would highly recommend this guidebook.

Basically just a well organized compendium of the free park literature
For less than ten dollars, one would be hard pressed to call this a waste of money, as it does provide a great deal of information on 28 different hikes throughout the park. That said, it doesn't provide much more information than the one can pick up at any of the ranger stations, [...]. Its main advantage is organization, as you're not futzing around with a bunch of double sided pieces of paper and several newsletters, trying to figure out which hike to go on and how to get there.

great easy hikes
We found this book to be a great resource for trying to cover all areas of the park in only 5 days.We were able to do some hiking in all the main areas of the park and really get to take in some of the great beauty of the park that you just can't see from the road!

Useful Glacier hike planning
Used this a lot to plan day hikes and did many of the listed hikes while at Glacier in July 2008. Distances, times seemed reasonably accurate and comments a good synopsis for the trail. Doesn't rate hikes, "easy", "difficult", etc; but most in Glacier are in the easy-intermediate range anyway. Relatively small size made it easy to take along or fit in pants pocket. Trails in Glacier are well used/marked so you don't really need it during hiking, but I liked it for planning my hikes or referencing when having to change plans during the day. Maybe only thing to add are a few pictures, which can help decide if you want to take a certain trail or not.

Excellent book
Time is at a premium on vacation.I feel that we will see some great views in Glacier using this book and stay within our vacation time period.Thanks for writing this with all the details given.Very helpful. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

hiking
very good from what i've seen so far.i would have liked to have the approximate time of the hike included.

the essential hiking guide for Glacier
Glacier National Park is for hikers. The drive-through approach along the historic and spectacular Going to the Sun Highway is wonderful and memorable (and can be done with the efficient shuttle system), but the real action is provided by getting into the backcountry. It is truly the "last best place"!

We have been visiting the Park every year since 1974, and this guide has become our trusted advisor for planning day hikes and overnight trips. During the summer, a copy is kept at our bedside in order to plan new ventures. Glacier can be a challenging park to hike with rapid weather changes and highly varied terrain.We view this guide as important to survival as gore tex, first aid, water bottles and broken-in footwear.

good guide to Glacierand Waterton trails
I do a lot of hiking in the national parks and rely on Falcon Guides for good trail information.I have the first edition of the Glacier/Waterton guide so I thought I would get the latest edition for a recent trip.I still like this edition, but I agree with some other reviewers that there are some disappointments.Gone are the elevation profiles (which give you a snapshot of the gain and loss for the hike).As also mentioned, now several trails are combined on one map (GPS-compatible).That actually proves useful when several trails are part of a larger trail system (e.g., the Grinnell Complex), but this can be confusing for other trails (not to mention a little harder to find the maps for individual trails).

The first edition didn't have an index, so having one here is a plus (even if, as someone else mentioned, it's not as good as the second edition's).The third edition also has a nice trail comparison (though it should have distances) indicating which trails have waterfalls, lakes, meadows, etc.This edition also has several more pages of general information than the first edition, and descriptions of two additional trails.Although most of the trail descriptions seem to be the same as the first edition, the pictures accompanying them are new (though still not that great because they are in black and white).

On the whole, I recommend this book if you don't have an earlier edition.If you have the first or second edition you can probably get by with them if you also check other sources for updated park information (such as the free shuttle on the Going-to-the-Sun Road).

not very helpful
I bought moon glacier and this book. I found that this book is useless because moon glacier covers a lot of good trails this book covers, and moon has other information. I think this book might be good for backcountry not for a day hike.

Simple trails and middle length trails are listed in moon glacier, and this book doesn't provide any other useful information about trails. The map is still not very clear. This book does list some very long trails, but usually you can search on internet to find this kind of information and even more specific.

I definitely would not recommend this book. Buy moon glacier instead!

Great, if you like lung busting hikes
This is more a backpacking book than a hiking book.I have an earlier edition, and the majority of hikes are long (5+ miles one way) with very large elevation gains.I've been to Glacier a number of times, and there are many short, nice hikes.Also, the edition I have has very few hikes in the Goat Haunt area.The ones that are included are very long lung busters.

There is a lot of good information for a 20 something hiker/backpacker.Not so great for a 50+ hiker like myself (who still is willing to take on a decent backpack or long hike, but doesn't wish to die too early). ... Read more

Product Description
Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue is a comprehensive course in understanding glaciers, crossing them, avoiding crevasses, and rescuing crevasse victims. Topics covered include: how glaciers form and how crevasses develop; basic principles of glacier travel; routefinding; knots and harnesses; holding a fall; rescue techniques, including self-belay and what a victim should do; and glacier skiing and sled hauling. New sidebars feature descriptions of accidents and near-accidents to emphasize the importance of the techniques presented.

With b&w photos and illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Second Book you Buy
The first book you buy when learning to climb is Mountaineering: the Freedom of the Hills.Then you decide to climb something with glaciers.Sure, everything you need to know is probably in Freedom of the Hills but do you really want to bring the entire encyclopedia along with you?And, when you the rope lead are hanging in a crevasse, do you really want the second who didn't listen during your skills prep hike to be thumbing through 800 pages to find out how to make a Z-pulley?That's where Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue comes in.

This is a book you can study at the beginning of the season to review the key skills you only need about once every 10 life times.It's short, well illustrated, and gives you just what you need to know in a way that you can learn and remember it.All the glacier stuff is nice but the best part is how to tie into the rope with your rescue gear and how that silly Texas Prusik is supposed to work.And, when you do have the skills training hike two months before the big Rainier climb, bring this one along and make your second learn how to set up a Z-pulley.

Great for my reference collection.
As with many of these types of books, you read the whole thing, but only take away 'tid bits' of information.

Those 'tid bits' are worth it, however thre rest of the book's information can be found in "Freedom of the Hills".

Easy to read, covers essential knowledge for Glacier travel and rescue.

Concise, To The Point
You'll find all the toipcs in this book in any big reference book on mountaineering. However, adding this book to your library won't do any harm.

The book starts off with a lesson on physical geography. Then, the various techniques on routefinding, team travel and anchors are covered. Unlike many of the bigger books on mountaineering, this book covers the essentials and does not confuse the novice. For instance, the knots and ropework are all pretty simplified. I have tried them out on the field and they all work fine.

My only complaint is that the illustrations look a bit sketchy on some pages.

The Bible of Glacier Travel
Crevasses are one of those things that many of us who climb wish we didn't have to deal with.Unfortunately many people go out and climb while totally unprepared.Indeed they choose to not deal with it, and take enormous risks.

In this book Andy will give you the scoop on everything you ever wanted to know related to glacier travel.He starts by explaining what glaciers are, then he gets more into detail on how to routefind, traveling as a group, and of course how to perform crevasse rescue.

My honest opinion is that this book is not, by itself, going to make you an expert on the subject.I really don't think any book can.You need to get some training, be it with an experienced friend or established school but this book will show you all the techniques that you'll learn.Plus if you already know it can help you brush up and possibly show you new techniques.Great book, very typical high quality stuff from The Mountaineers.

A first-hand teacher
As someone who is fairly new to mouutainering and glacier travel, I found the wonderfully helpfulmin explaining important technequies, that are crucial to any body finding their adventures leading them to the mountains.I found it extermly helpful when I actually set foot on the ice. ... Read more

Product Description
Snowy peaks, serene lakes, abundant wildlife, and starry night skies astound visitors to Banff, Jasper and Glacier - the national parks of the Rocky Mountains. Whether you want to sun yourself by Lake Louise or touch the clouds on the Skyline Trail, gear up with this top-selling guide to these North American treasures.

Detailed itineraries - explore the parks with 20 great itineraries, plus trips to Waterton Lakes, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks and along Icefields Parkway.

Best Hiking Routes - includes 52 of the most enjoyable hikes around lakes; through canyons, beside glaciers and into the backcountry, with easy-to-use charts and topographic hiking maps

Family-Oriented Options - information on ranger walks, junior programs, summer camps and top family hikes in our special Kids & Pets chapter

Adventure Ideas - covers mountain biking, rafting, horseback riding, zip-lining, kayaking, hang-gliding, snowboarding, rock climbing, skiing, dogsledding, volunteering and much more.

With 1600 hours of in-park research and over 200 miles of trails hiked, our authors offer sound advice for visitors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

more a travel book than a trail guide
I have to agree with most of the pros and cons others have mentioned for this book.I purchased this book for a recent trip to all three of these parks (four if you include Waterton, which is also mentioned in the book).The book does include information on the trails for the parks, but it is briefer than what you would find in a regular trail book.Very small maps are provided for the trails, so you would need something more detailed for actual trail use.

One feature I particularly liked was a table for each park showing several trails and features for them.This table included the usual info such as hike type, start location, distance, time, and elevation gain, but it also included features and facilities.In the latter two categories the table would indicate things such as wildlife watching, waterfalls, restrooms, whether restaurants were nearby, etc.

The book also includes a lot of information on the nearby areas; things to do, places to stay, and so on.I wasn't as interested in this material, but it did seem to offer a lot of alternatives to just hiking or driving around in the parks.

Overall, I found plenty of useful information in the book and thought it was well worth the price.

Great Book, lots of great info!
Has a great overview of lots of things to do in and around Banff! Really helped a lot on our recent trip!

Difficult to use
While this book did have helpful information, it is poorly organized and so difficult to use. It attempts to provide information on activities, dining, and lodging but it is not sufficiently detailed in any of these areas. There are no good maps included so you can't easily figure out where things are located. It's strategy of hiding things to do in the suggested itineraries is annoying. To it's credit, it does cover 3 parks in one book.

Nice Book!!!!!
This book gives you information that few other books do.Description of campgrounds, best places to eat, shopping, wildlife viewing, scenic drives, etc.You also don't have to buy several books to visit this area.This one book will cover the whole area. ... Read more

Product Description
Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness’s Under the Glacier is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, a wryly provocative novel at once earthy and otherworldly. At its outset, the Bishop of Iceland dispatches a young emissary to investigate certain charges against the pastor at Sn?fells Glacier, who, among other things, appears to have given up burying the dead. But once he arrives, the emissary finds that this dereliction counts only as a mild eccentricity in a community that regards itself as the center of the world and where Creation itself is a work in progress.
What is the emissary to make, for example, of the boarded-up church? What about the mysterious building that has sprung up alongside it? Or the fact that Pastor Primus spends most of his time shoeing horses? Or that his wife, Ua (pronounced “ooh-a,” which is what men invariably sputter upon seeing her), is rumored never to have bathed, eaten, or slept? Piling improbability on top of improbability, Under the Glacier overflows with comedy both wild and deadpan as it conjures a phantasmagoria as beguiling as it is profound. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Confusingly Good
I wanted to read one of Laxness' books and this one, and not Independent People, caught my attention, because of its unique plot. Believe me, this book is UNIQUE. I often found myself not having a clue about what was going on, but there was always something ahead letting me know that THAT was the point: to make you feel as confused as the bishop's emissary. I agree that this is not a 5 star book, because Laxness often rambles about the same over and over to make you feel consfused, and that can become annoying. Of course, I understood what was really going on at the very end and THAT makes this book worth reading. Is it hilarious like some reviewers and Susan Sontag claim? Hmmm... I guess I don't get icelandic humor. I smiled a few times, but I wouldn't say it's "the funniest book ever written". However, I liked it enough to buy the 1989 movie adaptation, directed by Laxness' granddaughter, which is as confusing as the book. One piece of advice, DO NOT READ the introduction because it gives away crucial points in the plot.

Clearly written!
The novel moves fast probably due to the clarity of the text. The story takes place in modern Iceland. Every page fascinated me because I know nothing about modern Iceland.
The characters are loveable, clever, and downright sneaky.
And the syntax of the translator deserves a major award!

Went way past me.
I am only a physical scientist and not an expert on literature so I am not afraid to say that I found this book entirely unrewarding. I would really like to know where the supposed hilarity was in this book that at least one reviewer referred to.

I read this book prior to a trip to Iceland, in part on the great reviews. The irony is that while on the trip I met a woman who read the book based on the same reviews I read and likewise found it immensely disappointing. My son gave it a go and couldn't finish it, saying that it seemed to him like an Icelandic version of Fargo. So if you are not particularly erudite, amused by quirky characters, and drawn in by quasi-surrealism, you might read the Amazon reviews with a bit of skepticism.

a masterpiece
Halldor Laxness continues to amaze me. His"independent people" is one of my top favorite books.

Under the Glacier is really a nice book. It is probably hard to understand and read but it has great meaning and finish.

Under the Glacier is set in the remote rural area in Iceland where certain women can raise the dead, people are sometimes turned into great salmon. It's also the story of an Australian millionaire who has built great house right behind the ruined church, and whose apostles include a trio of unwashed "winter-Pasture Shepherds"supposed to chop his dead head when he dies to assure "Lord Maitreya return after three thousand years to redeem the world".

EmBi(short for Emissary of the Bishop) is the 24 year old theology student who was sent to investigate the bitter existing truth; does Christianity exist at Glacier? did the local pastor "Jon Primus" lose his faith? did he really allow a corpse to be deposited in the Glacier? Why has the local pastor boarded up the church, refused his salary and become a blacksmith and handyman? Where is his long-missing wife?


Through the rapid events of the story;Laxness argues in a very sensational way about how stupid and feeble the traditional costums of any religion (Christianity, Buddhism, Muhammadanism).

"Oh, no, better to be silent. That is what the glacier does. That is what the lilies of the field do."

The Highly dedicated religious EmBi who describes himself as "puritan!",at the end of the story, is lost in lust,love and "uncertain balance". lost between what is real and phantom,what is right or wrong, good or bad??

This is very powerful story. it starts in slow,may be boring dialog, but ends up in very charming, mysterious tragedy.

Good job Halldor! Five stars

A Metaphysical Hoot
One of the funniest "spiritual" books ever written, this one gets better as it goes along and ends astoundingly. The sketchy prose style is wonderfully transparent and must have been a pleasure to write: no muss, no fuss--an old man's work, with no words to spare and none extra needed. My only warning would be to avoid Susan Sontag's introduction, which makes so many claims for the book's comprehensive greatness that Laxness's novel sinks beneath their weight. It's best read afterward, certainly. I'm an odd reader: once a book has won me over, it has me completely, and this is one of them. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Great for the classroom
I have used this book since 2003 for a Mountaineering Class that I teach.I use it along with Freedom of the Hills and it is great.The diagrams are easy to understand and gets the point across.

The best
Hands-down the best written guide/reference out there.Far better/more accurate/more practical than the competition. I keep coming back to it over and over again when I've forgotten something or anticipate a situation I haven't come across before.Kudos to Falcon for re-publishing this!!!

great book
this is the best, most complete book on glacier travel i have found.well written, and includes detailed (and sometimes humorous) illustrations.i'd definately recommend this book to anyone who intends to travel on glaciers, beginners and more experienced mountaineers alike.

Great idea!
In my opinion a good book must be informative and it needs to keep your interest. This book does both. 90 percent of this book is illustrated with cartoon figures with arrows pointing to all the details (actually more detailed that a photo could be). At first glance you might think this book doesn't offer much in the way of knowledge. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This is one of the best books I have read.It is the type of book that you will refer to often and should be read by anyone looking to venture onto glaciers. Nice job guys.

Excellent illustrations
Very useful book.Don't let the cartoons fool you.Each one illustrates at least one important point and usually many points.This book is a delight to read and will help keep you safe and alive. Climb on! ... Read more

Product Description
Glaciers and Glaciation is the classic textbook for all students of glaciation. Stimulating and accessible, it has established a reputation as a comprehensive and essential resource.

In this new edition, the text, references, and illustrations have been thoroughly updated to give today's reader an up-to-the minute overview of the nature, origin, and behavior of glaciers and the geological and geomorphological evidence for their past history on earth.

The first part of the book investigates the processes involved in forming glacier ice, the nature of glacier/climate relationships, the mechanisms of glacier flow, and the interactions of glaciers with other natural systems such as rivers, lakes, and oceans.

In the second part, the emphasis moves to landforms and sediment, the interpretation of the earth's glacial legacy, and the reconstruction of glacial depositional environments and palaeoglaciology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great book about glaciers
Bought this for a glacial geology class.It's written well enough that I don't always stop at the end of the assigned readings.

A must have for glaciologists
This book, while some of the terms are out of date, is a must have on the shelf of anyone interested in or studying glaciers.It is a good, easy, and informative read.

Really complex, but great and thorough
This, in my opinion, is an excellent book.As others have said, itis really wordy and in some places, absolutely foreign to me.But don't let this discourage you from getting it.One of the most comprehensive books on glaciers ever!

Ah, and also, this book contains some great pictures and charts.But it could take you a while to read, being err... "thick" is an understatement

Excellent Text on the Science of Glaciers and Glaciation
Glaciers and Glaciation by Douglas Benn and David Evans is an excellent review of the current theory and underlying principles of glacier science. It is copiously illustrated with black and white photographs, line drawings, diagrams, charts, and graphs. The writing is technical, but the ideas involved are clearly and methodically presented. The organizational structure of the book is comprehensive and logical, helping the reader comprehend and absorb fundamental concepts.

The book is designed for those with a serious interest in science. It would be appropriate, for example, for college students who have had an introductory course in geology and know that they wish to continue studying one of the earth sciences. It is also appropriate for professionals like myself, who are not geologists, but who have a strong interest in the earth sciences and wish to learn more about glaciers and glaciation.

The book may be accessible for people without a science background if they are willing to absorb the high rate of new vocabulary and concepts that the text presents. The first chapter on glacier systems and those in the second half of the book dealing with glacial landforms may be particularly satisfying in this regard. Even the more difficult chapters, like those on glacier motion, may be absorbing if people can visualize how the glacier slides, changes shape, and pours like a thick syrup over obstructions.

I found the book to be fascinating. It took me 71 hours over a period of several months to read the entire 640 pages of text and study the many diagrams and other illustrations the book has to offer. By applying what I have learned from Benn and Evans, I have been able to interpret certain sand and gravel deposits in my area as probable subaqueous outwash fans deposited by the retreat of the last ice sheet here in Maine. This interpretation needs to be verified by others more qualified than myself, but I could not have hoped to come up with an hypothesis of this nature without the knowledge gained in reading this text.

The book has abundant references, as it is in many ways a review of the current literature and thinking on the subject. It does not deal with the current debate about climate change, nor does it deal primarily with glacial history. Instead, it excels in its main purpose as a clear and quite technical discussion of the current principles and theory of glacier science as understood by glaciologists today.

Feel the passion with the glaciatiation "bible"
An excellent book, no student of glacial geomorphology can function without it.

Three Cheers to Benn & Evans...we've all been waiting for an all encompassing guide like this. ... Read more

Product Description
CASCADE ALPINE GD:STEVENS PASS

Customer Reviews (4)

hiking guide
I agree with other reviews about the title; it's a bit misleading, but thankfully there are reviews.It's basically a trail guide book for Waterton Park in Canada and Glacier National Park in the US, but that is exactly what I was looking for. It details the trails well, elevation changes throughout the trail, degree of difficulty etc.Since we went numerous day hikes, we carried it in our back packs on each trip and would double check it periodically if needed. It was very handy.Good purchase.

Excellent Hiking Book
I bought this book in 2005 to help plan a week-long backpacking trip to Glacier NP. At the same time I bought the similar book from Falcon Press. I am re-reading both now because I am taking the family out there this summer to do day hiking and family light-weight things.

Although both did the job well, I especially like Vicky Spring's version. It was mainly little things. I liked how the maps were drawn in a relief or 3-D style.Her photos often had people in them which made them less static.The hikes are well organized by logical areas in the park.Vicky Spring does a good job of covering everything from easy family-friendly strolls to strenuous multi-night backpacking trips.

The previous review was correct in that the title is misleading.This is definitely a hiking/backpacking book for Glacier National Park and a good one at that.

A valuable guide for active travelers to Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks
This is the newest guide for the whole family that wants to hike or backpack 70 of the best trails through the combined US/Canadian national parks of Glacier and Waterton Lakes, now Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park.

* A completely revised guide with lots of fun to-do's for kids
* USGS map information and trail profiles
* Informative sidebars and trip finders

In 1932, Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada were joined together to create the world's first International Peace Park. More than a political union, the park was created in recognition that the beautiful, rare, and delicate ecosystems of the northern Rockies shouldn't end at national or political boundaries.

From nature walks and short hikes to glute-burning backpacking trips, this book showcases 70 of the best trails. Each area of the park is accompanied by a trip finder, which shows the difficulty of specific routes and the special highlights of each trail. This new edition also has more complete information blocks with USGS map information and trail profiles.

Mistitled - use it as a hiking guide
There is only general info in here for facilities, accomodations and activities other than hiking.The title is deceptive.On the positive side, it has useful maps and data for hikes all of which include a graph showing the altitude change along the path. ... Read more

Product Description
Glacier Day Hikes is your all-inclusive guide to 34 of the park's most spectacular day hikes. Author Alan Leftridge, a ranger and naturalist who field-tested each hike, describes and interprets the wonders you'll find along the trail.

At-a-glance information for each hike assists you in choosing those best suited to your ability and interest. A special color section gives you a preview of some of the majestic scenery you'll experience.

This newly revised edition features elevation gain/loss information for each trail, as well as GPS-compatible maps.

-34 of the park's best short hikes
-simple directions to the trailhead
-trail descriptions and tips
-easy-to-read, GPS-compatible maps
-information on level of difficulty, distance, elevation gain/loss, best time of year, and more
-11 black-and-white photographs
-31 color photographs ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Very Informative Guide Book
This book describes the many day hikes available at Glacier National Park in Montana.It provides very descriptive information about the hikes and gives a total distance as well as fitness level guidance for those who love to hike.I am glad I purchased this book as we will have some time to hike and don't want to miss out on any of the wonders that Glacier National Park has to offer.It is only a hiking book and does not offer any insights as to lodging, or restaurants but it is what I was seeking.

Not one of the best
The Glacier Day Hike book includes most of the popular trails, and some less known trails.The description of the trails is good with some interesting information about biology and history. But there are some glaring mistakes.One trail is described as 17 miles long (round trip) and easy, but is actually only 6-7 miles (round trip).

Trails are classified as easy, moderate and difficult. There is not information about elevation gain, and the classification at times seems a bit arbitrary as if different people had evaluated them.

My two biggest complains are:

1)No information about elevation gain.

2)Trail heads at camp grounds and other developed areas were hard to find.

Anxious to give it a try
I have read the book through, but haven't had the opportunity to test it out.It has been 7 years since I have been to the park and from my personal past reference, I believe I will enjoy using this book on my next trip.

If you don't already have a book for day hikes, I would highly recommend this book just by reading it.

Great planning tool for a trip to Glacier
This book is great for helping in planning what hikes you want to take.The only down side is that they don't show pictures of all the trails.I really wish they did so you can get a sample of what you would see.However, I don't know of any other books that offers both the pictures and the detailed descriptions.Like I said, it does offer good descriptions along with mileage and tips.This is a must have if you are going to Glacier National Park.

Worst of three Glacier hike books
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. ... Read more

Product Description
Claiming there's too much to explore and discover in Glacier National Park that you can't do it all in one season, Park Ranger Pat Hagan returns every summer, year after year. While some people suffer from Season Affective Disorder (SAD), Hagan says he suffers from "Seasonal Disorder" (SD), a type of depression that results during the remaining seasons-which are: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter and Construction. Seasonal Disorder is about spending summer in paradise-for as long as you can make it last. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Quirky and Fun
I know Pat and have worked with him for several years and found this book to be light and entertaining.It is in no way a serious study of park rangers, but is instead a collection of anecdotes, stories, and in some ways romanticized tales of his life.Sometimes it's hard to tell when he's recounting fact or being silly, but sometimes a tall tale makes for a better story.What shines through the silliness is a true love for the park and some honest reflection of how important it really is to him and to all of us that have connected with it.

funny, but little to do with parks and rangers
It was an entertaining read, funny in a rambling way -- like your uncle who tells funny stories about at the dinner table, and you remember none of it the next day.Aside from the fact that this guy works at Glacier in the summers, there is almost nothing in the book that makes this about rangers and/or National Parks -- the connection is just a hook.

Montana Girl
Met Pat Hagan this summer while hiking in Glacier Park.Found him to be a very Home Grown Montana boy.I've lived in Montana for 37 years and felt I've know him the whole time.Felt the pride he has for Montana on our hikes.The same pride my husband and I share.Read his book and found it very funny and had a few choked up emotions when I read the last chapter.Reminded me of the 27 years I've hunted in Montana and had the same experiences.

LOVED IT!!!!!
Two Medicine Ranger, Pat Hagan's book "Seasonal Disorder - Ranger Tales from Glacier National Park" is absolutely fabulously fantastic!!!!! A "MUST READ"!!!!! You will laugh out loud!!! Anyone who knows Pat, or has met him, or has taken one of his Ranger-led hikes knows what a great sense of humor this man has and what a fabulous story-teller he is! And in contrast to the other chapters that will make you laugh out loud, his last chapter, "The Season's End" is a very poignant and eloquent capturing of what Glacier means to him.....and I would venture to say, most who have been there. I'm not embarrassed to say I had a few tears running down my face as I finished this last chapter....Glacier is so special - and Hagan nails it!

Entertaining!!! Fun!!
Ranger Hagan delivers to the reader a glimpse of life as a National Park Ranger.Choosing a light hearted,satirical approach, his stories are sure to entertain. ... Read more

Product Description
Glacier National Park: The First 100 Years is an exquisite new book celebrating the park's 100th anniversary.

Published in partnership with the Glacier Natural History Association and an official licensed product of the park's centennial, Glacier National Park: The First 100 Years features more than 200 exquisite landscape and historical photographs, as well as some of the finest artwork of the region and its people, including Charles M. Russell's sun-splashed paintings of Montana scenes, Winold Reiss's extraordinary portraits of the Blackfeet, Monte Dolack's vivid Glacier views, and Mel Ruder's Pulitzer Prize winning photographs.

C. W. Guthrie, author of four other books on Glacier National Park, details the astonishing changes the park has undergone since its designation in 1910. From the Great Northern Railway's Swiss-style chalets and lodges to the glorious Going-to-the-Sun Road, from the park's tragic first fatal grizzly attacks to its designation as an International Peace Park, Biosphere Reserve, and World Heritage Site, Glacier National Park has a story unlike any other.

AWARDS:
First Place, 2009 Benjamin Franklin Awards, history category.

First Place, 2009 APPL Media and Partnership Award, non-association book category.

Finalist, 2009 ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards, regional category.


Visit FarcountryPress.com for more information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A remarkably in-depth survey of the history of Glacier National Park from 1900 to 2000
Part American History chronicle, part photography compendium, The First 100 Years is a remarkably in-depth survey of the history of Glacier National Park from 1900 to 2000. Featuring more than 200 vintage black-and-white or stunning full color photographs, The First 100 Years also has detailed text chronicling the park's astonishing and colorful history. A chronology, bibliography, and index round out this captivating volume, highly recommended especially for public library collections due to its wealth of historical information balancing quality photographs on virtually every page.
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Product Description

The frozen rivers and sheets of ice known as glaciers can move as slowly as a few inches a year, yet they are a powerful force shaping the earth beneath and around them.Breathtaking photographs mark this dramatic introduction to a beautiful yet frozen world of mountaintops and polar regions.

Customer Reviews (3)

Simon's Sense of Icebergs and Glaciers
Wouldn't it be interesting to know how Simon works? Does he accumulate all the photographs he wants, then write the text for his science books? Or, does he write his text, then collect photos? The reader knows that thephotos are not his because he gives credit to the photographers on the verso/copyright page.

Also on the verso page, the Library of Congress summarizes the book: "Discusses the formation, movement, and different types of glaciers and icebergs, and describes their effect on the world around them." Yes, Simon does, he does exactly that, but in a much friendlier voice.

On page 3 (page 2 being a full-page photo of Antartica at midnight in the middle of summer), Simon begins: "For most of us, spring means the return of warm weather." He describes the thawing process, where it is cold and icy and snow-covered in the world, defines "snow line," then concludes the page with: "It is in the constantly cold lands and above the snow line that glaciers are born." Does it give you chill bumps?

Simon's development of ideas and writing skills are finely crafted together, orderly, logically, using vocabulary conducive to understanding. Amazon's description of the book rates it for ages 4-8, an obviouslyinaccurate assessment. Simon's books like these are more for ages 8-12 (or above or below depending on interest). Orderly means beginning with snowflakes, on to blue ice and solid ice, then an ice field sixty feet deep. "Then something strange happens. The huge mass of ice begins to move" (p. 6) and an explanation of sliding on melt water or creeping glaciers. Fast glaciers, slow glaciers, dangers of crevices, devastation of glaciers, rock flour, moraines, avalanches, and that's just half of the 42-page book.

I like my mind boggled from time to time. How are these facts for mind-boggling? The largest glacier in Antartica is larger than the United States, Mexico, and Central America combined. The depth of this ice sheet is 15,000 feet, or ten Empire State Buildings stacked one on top of the other.

Simon nearly always concludes with ecology in the forefront of our minds. He describes the effects of glaciers on the earth in the four to ten ice ages since the beginning of the earth. He concludes with the overall effect of global warming--and this was written in 1987 when we were just beginning to become concerned. My goodness, what would he say now?

This book is highly recommended for school library collections and parents who want their children to know about our planet Earth. After all, we all live here.

A Marvelous Wonder of Nature.
Icebergs are made up of freshwater, formed over centuries from snowfall which didn't melt.Over time, they are compressed into ice.The majestic glaciers did not form from the oceans surrounding them, which are salt water.Icebergs are the chunks which broke off from the high glaciers and gloat out to sea.

Pack Ice is composed totally of saltwater and composes ninety-five percent of the ice found in the oceans of th polar regions.Pack ice drifts on the surface of the sea and a single piece is known as a floe.On the beaches there are hugh mounds of saltwater ice joined to freshwater ice.It is thought that the Artic winds push the pack ine to the shore where it gets contained.Though the ocean and the seas are made up of saltwater, the icebergs and glaciers are composed of freshwater ice.An amazing phenonomon from Mother Nature.

A GOOD BOOK FOR LATER ELEMENTARY
This was a good book but I would not recommend it for kids ages 4-8.It was quite verbous.It was very informational, however, and a good source to use in the classroom. ... Read more

Product Description

Now in its 4th Edition, this classic text covers the physical principles underlying the behavior of glaciers -- terrestrial ice bodies originating as accumulations of snow -- including mountain glaciers, small ice caps, ice sheets, and shelves. New material on climate change includes interactions between ice sheets and the ocean and atmosphere, paleoclimate reconstruction using ice cores, Quaternary climate history and the ice ages, and sea level rise. The book also explores topics of interest to geologists and geophysicists, including glacial connections to geomorphology, sedimentation, isostasy, and tectonics.

Product Description

Customer Reviews (17)

Frozen out
I had hoped to learn of the way of life of the 5300-corpse found in a glacier in the Alps. Instead there was the story of the conflicts and struggles of the scientists exploiting him. There is a small kernel of Iceman information, but it must be dug out, as he was.

The Iceman Thinketh

Otzi, the frozen cadaver now residing in a museum in Bolzano, Italy, was discovered by hikers in the glacial ice of the Tyrolean Alps, in 1991. He'd been there a long time - roughly 5300 years - undisturbed until global warming revealed his presence to the curious. The discovery has been of enormous value to archaeologists, since in addition to his well-preserved male corpse, Otzi's clothes, shoes, and "tool kit" has provided a wealth of info about bronze-age inhabitants of the region.

Note,please, that I specified the "Tirolean" Alps. I've had the privilege of living in Merano, in the Italian "occupied zone" of Tyrol, where the dialect called Romansch is in fact an ancient German. Austria and Italy have quarreled over the Tyrol since the Renaissance, and the current disposition of the border is a result of pan-European meddling, from the Sudtiroler's point of view. This quarrel was revivified by the exglaciation of Otzi; the squabble over the precise location of his discovery and the ultimate possession of his remains is one of the chief subjects of this journalistic book. The second focus of the book is the melee that took place between archaeologists over the right to study Otzi and his effects. That's not entirely a pretty story, but hey! scientists are human and have careers to foster. General analysis of what Otzi has to "say" about his life and times forms a distant third topic. I'd have preferred more of the latter, but the book would have been unmarketably brief.

I carried this book in a dry-bag in my kayak on an expedition into the glacial fiords of Patagonia. As it turned out, I had only a few minutes per day to read before darkness, so I had to finish it on an airplane. It wouldn't have blended well with my thoughts while kayaking anyway, thoughts which were centered on Otzi and his fate rather than on any contemporary human business. "Ice is nice, and would suffice" said Robert Frost. Wouldn't it be an elegant fate to be entombed in ice for the hikers of7300 AD to discover? Suicide by glacier! A typical Swede, I hate to be tended. I could willingly wait until 7300 AD to have anyone meddle with my body.

Such were my thoughts at moments, gaping up at the glaciers of Torres del Payne, but these thoughts were whisked aside by the blue-haired beauty of the ice. Fortunately I also had three iPods along, loaded with Bach, Monteverdi, and Ockeghem. If Otzi had been so equipped, he might also have been determined to live longer.

I never get enough about this....
I started reading about the Ice Man when he was first discovered a number of years ago.This book is so informative and interesting and shows that even in the "adult" scientific world men and women can and do act like children.I always believed that mankind had great abilities from the beginning of time and I think the age of this corpse shows just how completely wrong anthropologists have been regarding their "theories" over the years about early man.This is a must read book.Kathleen Wyatt

A Constnatly Fascinating Book
One year ago I read this book, transfixed by the writing. Fowler clearly got the science of the subject material better than "The Man in the Ice" (which I bought as soon as it came out.)

As an engineer, and student of the development of both the sciences and the technologies, it is often amazing how little purity exists in new developments. Certainly, if one of the large projects - I've been on a few with international media coverage - is analyzed from the inside, it looks VERY different than the media hype or soundbites.

Fowler wrote a book so filled with hooks that it will affix itself to anyone with a scintilla of curiosity, but whether she consciously considered this or not, her result was not only the history of one man dying high on a mountain glacier several thousand years ago and how he lived, but the story of how WE live in the same environs NOW, and how institutions of science can be rendered impotent by their own internal dynamics as amplified by the various needs of individual researchers.

The Iceman's society was clearly fragmented and very rudimentary. There is no way to know if he even had much of a language, but we who live in the 21st century have benefitted from thousands of years of written history, the development of science, technology, and government/society... and, quite frankly, we almost botched this incredible discovery.

It's a wonder that the Iceman wasn't sold to a rendering plant and turned into food pellets for mad cows!

I guess if you don't want to know anything about the present state of our world society and why people would even BE in that area now, this would be pretty disrupting to you. It would require skimming through many pages of 'inconsequential' information to get what you'd really want: a time travel experience without knowledge of the society that produced the time machine or the technology of the time machine itself.

It's rare enough to find a book that GETS the story of a present day development correctly, but one that gets the overall structure of something like Iceman... is... well, almost as rare as the Icemen himself.

A Frozen Mummy Comes Back To Life!
Brenda Fowler's training as a journalist pays a handsome reward in this thoroughly-researched and well-written account of Ötzi's discovery on September 21, 1991, his well-intentioned but badly flawed recovery, and his archaeological importance, as well as the academic, political, legal, and financial intrigue (almost always petty) taking place behind the scenes.

For eight years, Fowler interviewed everyone involved with Ötzi to uncover the truth about the sometimes misreported and confusing "facts" published in the media. She also has taken a discerning look at the various personalities involved: from the austere Konrad Spindler (who became the main spokesperson concerning Ötzi--and the main recipient of the financial rewards) to the Simons (who first found the body and later wanted to be paid for their discovery) to Klaus Oeggl, a young German botanist, whose brilliant studies of Ötzi countered Spindler's own (fairly unscientific) theory.

Her hard work clearly shows: this is as much an archaeological mystery (set both in the Copper Age and the modern scientific world) as it is a record of the facts andspeculations about an archaeological wonder named Ötzi. I highly recommend this book. You won't stop turning the pages--and when you're done. you'll want to go visit Ötzi at his Bolzano, Italy home.

Eleven chapters, a prologue and epilogue, as well as detailed notes, a lengthy bibliography, and a thorough index. 313 pages, with 33 black and white photo plates inserted in the center of the book. The photos show Ötzi, his accessories, and many of the personalities described in the book. These are not National Geographic quality photos, but that's not the point of Fowler's book. You won't go wrong by reading it. ... Read more

Product Description
In concise, readable prose, "From Grassland to Glacier" guides the nature lover through the natural world of the Southern Rocky Mountains—from the hot, dry plains and plateaus, through the moist forests of pine and spruce, to the windswept tundra above the trees. Self-guided tours and easy-to-use keys simplify the identification of natural communities through personal experience. The standard work in the field for years, "From Grassland to Glacier" has been completely revised to take advantage of scientific advances. It includes an entirely new section on the wetlands ecosystem and has been expanded to include portions of the Southern Rockies in the surrounding states of Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming. ... Read more

Product 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent condition, fast shipping
Needed this for my child's report on Glacier Bay and it arrived in mint condition and was shipped quickly.

Outstanding book
This was a present prior to a trip to Alaska.It is beautifully done.. pictures are magnificent.. subject matter is perfect.. written material is well done.I could not praise it more or recommend it more highly.Even if you are not going to Glacier Bay.. it is a wonderful book to own.

Picture Guide for Glacier Park
Purchased this book to help prepare me for my first trip to Alaska. The photographs are wonderful. I only hope that I see Alaska as beautifully as the photographer has.

Don't Ignore the Essays!
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
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. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Feed your hunger for glaciers and life in the past!
Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past by James M. Deen delves into glaciers, global warming, and yes, frozen bodies! This is a very unique book in that it takes a look at something you wouldn't normally think of when it comes to global warming--how many frozen bodies have been found in the melting ice.

In 1991 a husband and wife climbing a mountain in northern Italy stumbled across what appeared to be trash left by careless hikers. On closer inspection they realized that it was a human corpse lying near the surface of a melting alpine glacier. Ultimately, scientific study revealed that the man had lived 5,300 years earlier. Now known as Ötzi, he is one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever made.

As glaciers melt throughout the world, more frozen bodies are appearing, adding to our knowledge of culture and history.

What's amazing about this book are the pictures. The pictures show you everything and give you an idea what it must be like for a hiker to discover a frozen corpse.The text is very informative and highlights types of glaciers, the mystery of George Mallory, who died trying to climb Mt. Everest and some recently discovered Incan children who were sacrificed to the gods.

The topics covered are presented in an intriguing way that will capture young readers' attentions and teach them about our environment and history. This a wonderful read that will feed a young readers' hunger for glaciers and how people lived in the past.

Secrets of the past are found as the glaciers melt
There could be many reasons why the earth's glaciers are melting, including global warming.One unusual phenomenon we are now seeing is the "appearance" of those who died on or around them, some just decades ago and others thousands of years ago!Erika and Helmut Simon unwittingly made a discovery on the Niederjoch Glacier that would stun the archaeological world. "It's a person," she said.Yes, it was Ötzi and he had been there for more than five thousand years.He was amazingly preserved, but why?

Glaciers fascinate people.Louis Agassiz, the father of glaciology, lived on them for more than five years trying to discover their secrets.He wasn't the first to take note of glaciers, for indeed in the 1600s people were afraid of them saying, "We are terrified of the glaciers." Because of them there, was a terrible loss of life and property.Glaciers around the world hid many other secrets and people.There were the sacrificed frozen children of the Andes, "buried based on their perfect looks."George Mallory's fate remained a mystery for decades.There was even an alpine morgue with many, many unidentified corpses.

As a child I remember having an insatiable curiosity about how people lived in the past.Archeological finds and history still fascinate young people today.This is an outstanding book. The writing is entrancing and the photographs, lithographs and maps all contribute to the wonder of this work.This material can spark the imagination, not only about the past, but also our future. ... Read more

Product Description
This guide explores everything to see and do in Montana's Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley. Readers will find insider information about such things as restaurant listings, accommodations, recreation, and relocation.
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Customer Reviews (8)

Relocating to Glacier
This book provides a great review of the Glacier Area - if you are interested in Moving there. It even dedicates an entire chapter to relocation. It does provide an interesting list of area museums, curiosities and accomodations. The author includes narratives on local history and wildlife. However, there is no information on trails and hiking. This is a good overall book if you do not plan on leaving your car and are planning to see the area including numerous local towns. I returned this book and plan to purchase other guides with provide more practical information on what the park offers.

Worthless
This book is worthless.I have spent 2 months combing this book trying to find something to help plan our trip.I finally went out and bought Frommer's Guide to Montana and Wyoming and it gave me all the information I was looking for in 1 chapter.It answered all my questions with ease.This Insidier's Guide did not even have trail names listed.The Montana/Wyoming 2-state book with several national parks covered had all the trail names of GNP listed. This book should be taken off the shelves!!!

Chamber of Commerce approach
I also found this book to be poorly organized. Every restaurant, lodging, attraction, etc. is "fantastic". With no critique whatsoever, one would think this book is written by the local chamber of Commerces. Almost worthless without this information.

Needs better focus and organization
There is some interesting stuff in this book, but if you are trying to plan a trip, and want to look something up, well, it can be a challenge to find the information you want.

Part of the problem is that this book if full of weird stuff.

For example, there are two pages on nursing homes in the area.

The section on antique stores in the area around the National Park is several times as long as the section on hiking trails in Glacier National Park.

And the section on hiking trails in Glacier National Park is not in the section on Glacier National Park.

Much of the text is devoid of content, so that I did not enjoy the time spent browsing through this book to find the information we needed.

Mistitledand misleading
I was looking for a guide on Glacier National Park.This book enticed me by its title.Insiders' guide to Glacier National Park, however it should be renamed: Insiders guide to the Flathead Valley and one chapter on Glacier National Park.If you're interested in finding waterslide parks for the kids, 100 miles from the park entrance, this book is for you.If you're like me and would like a good book about exploring the national park itself, find another book. ... Read more