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Customer Reviews (5)

A Classic
My copy is a 14th reprint dated October 1949, bought when I became a King's Scout (British equivalent of Eagle Scout).

This book is a classic because it is exhaustive and beautifully written. Kephart left no stone unturned in dealing with his subject matter. Certainly technology has changed much since the book was first published in 1917, but Kephart's observations in the wilderness and his philosophy are still valid and delighting to read.

For anyone who loves venturing into the shrinking wilderness, or simply dreaming about it, this is an essential book.

camping and woodcraft
i have the 1952 hard cover that was given to me by my father.after reading it twice i can see why it was his favorite book.tough man .very good book.it can still teach campers how to do it right.

High impact camping at its best!
If you prefer a wall-tent, buckskins and an axe to goretex and gas stoves, this book is for you. Old time wood-skills by an experienced man, and a good writer. Some of the equipment detail is outdated (this book was originally written 70 years ago), but there is so much good stuff on everything from dressing and cooking game, to using an axe, to building camp furniture, compass work, marksmanship, and a whole lot more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Crafts / Hobbies   3. General   4. Hiking   5. Nature/Ecology   6. Outdoor life   

Customer Reviews (5)

signage
A great book. Gives you most of the information you could need. Accurate in the directions. Since I don't have Spanish, I would have liked to have had a translation of the various road signs. Many of the signs don't translate from a dictionary or electronic translator. One could spend an hour or so studying the signs before you went in.

Toll Road Fees Update
We wouldn't dream of going anywhere in Mexico without the Churches' "bible". It's accurate down to the tiniest detail. However, as nothing stays static some info needs to be updated, i.e. As of February 2000 we discovered the toll road fees in Mexico seem to have increased by at least 50% since last year. We drive a 3/4 ton supercab truck and pull a 29' 5th wheel and in February 1999 we paid 310 pesos from Guadalajara to Tepic. In February 2000 tolls on the same road were 451P. Our friends were driving the same length unit except their truck has dual wheels and they paid 2/3's of what we paid at every toll booth between Tepic to Guadalajara to Morelia and back and then from Guadalajara to Laredo, Texas. We could never figure that one out! I complained at the second toll booth about the increase and was told that as of January 2000 the tolls had been increased 50%.

"Indispensible"
The remarkable thing about the Church's and their excellent book is that they actually nosed into hundreds of side streets, obscure frontage roads, and bouncy cobblestone alleyways ferreting out most of the RV parks in this vast country.

I have stayed at (an uncounted) number of the parks listed and can verify that their comments about the facilities and overall condition is right-on-the-money.

Maps, are key to exploring and finding new things and places and each campground is served in the book with both an explanation and a sketch map that specifically describes "Large Rig" access from the nearest highway. I can't tell you how much this means at 5:00 PM when the sun is setting and the holding tank is threatening to burst.

As a thirty-six year veteran of RV travel in Mexico, I can say with some degree of authority that The Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping is the milepost by which other's will have to reckon if they wish to write their own guide. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camp sites, facilities, etc.   2. Camping   3. Guidebooks   4. Mexico   5. Travel   6. Travel - Foreign   

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Fun
At first I thought this book was a little negative for girls because PJ and his friend kept telling his sister and her friends that camping is not for girls. But even my three year old daughter understood that the boys were the ones who did not know what they were doing. The ending allows for discussion on telling the whole truth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals   2. Animals - Rabbits   3. Camping   4. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General   5. Children: Kindergarten   6. Fiction   7. Readers - Beginner   8. Sex role   9. Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Beginner   

Customer Reviews (1)

Real food with 1 pan - a slim cookbook to stash in the truck
I bought this book for my husband's elk hunting trips. The book is only 1/2-inch thick, yet it gives lots of ideas for healthy cooking at camp (or offshore) when you reduce your cooking gear to only one pot or pan to save weight and space. The recipes are sorted by the type of pan best suited for them (fry pan vs. pot).

It discusses what mixes or preparation can be done before leaving home, how to pack the food for hiking, and how to rig a bear bag to keep the food safe from varmints. Mr. Jacobson even shows how to build an oven from a 3-pound coffee can. My husband likes the checklist of essential kitchen tools and spices.

For the non-cook, Mr. Jacobson has included recipes for scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs and fresh coffee. However, this little book also includes more exotic recipes such as Calcutta Chicken and Red-Eye Stew.

Mr. Jacobson's fare is geared to a 2-night outing, allowing him to carry fresh food rather than rely on dehydrated food.

It's a useful little book, one that stashes easily in the truck or boat. Camping out doesn't have to mean hot dogs and beans! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine   2. General   3. Hiking   4. Real Estate - Investments   5. Sports & Recreation / Camping   

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Books!
Best books on the planet if you are going camping! I spent 2 1/2 months on the road through 48 states and I would have never been able to do it without them (this one and his eastern edition). A must have for the low-budget traveler who wants a surefire way to find a campsite when you need one. Excellent directions and although some of the descriptions are a bit misleading, it is very easy to see where they came from. Warning: Some of the campsites are no longer usable! We found a couple that have been flooded or overrun with cows (yes, cows).

The Best Guide to Free and Inexpensive Campgrounds
...I am very much involved in locating free and low cost camping opportunities. Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds, both the Western and Eastern edtions, are by far the most comprehensive guides to where to find free and low-cost campgrounds, whether the camper is traveling with an RV or pitching a tent. These days, a campsite in a commercial campground will typically run from about $20 to $35 a night (and even higher in popular tourist areas), which can severely impact a camper's wallet. So finding low-cost and even free places to stay is often important to keeping the cost of camping to a minimum. Anyone who camps more than two-to three weeks a year and is on a budget should easily save the price of this book in campsite fees. Campers who camp a lot will benefit even more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Parks & Campgrounds   3. Reference   4. Sports   5. Sports & Recreation   6. Travel - General   7. Travel Guides - U.S.   8. United States - General   9. United States - West - General   10. United States - West - Mountain (General)   

Customer Reviews (2)

Getting Started the Easy Way
Basic Essentials is just that--the basics. It's a nice book to get started. You can easily go out and naviagate after reading this book and practicing with your map and compass. I used this book as a reference in teaching Boy Scouts how to navigate in the wilderness. I was disappointed it didn't have more about the sport of Orienteering.

Good, basic information for beginners.
This book is a good source of information for people interested in learning how to use a map and compass. It is easy to read, simple to follow, and contains accurate information. As a search and rescue instructor, I've used the concepts in this book to teach map and compass skills to hundreds of teen-aged students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Hiking   3. Maps   4. Navigation   5. Orienteering   6. Outdoor Skills   7. Sports   8. Sports & Recreation   9. United States   10. Wilderness areas   11. Travel / Reference   

Customer Reviews (5)

excellent resource
from time to time we all have questions or are looking for confirmation on proper procedure/etiquette in camping. this book proved to be an excellent to me. although i consider myself somewhat experienced, it was refreshing to have several of my ideas confirmed by an expert. on the other hand, what was most valuable was the disproving of out of date camping policies that even the forest rangers havent updated on. a great example is bear proofing your camp. the author firmly disagrees with the traditional "tie it in a tree" procedure. a very good book for beginner to advanced campers/canoeists.

Great book!
I have been paddling for about twenty-five years. I picked up a copy of this book in a used book store and read it cover to cover. I think what moved me was the author's undeniable love of paddling. He states good sound wisdom without climbing on an all knowing soap box. Techniques, method and his own tried and true experiences shine thru. I love to learn new tricks in paddling and camping from my boat. This book is an asset to any paddler's library. I'm in the process of building a spray skirt from the plans provided within.

Amendment
I wrote an earlier review posted here and commented about Mr. Jaconson's references to his other books. I recently recieved an email from the author where he explained some of his reasons for doing so. Key among those reasons was the fact that he often had limited space available due to restraints set by the publisher and wanted to explain where more information could be found. While I still think the refrences can be slightly distracting I now understand Mr. Jacobson's reasons for doing so and thought I should share that information to be read with my previous review. I also noticed in rereading my previous review that it sounded much more harsh than I had intended. Let me be clear: this is an excellent book, well written and filled with great information, and I certainly would reccomend it. My complaint was and is a minor one and shouldn't keep you from purchasing this great book about camping and canoeing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Canoe camping   3. Canoeing   4. Sports   5. Sports & Recreation   6. Sports & Recreation / Canoeing   

Customer Reviews (6)

good guide
This guide has easy trails and hard trails all in one for a pretty low price

One Of The Experts On Lesser Known Gems!
Barbara McMartin is one of those few resident Adirondackers that has supplied the world with great information, anecdotes and history about lesser known trails in the Adirondacks. Keeping to the less over-run trails, the reader is treated to beautiful trails to remote mountaintops, caves, fire-towers, unique wetlands and historic sites.

This newer edition is only slightly different (three more hikes), but it includes great topo maps, directions, trail and destination descriptions and just a ton of interesting local folklore to keep you going. A great find.

Disappointed!
My boyfriend and I just returned from a day hike in the Adirondacks yesterday and we were so disappointed with this book for numerous reasons. First, the directions given to the actual hike were very vague and I had to spend almost two hours on the internet beforehand trying to get specific directions to the trail. Basically, what should have been a one hour drive ended up being two. Second, once we were on the hike we found this book hard to follow and distances were off. Trails that the book claimed were present were not and specifics of landmarks, bridges, streams, etc. were also absent, leaving my boyfriend and I to "guesstimate" what location the author was actually referring to. About 4 miles into the hike, we put the book in our backpack and there it stayed. Despite this we still had an enjoyable hike, however, if you are thinking of purchasing this book...take the author's advice and BRING A COMPASS since a lot of the trail directions in the book rely on N, S, E, and W. Also, be prepared to spend some time hunting for specific directions and try to hook up with someone who knows the trails since we missed the "climax" of the hike due to the book's poor directions and out of date landmarks. An updated edition of this book should be published. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adirondack Mountains   2. Adirondack Mountains (N.Y.)   3. Camping   4. Guidebooks   5. Hiking   6. New York (State)   7. Sports   8. Sports & Recreation   9. Travel - United States   10. United States - Mid Atlantic - New York   11. New York   12. Travel & holiday guides   13. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Customer Reviews (3)

Heavy on the Backyard
There's a lot of mommy-targeted "fun" activities here but not too many for the woods.

I'm still looking for the perfect family camping book.

Teacher/Mother
This is a wonderful book that can keep children occupied for hours on end. It provides many activities that children can do alone or with their parents. Most of the materials required can be found in the home or outside. The children will learn valuable survival information from many of the activities. The projects are worth the effort; they don't result in a choppy hodge-podge of junk. The illustrations are very helpful. Overall, this book is great for teachers, parents, and children.

Innovative Fun!
Kids Camp offers innovative ideas to help kids of all ages keep busy during camp outings, even on raining days. Laurie Carlson offers 100+ original ideas, including instructions on concocting "wilderness punch" and writing with berry ink, guaranteed to entertain young campers. Whether you are organizing a scout campout, or camping in your own backyard, Kids Camp offers original and creative ideas, accompanied by great illustrations, to entertain and educate children and adults! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General   2. Camping   3. Children's 4-8 - Activity Books   4. Children: Grades 4-6   5. Equipment and supplies   6. Juvenile Nonfiction   7. Juvenile literature   8. Nature - General   9. Outdoor recreation   10. Outdoor recreation for childre   11. Outdoor recreation for children   12. Sports & Recreation - Camping & Outdoor Activities   

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Outdoor recreation for women   3. Sports   4. Sports & Recreation   5. Women's Studies - General   6. Sports & Recreation / Camping   

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book to Help you Plan
I recently received this book to help me get an idea for planning my possible next summer trip to Denali. This Book i great. The first 38 pages have to deal with a lot of helpful information on shuttle buses in the park along with ways to get to the park if you fly into ancorage or fairbanks. They also deal with photography and places to spot wildlife. These pages also have a lot of helpful information that you could use to help plan your trip. The rest of the book deals with 35 dayhikes and 10 backpacking journeys in the park. I have only skimmed through some of the hikes and they are very helpful in giving you ideas of where to go in this huge trailless wilderness. All and all this book is going to save me a ton of time by in phonecalls to the park to get info and it will save time once you are in the park to figure out with the rangers of where to hike. In my opinion if you are planning on going to Denali to hike i would strongly reccomend this book in fact i feel it is a must have book.
Now i have the proper materials to go to Denali i hope my dreams become reality next summer.

Best book on Hiking in Denali
This is the book the Park Service doesn't want you to read. It has all the secret trails in Denali National Park complete with detailed maps. I really enjoyed the geological facts and history to better help you understand why Denali is so unique and so beautiful. The author also has a nice website. [...] ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General   2. Sports & Recreation   

Customer Reviews (9)

What A Boring Book
The book I read is called Were Wolves Don't Go To Summer Camp by Debbie Dadley and Marcia Thorton Jones. Were wolves don't go to summer camp is the worst book I have ever read in my life. It is so boring. All the book really says is -there is Mr.Jenkins wearing his same lone wolf T-shirt, his same ripped up pants, and his two medal dog tags. It just keeps repeating that over and over. It probably says it at least 25 times. If you pick up this book you are making a huge mistake. All this book does is waist your time and bore you. As a matter of fact I couldn't think of a worse book than this. On a rating from 1-10 I would give this book a 0, and I highly recommend that you choose a different book than this one.

WereWolves Don't Go To Summer Camp
I give this book five stars because it's the book that I actually wanted to keep reading. It was very interesting and it seemed to pull you into it.If you read it you would just want to read the next part. It's one of the best books I've read. Now I am reading the whole series.

Werewolves Don't Go to Summer Camp
The book that I have read is Werewolves Don't Go to Summer Camp . I have chosen this book because it is very mysterious and funny . The book is about four children, who are going to a different summer camp. I won't give the whole story away, but the only thing I can say is that I recommend it to kids in the 7th grade and higher. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Camping   3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General   4. Children: Grades 3-4   5. Fiction   6. Horror & Ghost Stories   7. Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories   8. Werewolves   

Subjects:  1. Camp sites, facilities, etc.   2. Camping   3. Canada   4. Directories   5. Parks & Campgrounds   6. Travel   7. Travel - United States   8. U.S. Local History - Western United States   9. United States   10. United States - West - General   11. Travel / United States / West / General   

Customer Reviews (4)

Good Book About Friendship and Camping
I really enjoyed this book. Abby meets a new friend - a fun, enthusiastic girl named Hannah. Abby invites Hannah along on her family's camping trip. However, Abby worries about whether Hannah will be able to survive a week with the sometimes crazy Hayes family. This is a fun story to read, and Abby's worries about her family embarassing her in front of Hannah are very realistic. However, there's one REALLY unrealistic thing. In the first book, it's summertime, and Abby's entering fifth grade, and her teacher is going to be Ms. Kantor. This book is the summer after that, and the book says she's going into Ms. Kantor's fifth-grade class.

GREAT NEW START FOR ABBY!
This book was the 11th book in the Abby Hayes series. Even though this was the third summer she was in and the second start of school, it was still great. Since Jessica is away at Oregon, Abby decides to invite a new girl she sees at the pool who will be in her class, Hannah, to go camping with the Hayeses for the 4th of July. Hannah agrees but soon, Abby is trying to make her family promise to be normal. They do, but when they get to the campsite, everything turns crazy, from no reservations to too much blueberries to getting lost in the forest! All in all, Abby and Hannah have a great time. The bad part was the beginning was confusing because it said that they were going to watch fireworks at the campsite but now they were going to the pool and it was jest really confusing. Still, buy this great book today!

THE GREATEST BOOKS EVER
This book was the bomb! I really liked her journal entries but she wrote in black print instead of purple!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General   3. Children: Grades 4-6   4. Family - General   5. Family life   6. Fiction   7. Friendship   8. Juvenile Fiction   9. Social Situations - Friendship   

Customer Reviews (5)

Beautiful guide with essential information
Living in California, I don't get a chance to hike in Vermont as often as I would like. But when I do, I always take this lightweight guide along in my car and in the pack. The best part about the guide is that hikes are described in detail and directions to each trailhead are given in exhaustive detail. This is especially important for out-of-towners who aren't familiar with the back country roads. The authors have hiked each of the trails and they offer pithy comments on trail conditions, the possibility of seeing wildlife and other pertinent information.

There is a separate section on the magnificent Long Trail, the 260 mile hike which runs from the Massachusetts border to he Canadian border. My one slight criticism is the photos, which could be of better quality, but the text, route descriptions and ancillary material are of high quality.

Good not Great
This book does provide good trail descriptions for a reasonable number of hikes in Vermont. I've hiked about a dozen of the trails listed in here, of those 10 there were:

2 in which the directions to the trailhead listed the wrong forest service road to take.

3 in which I saw other trails at junctions that weren't mentioned in this book leading to nearby attractions (without giving full descriptions it would be nice to mention alternatives for longer hikes available).

1 in which the directions led to a difficult hike, but it turned out talking to people at the top that a much easier hike was available to reach the same destination from the same trailhead.

Having said that, this book does give the visitor an easy way to plan some hikes in Vermont. The Falcon guide looks to be similar, so it might be useful to read both before planning your hikes.

Before you buy this book...
I liked this book - easy to read and informative. The only problem was it didn't have very specific information on things like shelters, camping, etc. - it's more of a day-hike book. I phoned the Green Mountain Club (the authors) to get more info, and it turns out that they have written a book of their own called "The Long Trail Guide")that is much more comprehensive and they recommend it more than this one. I would check that book out before you get this one. But if you just want a good book for day hikes, I like this one fine. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Guidebooks   3. Hiking   4. Sports   5. Sports & Recreation   6. Travel - United States   7. United States - New England - Vermont   8. United States - Northeast - New England (General)   9. Vermont   10. Travel & holiday guides   11. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Customer Reviews (2)

reads in one sitting, wanting to go out hiking!!
I've read the book in one sitting, turning maps and terrain over and over in my head. The author makes the information clear and concise. It is clear that he is an experienced hiker in all kinds of terrains and conditions: desert and winter environments. It (the book) is a no-nonsense what you need to know instruction set. If you need to know how to use, or even what to buy in a compass, then this is the book that puts it down on paper in a way that you remember when you are out on the trail.

Good concise discussion on land navigation
Well written, well illustrated guide to general land navigation. Also teaches how-to navigate without a compass. Book includes a compass-on-a-card that can be carried in a wallet and used for survival situations. Excellent for beginners and intermmediate navigators. I liked the graphic illustrations and the illustrations of how to use a map with a compass. The only negative I found was the lack of mention that the magnetic declination changes each year. If you have an old map, the declination value can be off significantly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Map reading   3. Navigation   4. Outdoor Skills   5. Sports & Recreation   6. Travel   7. United States - West - Mountain (General)   8. Travel / General   

Customer Reviews (2)

3rd edition
Please be sure to look and ask for the third edition of the book, released in December 2003. It's got new campgrounds across the state, including some newly opened state park campgrounds such as Alafia River State Park and Silver River State Park. The book has been completely updated and revised. Look for the red cover!

All best,
Marilyn A. Moore
author
Florida Camping

Suits out of state visitors and native Floridians alike.
Florida Camping is packed full of great directions, reviews, and a 1-10 rating system. It looks condensed, but what you get is factual, to the point, and complete. Whether you are an RV camper or a tent camper, you can find the perfect campground in this book. You'll need to mark the page or lose it forever, there are so many campgrounds listed! Included in the reviews are local trivia, like "a kid was nearly eaten by an alligator here", or "this is the only area that rare white squirrels frequent", to "there's a fantastic bar-b-q place just down the road". Thank you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Parks & Campgrounds   3. Travel   4. Travel - United States   5. Travel Guides - U.S.   6. United States - South - South Atlantic (General)   7. United States - South Atlantic - Florida   

Subjects:  1. Fishing - General   2. Sports   3. Sports & Recreation   

Subjects:  1. Animals   2. Camping   3. Children's Baby - Picturebooks   4. Children: Preschool   5. Counting   6. Fiction   7. General   8. Humorous Stories   9. Juvenile Fiction   10. Mice   11. Preschool Picture Story Books   12. Social Situations - Friendship   

Customer Reviews (3)

Orlando, the Marmalade Cat, A Trip Abroad, by Kathleen Hale
I enjoyed a childhood rich in literature and have attempted to give my boys the same. If I were to rate one book from my earliest childhood as that which I recall most fondly, it would have to be Orlando, A Trip Abroad (1949). When I found this book in my late mother's belongings, I brought it home and it became an immediate favorite of my sons'. My younger son (age 7) and I were delighted to find republications of this exquisitely illustrated series by Kathleen Hale while in London this summer. The art, alone, makes the books worth purchasing and the stories are humorously charming in a manner that captures and holds the attention of even a not so young boy.

family favorite
This book is fabulous. We have read it over and over and never tire of it. The story is wonderful and the illustrations are fabulous. We first read Orlando when the boys were 3 and 6, and 3 years later they still love it!

Timeless Classic -- instant hit with my 3 kids, ages 4, 4, 6
We do quite a bit of library and bookstore browsing and I hadn't run into this collection of books previously. As former owners of a much loved and now departed marmalade cat, we were particularly taken with the main character. The artwork is vivid and and story is rambling; about the commonplace events of the cat family -- told in a style similar to the 'Babar' collection. My girls who are aged 4, 4, and 6 loved this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Cats   3. Children's 4-8   4. Children: Grades 1-2   5. Fiction   6. General   7. Juvenile Literature   8. Character books