These provide some of the best trail and pass information
The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails
by R. J. Secor; Paperback
Secor's book is the backpacker's and mountaineer's bible for High Sierra peak and pass information. There is no more
complete source for mountaineering (off-trail) passes.
High Sierra: John Muir's Range of Light
by Phil Arnot; Paperback
Descriptions of spectacular destinations, remote places, and backpacking
thoughts. Great off-trail explorations. Thought-provoking views of the back
country.
The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country
by Steve Roper; Paperback
This is a great book for expanding one's horizons on new routes in spectacular,
but less traveled parts of the Sierras.
Excellent as a source of off-trail explorations. This higher alternative to the John Muir Trail brings you to some of the best of
the High Sierra.
Sierra South: 100 Backcountry Trips in California's Sierra Nevada
by Thomas Winnett (Editor), et al; Paperback
Excellent coverage of the southern Sierra Nevada from extensive on-trail
experience. Excellent
source for High Sierra trail info. Short, medium, and long routes.
National Geographic TOPO! California
This is a great set of maps, right
down to 40 ft contours. Plus the features of waypoints, elevation profiles, route tool, and customizations add tremendously to what these maps can do for you.
But the TOPO! California includes shaded relief, which improves map readability
both on-screen and printed.
This is great map paper for home
printing, and better than USGS map paper. The paper resists folding, staining,
wrinkling, and moisture. Excellent for the backcountry. And you can always make
more maps.
Backpacking Skills
For beginner to intermediate backpackers and for
reviewing your knowledge, one of these is fine. More than one is redundant.
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills
by Don Graydon (Editor), et al; Paperback
Excellent mountaineering (as opposed to backpacking) book. A classic. The most complete for moving from the hiking trail to the more
difficult off-trail travel on rock, snow, and ice.
Farquhar does a great job of describing the
challenges and beauty of exploring the High Sierras, in a very readable fashion.
The thrill of the Sierras comes through. The key players are here as they map,
explore, and discover the range of light.
Wide range information of the Sierra mountain environment, weather, ecology,
plant communities, and the species that live there.
Photography
All these offer some different thoughts about the technical and
artistic approaches to photography. Something from
Galen Rowell keeps the focus on the Sierras.
Sierra
Nevada backpacking - Comprehensive information on backpacking gear, clothes,
checklist, backpacking books, maps, trails, passes, and weather for High Sierra
backpackers, hikers, and trekkers.
