Describe your ideal guidebook...

[DirtNap]

I love the history behind the trails, but they can be kept in a separate book.

I have the basic AMC guides to various areas. But as an example, the most recent version of the White Mountain Guide, it comes in the case in which the book and the map can fit into comfortably.

What I would like to see happen, is if they keep that style case, though maybe a little more durable (gets trampled in the car and when packed), but split the book into maybe 4 to 6 smaller books, each with the little area in the back that you could choose to slip a map into if taking that book on a particular trip.

I don't want to carry around a 600 page book for 2 pages worth of information and. If I only had to carry the 'franconia notch area" book, and take the coinciding map, it would make a significant difference.

I generally just jot down any information that i could use from the book onto a loose piece of paper, and bring the map.

Other than that, I find the book to be very useful. A WMNF guide for "experienced/advanced hikers" would be nice though. Ones that might detail how to put together a good Franconia or Presi Traverse. Where as they rate just about any trail with decent elevation gain as "difficult," because to the general public, its much more difficult than walking around the block. But to the avid hiker that knows his/her abilities could benefit from tougher trails to be rated against each other, rather than rate them again 'around the little pond trail." As we all know, trails with similar elevation gain and distance can vary immensely in terms of actual difficulty.

 

[Brambor]

a map

i just use a map and on repeated trips I hardly ever take the map out. But if I had a wish then I would appreciate two things in a guide book.


First the locations of the trailheads, leantos, summits, huts ... designated with GPS coordinates.


Second, a trip map printed out on several laminated flash card sized blocks. I would appreciated that in addition to folding and unfolding my map.

Both of these suggestions might already be in today's guides. (I don't really know) I haven't bought a new england guide in the past 10 years. Come to think of it, my maps might be out of date too ;-)

 

[erugs]

I think it's hard to ask someone who's hiked for years in the same region what they would like. At this point, I like Brambor's flash card idea. I always carry a map of whatever region, but usually don't look at a guide book any more unless I'm out of ideas, or post hike when I look to see if a question that came up on a trip was answered in one of my plethora of resources. I enjoy learning about history, special features, etc. but am not a numbers person so elevation gain means little to me.

Speaking of special features, a favorite one that I never see mentioned is the split rock going up the Wildcats. There are two. The one on the left is short and interseting, but the one on the right is longer and has some zig-zagging and stepping up in it which makes it far more interesting. It would have been fun to design the trail to go through that, at least as a spur loop.