Profiling 60 parks--from battlefields to national seashores--administered by the National Park Service, this edition also provides a brief glimpse at 29 additional parks, including the newly created Indiana Sand Dunes.and Dunes.

Home to more than 120 alpine plant species, three of which are found nowhere else in the world, Mount Rainier remains a refuge for a diversity of flora and fauna. It is also a magnet for the hundreds of thousands of people who live within sight of its snowy slopes and for millions of visitors who arrive from around the world each year. O'Hara and McNulty explore the conflict this presents as park managers attempt to balance protection of the mountain's fragile ecosystems with the desires of the many who wish to seek solitude in its vast forests or challenge themselves on its daunting glaciers.

CLICK HERE to download the chapter on "Backpacking" from Hiking the Wonderland Trail "There's no other trip, trail or peak that any backpacker should rank higher on his life list than the Wonderland Trail." - Backpacker magazine * Comprehensive and affectionate guide to one of the nation’s iconic wilderness trails * Everything you need to help plan this 93-mile trek, whether done in one trip or several * Lavish, full-color design, yet informative and practical, with 125 photographs and 18 maps * Find even more details, updates and added trip extensions at hikingthewonderlandtrail.com Washington State's famed Wonderland Trail is a spectacular 93-mile route that circumnavigates Mount Rainier, challenging hikers with its strenuous 22,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain and loss. Hiking the Wonderland Trail: The Complete Guide to Mount Rainier's Premier Trail is an authoritative guidebook penned by Washington native Tami Asars, a professional instructor on hiking the trail, a third-generation hiker of the Cascade mountains, and seven-time hiker of the entire Wonderland Trail. In this guide Asars draws on her experience, covering these essentials: * How to work with the Wonderland Trail permit reservation system, and when to apply * Recommended gear--with a checklist--and ways to reduce pack weight, prevent blisters, and stay warm and dry * How to pack the perfect backpack * Food and fuel caching on the Wonderland, tips and instruction * Detailed camp-to-camp route descriptions and suggested itineraries * How to extend your adventures with the Northern Loop Trail and the Eastside Trail Over the years, Asars has taken extensive notes that she shares at workshops and in the field. Hiking the Wonderland Trail distills her boot-tested knowledge so that everyone can enjoy the magic of Mount Rainier's premier trail.

A compendium of information and trivia about Mount Ranier and the surrounding national park, with fun facts and statistics in sections on early exploration, the human and natural history of the area, the park service, colorful characters, Indian tribes, park facilities, glaciers, landmarks, events, spiritual aspects, trails, roads, wildlife, activities, and volcanology. Includes b&w photos and maps. c. Book News Inc.

Excerpt from Surficial Geology of Mount Rainier National Park, Washington Much of the ground surface around Mount Rainier vol cano is directly underlain by loose geologic deposits that veneer the hard rock formations. Examples of these deposits are sand and gravel bars along the rivers, ridges of loose rock debris beside the glaciers, and sloping aprons of rock fragments beneath almost every cliff. Even though they are generally thin and inconspicuous when compared with the rock formations, these surficial deposits are clues to geologic events that have profoundly influenced the shape of the park's landscape. Thus, from the character and extent of glacial deposits one can judge the age and size of former glaciers that carved the cirques and deep canyons of the park; from the mudflows which streamed down nearly every valley one can infer the age and size of huge landslides of the past that helped determine Mount Rainier's present shape; and from the pumice deposits some of the volcano's recent eruptive activity can be reconstructed. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Washington State has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, and among that spectacular scenery are seven very special places. Freelance photographer and Washington State native Howard Frisk has put together a simple guidebook that focuses on just those seven places. Each one is presented with beautiful full color photographs, and a description of what makes it amazing along with interesting and useful tidbits of information. The Seven Wonders of Washington State are meant to be experienced first hand, and his guide can show you where, when and how to experience them yourself.The Seven Wonders of Washington are: Mt Rainier Mt St Helens The Columbia River Gorge Palouse The Hoh Rain Forest Long Beach The Channeled Scablands