Yosemite
& The Southern Sierra Nevada: A Complete Guide, Including Sequoia
& Kings Canyon, Death Valley & Mammoth Lakes (Great Destinations) ,
by David T. Page
I learned a bunch of things from this brand new
guide book. One of the first is that, unbeknownst to me, I
have been misidentifying one of my favorite places on earth.
For about as long as I can remember, I have referred to the
majestic mountain range found on the eastern edge of California
as the Sierra Nevadas. But, David T. Page, the author of Yosemite
& The Southern Sierra Nevada: A Complete Guide, Including
Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Death Valley & Mammoth Lakes,
goes to great pains to explain the etymology of the name of
these wonderful mountains, and I am now convinced that the
proper name is the Sierra Nevada - singular not plural because,
when translated from Spanish, it means "the snowy range."
No matter what you call it, the southern Sierra Nevada is
a remarkable place and home to two geographic benchmarks,
the highest point and lowest point in the continental United
States. Mount Whitney, at 14,494 feet, is the highest, and
Badwater, at -274 feet in Death Valley National Park, is the
lowest. It is also home to no fewer than fourteen peaks taller
than 14,000 feet and some of the most glorious high country
meadows and pristine mountain lakes in the country.
Early in the book, the author presents a challenge
worthy of any intrepid roadtripper. He suggests that a hardy
adventurer with three weeks of time could complete "The
Grand Tour de Sierra" a 3,000 mile epic starting in Las
Vegas and wandering around the southern Sierra taking in Death
Valley, Sherman Pass, Three Rivers, Kings Canyon, Yosemite
Valley, Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, Westgard Pass, Scotty's Castle,
Shoshone and back to Las Vegas. I can guarantee that if you
attempt this journey, this new guide book is nearly as important
as the bag of gold required to buy the fuel for such an odyssey.
I actually know this region reasonably well --
I have driven thousands of miles and stopped at hundreds of
little-visited taverns and stores that dot this area in my
ongoing quest to find those special off-the-tourist-path high
Sierra retreats. I was very impressed to discover how well
the author has researched this area. With rare exception,
Page has been to all of the places I have found over a decade
or two of searching.
The book is organized into seven sections. The
first two chapters provide an overview of the history of the
region and some suggestions for the best ways to visit. Five
chapters examine in more detail the following areas: Death
Valley, the Owens Valley, the greater Mammoth Lakes area,
Sequoia and the Great Western Divide, and Yosemite. Each of
the sections includes historical photos and background as
well as detailed information about what can be found there
today. One of the sections I know I'll use often is the list
of lodging options in each of the regions, from modest motels
to world class resorts. The book also has some of the best
maps I have found in any guidebook of this region.
Page's guide is like a treasure map - it's chock-full
of tantalizing tidbits that inspire a traveler to go and find
more stuff. I have been to Three Rivers a couple of times
but somehow have missed what the author refers to as "what
may or may not be the world's largest wood carving of Paul
Bunyan." What Paul Bunyan is doing in the southern Sierra
is only one of the things I wonder about. Outstanding points
of interest are labeled in the book with stars. I was very
pleased to see that the author starred "The Yosemite
Bug", (a motel-like establishment near Yosemite National
Park) and described it as "the best place to stay on
CA-140." It's a great place I've been recommending for
years.
This is a fabulous camping and road trip resource
for the Sierra Nevada, and it's good reading even when you're
not on the road.
Mark
Sedenquist
3/28/08
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