The Lostkills: Bushwhacking and Hiking the Lesser-Known Catskill Peaks (Excelsior Editions)($27.31Value)

Description

A complete guide to hiking and bushwhacking the lesser-known Catskill peaks. The Lostkills introduces readers to a mostly unknown group of Catskill peaks on public land in addition to some lightly used trails. Alan Via refers to these places as "the Lostkills" as they include off-the-beaten-path hikes, mostly bushwhacks to smaller mountain summits. They are largely unexplored by the hiking community. The Lostkills opens with sections about map and compass usage, electronic navigation, and off-trail safety and equipment. Each hike has a rating for difficulty, bushwhack conditions, navigational challenges, views, points of interest, and a topographic map specifically designed for it. There are suggested routes with alternatives as well as the best time of year or season to hike. All hikes are written from a hiker's point of view to better prepare for what to expect, from start to summit. The result is a comprehensive guidebook that allows readers to select the bushwhack or hike that best suits them. "For hikers looking to venture beyond the Catskills' best-known trails, Alan Via's The Lostkills: Bushwhacking and Hiking the Lesser-Known Catskill Peaks offers a guide to some of the region's more obscure summits … It's a resource for adventurous hikers seeking a different Catskills experience." ― New York Trend " The Lostkills takes the reader on over 80 different adventures to the lesser visited or forgotten corners of the Catskill Mountain Range. In an age when many hikers' sights are set to the screens of their GPS devices, this guide brings back the reasons we set out in the first place: the love for mountain exploration, and the enthusiasm we all share for these legendary hills." ― The Catskill Canister Alan Via is an author, outdoor enthusiast, and experienced hiker. He is the author of Doghiker: Great Hikes with Dogs from the Adirondacks through the Catskills , also by SUNY Press, and The Catskill 67: A Hiker's Guide to the Catskill 100 Highest Peaks Under 3500' . He lives in the Capital District.