Yosemite Adventures (Product/Book Review)

Recently Ashley and I were sent a copy of Yosemite Adventures, which is a hiking book that contains a total of 50 Hikes, Climbs and Winter Treks. The book is written by Matt Johanson with a forward by national climbing champion Hans Florine. Matt Johanson is a high school journalism teacher and a freelance outdoor and travel writer. He is a lifelong outdoors enthusiast with more than 20 years’ experience in the Yosemite area and the author of Yosemite Epics: Tales of Adventure from America’s Greatest Playground. He lives in Castro Valley, California. Hans Florine is the author of Speed Climbing: How to Climb Faster and Better, has won nine national climbing championships, and has set multiple speed climbing records, including the fastest-ever ascent of the Nose of El Capitan in Yosemite.

The first thing you immediately notice when you open the Yosemite Adventures Book is the detailed color photographs throughout the entire book as well as the detailed maps to guide your hike. There are over 100 color photographs throughout the book, which makes this a unique outdoor adventure guide book in and of itself. The Yosemite Adventures Book is broken down into 5 detailed categories: Winter Treks, Hiking, Backpacking, Mountain Climbing, and Rock Climbing. The way the book is broken down is extremely unique and combines a cross of different outdoor activities. This is a book that will appeal to a broad spectrum of outdoor enthusiasts.

For each categories in the book, there is a detailed description of what to expect for each category. Each category will have recommendations on gear, the trails/climbing routes, as well as a personal note from the author regarding one of his visits in Yosemite National Park. The book is organized well and is easy to follow.

One unique thing about the Yosemite Adventures Book is the 10 rock climbing routes that are detailed in the book. Ashley and I have seldom seen a hiking guide book combined with rock climbing routes. Needless to say rock climbing is probably a little outside of our expertise, but it appears to have everything you would want for rock climbing, such as various route descriptions, a rating for each route, and a recommendation of skills and gear needed.

As far as the hikes and mountain climbs, the book has a wide variety of trails and mountain climbs to suit everyone from the beginner to the seasoned hiker. There are several notable hikes and climbs that you would expect to find in any guide book for Yosemite National Park; such as Half Dome, Clouds Rest, and the Four Mile Trail Hike. The Yosemite Adventures Book for backpacking is also well done and provides a description for those wishing to backpack in Yosemite National Park. You will find the descriptions in the backpacking section to be a little longer with extra information.

Overall the Yosemite Adventures book has detailed maps for each Yosemite Adventure, which is a must.  Each description has information about the distance of the hike, parking, permits, time to complete the hike, and parking. Some, of the hikes descriptions are a little short, but most of the descriptions have several detailed pages of descriptions providing readers with in depth details on their adventure. This is a guide book that will appeal to a wide audience because of the multiple categories of adventures it covers.

Bottom-line, this is a well written guide book about 50 Hikes, Climbs, and Winter Treks in Yosemite National Park. Readers will enjoy the detailed maps, vibrantly colored pages and photographs, as well as the crucial details for their adventure. Must be time to go Yosemite National Park!