The Pacific Crest Trail Vol. II: Oregon and Washington Book

Having spent the last 10 years exploring the mountains above los Angeles I found the historical context of the trails and outposts described in this book a delight. It makes you feel proud of the natural resources and a responsibility to care for the limited wilderness areas that are left. The trail system has steadily recovered from the station fire and the book makes not of this. The 2013 version which I read is still surprisingly accurate even though, as the book states, 3 years of unchecked growth can take a well-maintained trail to impassable. An update by 2023 will most certainly be necessary. But the book gives you the info necessary to explore and begin researching possible routes that exist. I think the real value of the book is understanding the heritage of the current trail system and how access to the wilderness areas has changed the way we experience these alpine haunts.