OAUSA Net - July 27, 2017 - Outdoor Travel and Hiking Information

[DaveK]

The net this week will be a review of literature that will help you find the best off-road trails, the best outdoor adventures, and the best hiking trails. Over the past several decades, outdoor enthusiasts have compiled a wonderful collection of articles, guide books, and travel recommendations for every part of our great country.

While we are located in the US South West and have collected information about this area, we know that every part of the country has similar information. Here is your chance to add to our collection, no matter where you call home. One of the best means we have discovered to get travel information is to listen to others who have their own secret sources. Join us with your thoughts.

[DaveK]

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Our spotlight this week is on a brand new product that should be on the shelf of every ammunition handloader - the newest reloading manual from Lyman. For those who have other manuals, this handbook need not replace, but supplement, your existing inventory. For those just getting into handloading, this is an excellent start!!! Lyman has consistently produced one of the very best handbooks on handloading for over a century. The newest version, the 50th, was recently released and is available, on sale, at Sinclair for $19.00, see: http://www.sinclairintl.com/books-video ... 87860.aspx. Due to the popularity of this handbook, it is currently on backorder. From personal experience, it's worth the wait.

This is the description on the Sinclair website:

For more than a century, the Ideal and then Lyman handbooks have been the reloaders’ core resource for proven reloading data. Lyman handbooks have always used the widest selection of cartridges, bullets and powder from all the major manufacturers. This 50th Edition continues our tradition of being the only data source using multiple brands throughout our data.

Features and Highlights:

New Cartridges Included: 17 Hornet, 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5-284, 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler, 300 Blackout, 300 RCM, 338 RCM, 450 Bushmaster, 458 SOCOM, 50 Beowulf
New Full Color Edition - The 50th Anniversary edition is our first reloading handbook produced in full color

Feature Articles by Top Gun Writers and Firearm Industry Experts

“Barrels – Looking into the Unknown” by Ryan Newport
“Advanced Case Preparation Techniques” by John Haviland
“What is a Ballistic Coefficient and How Do You Use It?” by Dave Emary and Lane Pearce
“The History of Modern Lyman Handbooks” by Ed Matunas, Ken Ramage and Tom Griffin

Lyman Reloading Manual.jpg (24.72 KiB) Viewed 1023 times

[DaveK]

GOOD SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The best we can hope to achieve during this net is to touch upon some of the resources that are available to the outdoor adventurer. We have arrived at these sources either by our own research or by noticing what others have used. The universe of literature and information, however, is so vast that we cannot possibly expect to cover it all. So, this is why we encourage everyone to let us know what you are using. Other than relying on trusted sources, there is no substitute for doing your own research!!!

One word of caution is necessary here. Exercise good judgment when you rely on a particular source, as some are driven not so much by the quality of the outdoor adventure, but by the financial gain that the author likely receives if you follow their advice. If you are in doubt, ask around. And, if you are interested, this website would be a good starting point!!!

For this net, I will divide these sources into the following categories:

MAGAZINES

There are probably countless magazines that are good sosurces of information, but I will mention only two - Arizona Highways and Desert Magazine.

Desert Magazine was a monthly regional publication based in the Colorado Desert, published between 1937–1985. It has been out of publication for quite some time and as a result it has reverted to public domain. During its almost 50 years of publication, it amassed a huge inventory of fascinating stories about the South West. Many of the articles are still relevant today and involve places that can still be visited. The complete collection of Desert Magazine are available for free by down loading here: http://desertmagazine.com/desert-magazine-archives/.

Arizona Highways has been in continuous publication since 1921. It started as a publication of the Arizona State Highway Department and remains so taday, except that the agency has changed its name to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The basic premise of the magazine was, up to a certain point, (in this writers opinion), a show case for the places in Arizona which were open to travel on public roads and highways. Again, up to a certain point in time, (also in my opinion) the photography was as spectacular as one could get. In pursuit of the magazines purpose, many of the backcountry areas of Arizona became feature articles in the magazine and a wonderful source of ideas for places for the off-road enthusiast to explore. In the early 2000's, a new editor brought a new philosophy to the magazine and the backcountry emphasis was all but abandoned. Fear not, however, as many of the earlier issues are still available. As a regular subscriber, I still have dozens of the "preferred" AH magazines, and they continue to be a terrific source of places I want to visit in Arizona. With all due respect to the new AH, it has become a great source of restaurants and B&Bs throughout the State.

Arizona Highways and Desert Magazine.jpg (1.6 MiB) Viewed 885 times

BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS

1. MASSEY AND WILSON BOOKS
The field of books is huge, but there are a few standouts worth mentioning. In addition to the Massey books mentioned by Tom, below, the Massey and Wilson Back Country books, in the larger size, are still available and for reasonable prices. For larger states, such as California, they break the volumes into two separate books. For the relatively smaller states, like Arizona, one book covers it all. Amazon has the South California book for about $35, see: https://www.amazon.com/Backcountry-Adve ... 1930193041.

Massey and Wilson wrote these books with the goal of providing the "Ultimate Guide to the Backcountry For anyone With a Sport Utility Vehicle". This means that one does not need to have the most extreme off-road vehicle to enjoy the backcountry. Your average Sport Utility will do. The trails are rated so you can judge the ability of your vehicle to make the trip. GPS coordinates are provided, as are some excellent descriptions, maps and pictures.

Back Country Adventure by Massey.jpg (529.75 KiB) Viewed 904 times

2. ROGER AND LORIS MITCHELL BOOKS

Tom has mentioned the Mitchell books below, but there is one that should be of special interest to those in the South West - The Western Mojave Desert. Many have discovered the legend of Burro Schmidt and have visited his life long pursuit to building his now famous tunnel. This particular volume of the Mitchell series of SUV trails is dedicated to Burro Schmidt and includes the following comments:

Mitchell - The Western Mojave Desert.jpg (545.5 KiB) Viewed 901 times

Mitchell - Burro Schmidt.jpg (646.39 KiB) Viewed 901 times

3. AUTOMOBILE CLUB AND WILDERNESS PRESS

One of the many reasons to join the Auto Club is the great selection of maps and books that they offer. The book on the left is a terrific guide to the Southern California Desert region. As you might expect, the Auto Club is not your average hard core 4 wheeler organization and their publications mostly cater to the average vehicle crowd. This book is a slight departure as it lists many trails that require 4 wheel drive and some good clearance. If you are a member, it is a resource of which you should take advantage.

The book on the right, California Desert Byways, takes a similar approach to desert travel. As the cover suggests, it is geared to "Backcountry Drives For the Whole Family." The publisher is Wilderness Press, who is a a good source for both vehicle and hiking information, see: https://www.wildernesspress.com/home.php

AAA and Wilderness Press.jpg (644.46 KiB) Viewed 901 times

Wilderness Publications also offers the finest guide to the Anza Borrego Desert that I yet seen. It is written by Lowell and Diana Lindsay and has been regularly updated with new trail information and directions. It is a complete guide to the Park's nearly 600 miles of off-road trails and is complete with excellent directions and a listing of points of interest. I have provided a picture of this book in its 1992 printing (right) and the 2003 printing (left). As you can see from the book on the right, I have nearly worn the cover off the book. This served as a guide for our family visits to Anza Borrego for nearly 20 years. The guide is so complete and thorough that it would take many years to see all that the park has to offer. Highly recommended!!!

Anza Borrego By Lindsay.jpg (596.11 KiB) Viewed 899 times

4. SUNBELT PUBLICATIONS

Sunbelt Publications is a Southern California publisher who specializes in travel and out door books, see: http://sunbeltpublications.com/. They characterize their focus with this description:

Sunbelt Publications produces and distributes natural science and outdoor guidebooks, regional histories and reference, and stories that celebrate the land and its people. Sunbelt books help to discover and conserve the natural, historical, and cultural heritage of unique regions that include California, the Southwest, and Baja California.

For those who have joined us on our annual Borrego Fest event, and have experienced the Mine run, you know about the Sunbelt book which is provided to every participant - Leland Fetzers, "A Good Camp." It is a wonderful history of the Julian gold boom years and the people who made it happen.

A Good Camp.jpg (616.68 KiB) Viewed 899 times

5. ARCADIA PUBLISHING

Arcadia Publishing has established a very unique series of books, covering a large cross section of America. Their focus is publishing books that explore local history and culture. Their catalog is enormous and covers all parts of the country, see: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Home. The best insight into their philosophy comes from their website:

Arcadia Publishing and The History Press are the leading and most comprehensive publishers of local and regional books in the United States with a library of more than 12,000 titles. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, the two imprints publish a combined 900 books each year.

By empowering history and culture enthusiasts to write local stories for local audiences, we create exceptional books that are relevant on a local and personal level, enrich lives, and bring readers closer – to their community, their neighbors, and their past. We are committed to the pursuit of new growth opportunities and to increasing the availability, depth, and breadth of local books. Driven by genuine pride in our work and an infectious enthusiasm for what we do, we are universally dedicated to the success of our authors, employees, and stakeholders.

One example of their work comes in the form of a book written by Rena Deutsch Ph.D entitled, "San Diego and Arizona Railway." The SD&R runs through parts of the Anza Borrego Desert and my interest in it's history, prompted in part by this book, motivated us to hike to one of the Railway's most notable features - The Goat Canyon Trestle. Enjoyment of the places we travel is enhanced by an understanding of it's history. These books provide just that.

SD&ARR.jpg (560.25 KiB) Viewed 897 times

6. NATIONAL PARK INFORMATION

Way too much information exists out there on our National Parks to mention here. If you know the area you want to explore, it's time to turn to the internet, or someone who has traveled to the area. I will only mention one unique publication that piqued our interest, in an area we visit regularly - The Kings Canyon National Park and the Sequoia National Park. Many may appreciate these areas for their natural forest beauty and magnificent trees, but most don't know that they are rich with natural caves and caverns. In fact, there are 100s of them that have been discovered to date and more being discovered all the time. Many are available for exploration, but there are restrictions. For those who wish to visit the caves and caverns, the rewards are extraordinary. One fantastic source of information is the book, "Hidden Beneath the Mountains, Caves of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks." Available at your favorite book store.

Hidden Beneath the Mountains.jpg (1.27 MiB) Viewed 885 times

ORGANIZATIONS

[toms]

In the book category there are several author who have documented trails thru out the southwest. The first two authors provide trail description, history, travel time, starting point, mileage, and GPS waypoints. They tend to duplicate each other although the trail names may not be the same.
The third author is Roger Mitchell. While he does overlap some of the same trails, he has many trails that neither of the first two authors document. HIs book is long on history and geology and can be light on directions. He has very few gps waypoints and his book is not organized to quickly identify directions from historical narrative. Never-the-less, these are good books to have. They focus on SUV trails (easier) and lesser know trails.

Charles Wells
His publishing company is Fun Treks ( https://www.funtreks.com/ ). Originally there were 2 books for California. The latest revision combined them into one book and made it a spiral spine for easy of use. (the right most book is the new one). They also publish books for Colorado. You can buy an SD card with the track and waypoints for each book and they have an app with all 600 trails.

CA

Charles Wells CA L1200.jpg (866 KiB) Viewed 980 times

AZ & Moab

Charles Wells AZ & Moab L1200.jpg (6.46 MiB) Viewed 980 times

Massey & Wilson
I have posted pictures of the CA and NV books but they also cover Colorado and Utah. The books run about $25 on Amazon. At one time they had one large book in an 81/2 x 11 format to cover each state. These were phased out in favor of 2 or 3 small format books to cover regions of each state. I believe they had feed back that the big book was to difficult to use in the field. Some people think the big format is a collectors item and they are over priced.

Massey California L1200.jpg (742.59 KiB) Viewed 980 times

Massey NV L1200.jpg (956.73 KiB) Viewed 980 times

Mitchell
HIs company is Track and trails. www.trackandtrailpublications.com Or call 559-683-6984
About $17 per book.

NV

Mitchel Great Basin NV L1200.jpg (5.23 MiB) Viewed 978 times

Other CA

Mitchell CA L1200.jpg (742.28 KiB) Viewed 978 times

CA - High Sierra

Mitchell High Sierra L1200.jpg (655.38 KiB) Viewed 978 times

[toms]

Bill Mann aka short fuse.

Bill spent 50 year working and guiding in the Mojave desert. He sold and delivered explosives to small mining companies through out the desert. As a result he discovered many sites of interest. He has documented many in a series of 6 books.
His format is a big picture of the site (with him and his pole in the picture), some time another one or 2 pictures, Driving directions and sometimes one GPS waypoint (not all were printed correctly) and a short paragraph of background. Using the book is much like geocaching.

Bill lived in Barstow CA.

Bill Mann Vol 1 L1200.jpg (1.6 MiB) Viewed 976 times

Bill Mann Vol 2 L1200.jpg (1.27 MiB) Viewed 976 times

Bill Mann All Vol L1200.jpg (1.35 MiB) Viewed 976 times

[toms]

Maps

Maps are a valuable source of information. Here are samples of maps from different sources I find useful. In each map type, You can find the maps of the area you need.

Nat Geo Map s300.jpg (222.44 KiB) Viewed 959 times

BLM Surface Map s300.jpg (167.09 KiB) Viewed 959 times

AAA Map s300.jpg (247.73 KiB) Viewed 959 times

MUMV Map s300.jpg (170.22 KiB) Viewed 959 times

[KAP]

Dave and Tom
Please check me in.
Kevin
KK6DGL

[KAP]

One of the best places to find local, up to date conditions for your area of travel is at the chosen areas Chamber of Commerce/Visitors Center.

My wife and I wanted to do some hiking near Bishop,CA. We stopped at the visitors center and were treated to a personal assessment of our abilities and desires for hikes in the area along with maps and personal notes on what to see and watch out for .
These folks live in the area and have the most up to date info on road and weather conditions. They planned our whole weekend for us with plenty of time to see what was most important to us.

The local maps they offer for free or modest fee are well worth the visit.

IMG_0822.PNG (3.19 MiB) Viewed 881 times

Most areas have a visitors center where you will find the most up to date conditions and helpful information for your area of exploration. You may also request info online.

IMG_0821.PNG (429.17 KiB) Viewed 881 times

[KK6DYO]

Please check me in for the evening. Thanks.

Tom Harrison https://tomharrisonmaps.com/ makes very nice maps. Digital versions are available for download and use on the Avenza http://www.avenza.com/ app which runs on iDevices and Android.

[JackM-KK6WXQ]

Please check me in for tonight's net.
Thanks!
Jack M - KK6WXQ