Classic Treks: The 30 Most Spectacular Hikes in the World

" Classic Treks will help you realize your dreams -- of trekking among the world's highest mountains, discovering remote areas far from the noise and stress of civilization, encountering rare animals and birds, glorying in sunsets over snow-covered peaks, and experiencing the satisfaction of completing some of the world's most spectacular hikes. Written by a team of experienced guides who have hiked each of the featured treks, the text evokes the scenery, wildlife, forests and flowers, and local culture -- and transports you to some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the world. Detailed fact files provide all the essential information needed to plan your trip: distance and duration, difficulty and altitude, permits, maps and guidebooks, when to visit, health and personal safety, as well as key features about wildlife, plants, facilities, local food and customs, and scenic highspots. Stunning photographs, illustrations, and specially commissioned maps combine to give a vivid picture of the special nature of each hike and also provide a visual guide to the terrain and difficulty level. A practical introductory section gives advice on choosing a trek, equipment, preparation, general health and safety, tips on camping and provisioning, and guidance about how to protect the wilderness in which you are hiking. From the depths of the Grand Canyon to the foothills of Everest, Classic Treks provides both inspiration and information to help you plan your next adventure. Hikes vary from two days to three weeks in length, and from high altitude climbs in rugged, remote country to undemanding coastal walks, so that no matter whether you are a highly experienced hiker or weekend adventurer, you will find routes to suit your capabilities and inclinations. With a worldwide directory of useful contracts, and covering all the major mountain ranges in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia, Classic Treks is sure to be the ultimate inspiration for hikers worldwide. More than 350 color photographs and illustrations."

It's easy to argue with the selection of 30 treks chosen from around the world, but there's no arguing with the presentation. Each annotated trip is accompanied by big colorful photos of awe-inspiring scenery: the pastoral highlands of England's Coast to Coast walk; Machu Picchu rising above the ruins on Peru's Inca Trail; austere glacial cirques in Colorado's Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. The images, in fact, will have any game outdoorsperson chomping at their camelback and ready to hop on the next flight to one of these far-flung and sometimes isolated locales--so it's a good thing that there's so much more than pretty pictures. Route maps, walk profiles (showing difficulty levels and altitude gains), and "factfiles" set expectations and provide essential information (e.g., climate, flora and fauna, transport, background reading), while a detailed itinerary provides a suggested breakdown of daily mileages and camping spots. Some of the classic treks include the California Sierra's John Muir Trail, Vermont's Long Trail, part of the Pyrenean High Route between France and Spain, a Nepalese loop in the shadow of Everest, Mount Kenya in Africa, and New Zealand's Ring of Fire. Even if you don't manage to wear down your Vibram soles on any of these glorious trails, just flipping the pages of Classic Treks will stir the calf muscles and probably send you out the door to your nearest trailhead.