[at-l] Re: guide books and maps must have

[krk@speakeasy.org (Kenneth Knight)]

This comes up all the time.

The guidebooks are nice but not essential. I like them for there trail descriptions and the history
and other information they provide. On a strictly practical level I could hike pretty much as well
without them. The databook is useful if you're just going to take the ALDHA Companion since it'll
give you information about distances to the next camp/shelter, road, water source, and so on. If you
are not taking any maps along then at least take the data book. Finally, the maps can be purchased
without buying the guidebooks. Again I like having them around to help me find my way, but as others
will attest I have a way of finding unusual ways to get too places. 

I take the relevant map(s) and guidebook(s). I have notes with me from the ALDHA Companion but I
don't usually carry that on long trips (it is in a bounce box if the trip is long enough). I waffle
on the data book. Sometimes I carry it and sometimes I do not. I do not have a current edition. I've
got the 2000 edition.

  ** Ken **
  
On 1/10/02 at 11:04 AM, Elizabeth A. Foshion <foshione@dteenergy.com> wrote:

> Next burning question.
> 
> Before shelling out $200+ of my limited funds, I thought I would get y'alls
> opinions.  I have the aldha companion and the atc data book. Do I really
> need to guide books and maps. Did you find them useful, or were they just
> baggage.

**  Kenneth Knight    Web Design, IT Consultant, Software Engineer  **
**       krk@speakeasy.org        http://www.speakeasy.org/~krk     **