Whitehorse and Area Hikes and Bikes. Rev. ed.

Description

147 pages
$21.95
ISBN 1-55017-329-4
DDC 796.51'09719'1

Publisher

Year

2005

Contributor

Reviewed by Monika Rohlmann

Monika Rohlmann is an environmental consultant in Barrie, Ontario.

Review

The Yukon Conservation Society is a charitable non-profit organization.
Thrust into existence in 1968 at the time of the great debate over the
Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline, the organization has grown to be a
respected leader on environmental policy and educational matters in the
North. Working with the society, Tanis Davey, an outdoor recreation
professional and journalist, spent two summers rewriting this revised
edition of Whitehorse and Area Hikes and Bikes.

First published in 1995, the revised edition has been updated to
include 10 new trails, in addition to the 22 trails previously
described. Precise information is provided on each trail: GPS
coordinates, length of return hike, difficulty level, elevation gain,
access points, trail conditions, and highlights relating to local trail
history and ecology. Trail profiles and relief maps are shown for each
trail. The profile graphs provide a quick visual glimpse of trail ups
and downs. The full-page relief maps provide an aerial view of the
trail, including details of surrounding landmarks. Trails that occur or
cross onto the settlement lands of one of the Yukon First Nations are
marked as such and further emphasize the need for respect and
environmental stewardship.

A handy index summarizes the trails according to level of difficulty.
An overview map pinpoints trail locations by number. The closing
chapters review local ecology, weather, and wilderness ethics and
safety.

The American conservationist Edward Abbey once said, “Wilderness is
not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” The Whitehorse and
Area Bikes and Hikes is a mandatory primer for enlightened living. If
only all trail guides were as well written and organized as this one.

Citation

Davey, Tanis, and the Yukon Conservation Society., “Whitehorse and Area Hikes and Bikes. Rev. ed.,” Canadian Book Review Annual Online, accessed November 4, 2024, https://cbra.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/16831.