Before you even open the book up, you can see why it is a perennial favorite. A beautiful, sepia-toned cover, set off by bold black and white and rust, paired with a satin-matte finish make this one of the most attractive guidebooks to the area that can be found.

The inside of the book lives up to the promise made by the cover. Beautiful black and white photos accompany a layout that is bursting with both character and information. The character part is a welcome change from guidebooks that are either too dry or too cutesy to be of much help. The information part is enthralling, and even seasoned trailblazers will find new facts, tidbits, and tips to make their time in the Sierra more fun and productive.

My favorite part is the "Free Hiking Advice and Opinion" section, particularly the disclaimer which about sums up both the character of the authors and the value of information that they are providing: "By following the directions and engaging in the activities suggested in this book, you may be bitten, burned, buoyed, bummed-out, broken, buffed, bent, befriended, bewildered, enlightened, injured, elated, energized, unnerved, lost, discovered, loved, lonely, betwixt and between. The authors and publisher can take neither credit nor blame for any of it, but sincerely do wish you the happiest of trails."

And after all, isnt that just about the very heart of the Sierra experience?

I personally like the practical way the book is laid out and the detailed descriptions. There was just enough text to get me interested and not fall asleep reading it. The size is just right and fits in the outer pockets of my pack.

It has places to stay, maps showing the trailhead entrances, length of hike, elevations, terrain descriptions, all the campgrounds, hiking tips, an even places to eat or stay when you come down off the trail. If youre thinking of hiking or carcamping this region, by all means buy this book for the real get down skinny.

I like the broadening of the Alpine Sierra east coverage. People get attached to their pass and forget how the valleys and peaks are connected. On this trip we drove only short distances but went from Great Basin desert to riverbank, to forest, to meadow, to granite ridges of high peaks.

The amount of thought and hard work embedded in this book is amazing. Alpine Trailblazer is more than just a description of hiking trails. It is much more versatile. If you are interested in outdoor activities (be they hiking, packing, biking, skiing, fishing or whatever), if you want to explore the Sierra Nevada mountains from Tahoe to Yosemite, but especially that less-discovered gold mine of a county called Alpine, Jerry and Janine Sprout will provide you with more well-informed, good ideas than any other single resource.

The Sprouts are long-time residents of Alpine County and have enthusiastically explored its trails and hidden pleasures for more than two decades. That they are willing to share their discoveries with you must have come after considerable soul searching. But we are all the beneficiaries.

And such attention to detail! From what should be an award-winning cover to the careful organization of materials, from the informative and beautiful black-and-white photographs to the practical hiking advice and Happy Jacks Campside Cookbook, this book has it all. Each suggested route is tied to the appropriate topo map and succinctly but informatively described. The types of outdoor pleasures most applicable to each route are clearly noted. The many choices are indexed in great detail. For example, routes that are best for wildflowers are then broken down into three subsections: early season, lower elevation; mid-summer, mid-elevation; and high elevation. Day hikes are organized under headings such as falls and cascades, old growth conifer quests, snow-free in late spring, short hikes with small kids and grandparents. And so on in incredible and useful detail. If you cant find what you want here, it doesnt exist.

The hiking tips are short and to the point, capturing the wisdom of years of trail experience. The only advice I take exception to is the choice of external over internal frames for backpacks (though, of course, they are entitled to their opinion). While external frames have certain advantages, as the Sprouts detail, the internal frame provides my back with a comfort I only dreamed of with an external frame--and that, at least for me, is priority number one. Then again, perhaps the Sprouts are made of stronger stuff. Let your own back be the judge.

In any case, I cant yell it loud enough (especially in print): grab a copy of this book without delay and visit the Alps of the Sierra Nevada. You wont be disappointed.