Best Hikes of the Marble: Mountain and Russian Wilderness Areas, California

by Art Bernstein

Release Date: May, 1996

Edition: Paperback

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A Must-Have for the Marbles.

This is a nice book to have when hiking the Marbles or Russians. If you're not a local, you will never find your way around out there. The USFS is so lax in this particular area about keeping up with Forest Service Road Signs, much less trailhead signs and directional markers, that if you don't have this guidebook, you'll likely be looking around for awhile trying to find your jump-off point. Also, because so much of this property borders private timber and cattle holdings, roads and trailheads are shifting constantly. Art does a pretty fine job of getting you there, and he doesn't expect you to be outfitted with a HumVee to do so. I have personally hiked every trail in the Russians and a few in the Trinitys and Marbles as well, and have found all of his descriptions and ratings accurate for the most part (except for Big Bear Lake in the Trinitys, which he missed). My beef is that it would benefit the reader greatly if there were topographical maps included with accurate trail markings. His trail maps are badly distorted, the typeset didn't copy dark enough in either book (I own the Trinity guidebook as well), and his maps are generally worthless because of it. Overall, both are honest books and well-written - I would highly recommend them. Also, a pictorial guide of the trees Art mentions in the book would be fantastic!!! I'm always looking, but don't always know what I'm looking for. (And Art, I made it to Big Blue Lake in the Russians by hiking out of the Hogan Lake Cirque - and I lived to tell about it - YIKES! Brad Rowe