"[This] book is indeed a 'naturalist's companion,' one which will enhance anyone's time in the Sierra Nevada. . . . Johnston focuses on what we are most likely to see by carefully choosing and then highlighting important and characteristic species; her descriptive passages are a pleasure."—Ann Zwinger, author of Yosemite: Valley of Thunder
This beautifully illustrated and user-friendly book presents the most up-to-date information available about the natural histories of birds of the Sierra Nevada, the origins of their names, the habitats they prefer, how they communicate and interact with one another, their relative abundance, and where they occur within the region. Each species account features original illustrations by Keith Hansen. In addition to characterizing individual species, Birds of the Sierra Nevada also describes ecological zones and bird habitats, recent trends in populations and ranges, conservation efforts, and more than 160 rare species. It also includes a glossary of terms, detailed maps, and an extensive bibliography with over 500 citations.
Over the years, the High Sierra has attracted a diverse group of travelers and residents who have explored its rivers, valleys, mountain peaks, lakes and passes. These names are clues to the colorful and unusual aspects of the area's past, and the people and events that shaped it.In 1926, the Sierra historian Francis Farquhar wrote Place Names of the High Sierra. Published by the Sierra Club, it quickly became a standard reference book. Since then, more than half the names on the present topographic maps of the Sierra have been created, but Farquhar died before he was able to complete his planned revision.Peter Browning, who was given access to Farquhar's extensive revision notes, has written an entirely new book on the place names of the Sierra Nevada. He has perused many original sources, including the place-names files of national parks and forests, the decision lists of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, and field notes of the U.S. Geological Survey topographers responsible for naming many of the features.This new book gives the derivation and lore associated with each name as well as quotes from many of the explorers and travelers of the Sierra Nevada.This book also has a very practical value. It gives the topographic map on which to find each of the almost 3000 place names. Altitudes of peaks, passes and lakes are given and each place is located by national park national forest, etc.
Describes when, where and how to fish California's premier mountain range. Detailed maps and directions charts the way to the hundreds of rivers, creeks and lakes that offer some of the best fishing in the state. Toss in some history, geological background and a bit of humor, and the result is a book that will be on the must-have list of every trout angler who fishes California.
"There are few more spectacular drives on Earth than Highway 395 along the foot of the great granite wall of the Sierra Nevada. In Sierra East, Genny Smith and her team of experts tell the story of that amazing terrain, and its fantastic contours, molded by tectonic upthrusts and Pleistocene glaciers; its spectacular weathers; its amazing diversity of plant and animal life; and the human struggles over its life-giving waters."--Harold Gilliam, author of Weather of the San Francisco Bay Region "For those of us who live within the Sierra East territory, this is the 'right' side of California. It is a wondrous place to visit. This book is not a superficial tourist guide to what you may see from the scenic overlooks. It is a real guidebook covering all the natural and unnatural history as well as geology, weather, and water. There are thorough descriptions of plants and animals you may wander across plus information on how they cope with the extreme rigors of the high mountains and harsh deserts."--Sally Gaines, co-founder of the Mono Lake Committee "This is the first comprehensive natural history of the Eastern Sierra. An outstanding team of authors, with years of experience in the region, meets the challenge of covering their specialties from the Mojave Desert to the tops of 14,000-foot mountains. This diverse material is uniformly accessible in a readable style."--Frank L. Powell, Director, White Mountain Research Station, University of California, San Diego
Personal tales of perseverance and beer making from the founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Beyond the Pale chronicles Ken Grossman's journey from hobbyist homebrewer to owner of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., one of the most successful craft breweries in the United States. From youthful adventures to pioneering craft brewer, Ken Grossman shares the trials and tribulations of building a brewery that produces more than 800,000 barrels of beer a year while maintaining its commitment to using the finest ingredients available. Since Grossman founded Sierra Nevada in 1980, part of a growing beer revolution in America, critics have proclaimed his beer to be "among the best brewed anywhere in the world." Beyond the Pale describes Grossman's unique approach to making and distributing one of America's best-loved brands of beer, while focusing on people, the planet and the product Explores the "Sierra Nevada way," as exemplified by founder Ken Grossman, which includes an emphasis on sustainability, nonconformity, following one's passion, and doing things the right way Details Grossman's start, home-brewing five-gallon batches of beer on his own, becoming a proficient home brewer, and later, building a small brewery in the town of Chico, California Beyond the Pale shows how with hard work, dedication, and focus, you can be successful following your dream.
In Fire in Sierra Nevada Forests, George Gruell examines the woodlands through repeat photography: rephotographing sites depicted in historical photographs to compare past vegetation to present. The book asks readers to study the evidence, then take an active part in current debates over prescribed fire, fuel buildup, logging, and the management of our national forests.
A critical era in California's history and development—the building of the first roads over the Sierra Nevada—is thoroughly and colorfully documented in Thomas Howard's fascinating book. During California's first two decades of statehood (1850-1870), the state was separated from the east coast by a sea journey of at least six weeks. Although Californians expected to be connected with the other states by railroad soon after the 1849 Gold Rush, almost twenty years elapsed before this occurred. Meanwhile, various overland road ventures were launched by "emigrants," former gold miners, state government officials, the War Department, the Interior Department, local politicians, town businessmen, stagecoach operators, and other entrepreneurs whose alliances with one another were constantly shifting. The broad landscape of international affairs is also a part of Howard's story. Constructing roads and accumulating geographic information in the Sierra Nevada reflected Washington's interest in securing the vast western territories formerly held by others. In a remarkably short time the Sierra was transformed by vigorous exploration, road-promotion, and road-building. Ox-drawn wagons gave way to stagecoaches able to provide service as fine as any in the country. Howard effectively uses diaries, letters, newspaper stories, and official reports to recreate the human struggle and excitement involved in building the first trans-Sierra roads. Some of those roads have become modern highways used by thousands every day, while others are now only dim traces in the lonely backcountry.
Drawings and color plates accompany the over 750 scientifically accurate, but easy-to-understand descriptions in this guide to the plants, animals, climate, geology, physical features and human influence in the Sierra Nevada.
A “sublime” and “radically original” exploration of the Sierra Nevadas, the best mountains on Earth for hiking and camping, from New York Times bestselling novelist Kim Stanley Robinson (Bill McKibben, Gary Snyder). Kim Stanley Robinson first ventured into the Sierra Nevada mountains during the summer of 1973. He returned from that encounter a changed man, awed by a landscape that made him feel as if he were simultaneously strolling through an art museum and scrambling on a jungle gym like an energized child. He has returned to the mountains throughout his life—more than a hundred trips—and has gathered a vast store of knowledge about them. The High Sierra is his lavish celebration of this exceptional place and an exploration of what makes this span of mountains one of the most compelling places on Earth. Over the course of a vivid and dramatic narrative, Robinson describes the geological forces that shaped the Sierras and the history of its exploration, going back to the indigenous peoples who made it home and whose traces can still be found today. He celebrates the people whose ideas and actions protected the High Sierra for future generations. He describes uniquely beautiful hikes and the trails to be avoided. Robinson’s own life-altering events, defining relationships, and unforgettable adventures form the narrative’s spine. And he illuminates the human communion with the wild and with the sublime, including the personal growth that only seems to come from time spent outdoors. The High Sierra is a gorgeous, absorbing immersion in a place, born out of a desire to understand and share one of the greatest rapture-inducing experiences our planet offers. Packed with maps, gear advice, more than 100 breathtaking photos, and much more, it will inspire veteran hikers, casual walkers, and travel readers to prepare for a magnificent adventure.