My parnter and I just spent two wonderful weekends in Portland - all due to this great book. We followed five of the walks in the downtown portland area and got so much out of it (due to the book) that we flew back to Portland three weeks later to visit again and did an additional four walks. This is a great book - I thoroughly recommend it.

I have lived in Portland all my adult life and yet was surprised when I found the description of walking trails that I did not know existed. The descriptions are clear and inviting. The planning of the walks are easy to identify with in terms of distance and time required. I think this is a must-have book for the walkers in the Portland area both for visitors and residents.

I really like this book! It's thorough and easy to understand and includes a guide to help with choices about what walk you'd like to take. The directions are clear and Ms. Cook has included interesting tidbits of information you can follow along the way, as well as maps and photographs. It's not easy for me to get around because of a disability, but I don't need to be afraid of setting out with this guide. It lets me know how long the walk should take and the difficulty of the walk. What an exciting and fresh way to see the city!

I live in this part of the country, I didn't know there was no much great places to stay here! Thank you! I know lots of places to get away! I just need that special someone! :)

My husband and I spent a wonderful two days in July 2000 staying in "The Cabin." at the Guest House Cottages on Whidbey Island. We found this romantic spot in this book. There are so many wonderful places in this book, so I will tell you about the place we stayed to give you an idea of the quality of the listings presented in this great resource.

We stayed in the cutest log cabin you have ever seen, pictures at my site. A complimentary continental breakfast was set up for us on arrival. We loved having our own kitchen and a grocery store nearby so we could pick up needed supplies for a picnic at the beach. There was a beautiful pool where you could lay out in the sun. In the winter you would be sipping hot chocolate by one of the beautiful fireplaces in your cabin. The cabins were off the road in the woods and have queen or king-size featherbeds. The floors, walls and ceilings were all wood. They have river-rock fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, skylights and antique furnishings. The one we stayed in had beautiful stained-glass windows. They really went out of their way to make our stay as romantic as possible. Once you have your key, the cabin is all yours. It is your own private getaway. If you are running late they even offer to leave the key out for you when you arrive.

There was a private deck complete with barbecue and two chairs so you could sit and look out over the pond inhabited by African geese. The surroundings were lush and green and we saw lots of the cutest bunnies.

We also visited a lavender field and brought home a little lavender plant. If you do visit these same cottages, don't forget to visit Deception Pass. In fact, plan to stay at least two days, there are plenty of activities, including hiking and sailing.

I can truly say that without this book, we would most likely have never known about this secret hideaway. So, between you and me....don't tell too many people! This is a great place. Only tell your best friends or buy them this book. I also recommend this book as a wedding present.

The pages are filled with pictures of each getaway and the general prices are also listed for your convenience. I believe there is a new book with updated information, but this is the one I have.

"Weekends for Two in the Pacific Northwest" is a perfect resource for couples looking to have some away-time in a special place. From Ashland to Seattle, the beautiful photographs and detailed explainations are very helpful in planning your gettaway. Prices and aspects of dozens of hotels, lodges, B&Bs, etc. are explored and the authors even give personal oppinons, and suggestions on which rooms are more romantic. I would recommend this book to anyone with a heart for romance. It's a favorite in my household!

One of the best cookbooks in my collection.

What's really interesting to me is that almost every recipe in the book goes very well with a nice Oregon Pinot Noir.

Let me be clear - I have never laid eyes on this book. I bought it based on the description for a friend who lives in CA but is from the Northwest and is an avid cook. She absolutely loved it and continues to rave about it. Based on that, I give it a 5.

This beautiful book has been the source of wonderful meals, inspired by the deep, imaginative recipes, exploring the best of the Pacific Northwest. Schreiber puts his own interesting spin on classic flavor combinations. Recipes are complex, but are easily broken down into do-able steps. They are not overly chefy, and have been well tested for home kitchens. This was one of my favorite cookbooks of the year, and I own a lot of cookbooks.

Over the past 25 years I've bought dozens of Pacific Northwest hiking guides and this is just about the most enjoyable one I've ever owned. It is about the only hiking guide I've ever sat down and systematically read from cover to cover, simply because it was such a joy to read and because it contained so many treasures. The author isn't merely interested in telling you how to get there and how not to miss a turn in the trail, but he shows a genuine love for each of these hikes, pointing out what is amazing about each of them, often giving a little history about the trail or other anecdotes associated with a hike, including personal experiences which are genuinely amusing or informative. I especially enjoy his appreciation of trails through old growth forests, something you don't often see in hiking guides. Most hiking guides seem to get worked up only by big, expansive views, but this author sees beauty and magnificence on all scales. Although I was familiar with at least half of these hikes, I learned about a lot of new ones that I've already started exploring. For example, check out the old growth noble firs along the PCT from Barlow Pass to the overlooks at White River Canyon. These trees are absolutely mind-boggling, not because they're big around but because they grow so amazingly tall and straight. It stimulated me to read more about these trees and I learned that they can soar into such heights with so little girth because the wood is hard and light. No Douglas Fir could get this tall without putting six feet of girth on themselves. Here you see flawless, branchless trunks as straight as nature can make them, no more than three to four feet in diameter with no perceptible taper rising two hundred feet like the pillars in a cathedral before finally displaying a puff of foliage at the top no more than 15 feet wide and 30 feet tall. And then the emerald forest of moss-infested silver firs and mountain hemlocks that follow closer to timberline have the head shaking in wonder over such stunning beauty. Thanks to this author, I discovered this incredibly beautiful section of trail after hiking all over Mt. Hood for 25 years without having discovered it. There are lots of other new possibilities of this magnitude for me that I am eager to try out, thanks to the enthusiasm and attention to detail of this author.

An excellent guide for day trips around Portland. The author is an acqaintance of mine and on several occasions I witnessed the care with which he took in making book an accurate guide to Portland-area hiking. Gerald is a great writer and he not only gives you the details of the hike (like clear directions on how to get there, an art all too often lost in Portland hiking books), but puts the hike in a brief desciptive context of history, forestry and asthetics that is rare in a hiking book. The book helps the hiker know more about Oregon and its natural treasures.

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles : Portland (60 Hikes Within 60 Miles)
by Paul Gerald is incredibly well written and includes great maps and a rating system that is very useful. I just love my copy and strongly recomend this book to those looking to get out into the great outdoors.

One of the best books around is Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie . I would rate this book 5 stars out of 5 stars! The story is about a girl named Hattie Cambell, her family wants to go to Oregon but they can't afford it untill her uncle dies. They come across some trouble, but not alot in fact she falls in love, and she fins a new best friend. As I said in the begining this is the best book in the world!

This book tells, in diary format, the story of Hattie Campbell and her family on the Oregon Trail. It starts out in Booneville, Missouri at Hattie's birthday. They travel by steamboat to Independence, and go west. Along the way, Hattie meets and makes friends with Pepper and Wade, who are twins, Gideon, and Mrs. Bigg. She also encounters a thief. The trail is filled with many dangers, including food poisoning, deaths, rivers, mountains, etc. You have to read the book to find out what happens to Hattie and her friends and family. I would recommend this book to anybody who is interested in pioneers, excitement, and dangers, or who is a fan of Kristiana Gregory's work or a fan of the Dear America series. This book is one of the best in the Dear America series, as Kristiana Gregory has once again done a superb job in the research and writing.

Hattie Campbell, her parent's, her aunt and uncle, and her two younger brothers leave their home to join a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. Hattie meets a girl named Pepper, and they become good friends. There are surprises along the way such as marriages, but there were also hardships like deaths, food poisoning, and robberies. Also, if you're the type of person who want's to know what happens after the end, this book has an epilogue (tells what happens after the end).

Loy and Allen's ATLAS OF OREGON certainly is the benchmark to which all others must aspire. The hardcover edition is not inexpensive, but the sample pages displayed convinced me to take a chance, and was I glad that I did! The day I received it, I was mesmerized for hours. The quality and colors of the graphics, the exhaustive research and attention to detail were incredible. The charts, graphs, etc. are all easy to read. Every possible aspect of Oregon is covered. I believe a person could make an intelligent decision as to exactly where to live without even visiting the state! You feel you are there. Bravo!

Loy & Allan build upon previous atlas efforts (OR 1976, CA 1979) and make use of technology and greater knowledge to produce excellent, useful maps and charts. Pre-1865 (inch-pound) measuring units are used instead of U.S. (SI) units as used in the 1976 edition (for example, temperatures are in °F not °C). Historic growth and immigration maps, education (K-12, university and school districts), demographics and future temperature and precipitation scenarios make this a handy "big picture" reference.

Economic, water and transportation and other "sheds" enable a you to obtain a good understanding of past, current and future trends. Obtain the Atlas and CD - you will use them both for a long time.

This book is a bargain. The wealth of information collected in one place is amazing. I consider this book the ultimate collection of interesting data on the state of Oregon. Those with children in Oregon should consider this a "must buy" for their children's education.

This is the best guidebook EVER! My wife and I recently moved to Portland and this book is what guided us into a great apartment, cool neighborhoods, fun shops, beautiful parks, and awesome restaurants. We've now lived here for 6 months and still use the book often. The authors definitely know the city. Whether you're moving here or just visiting, getting this book is crucial.

When you browse through the US Travel books for something on Oregon or Portland, this is the one book that you can find that goes beyond the cool places, the neat restaurants and the best deals in hotels. It's comprehensive in terms of including information that a person considering the move to the city will find extremely useful! Thanks, City Smart!

I loved it. It was funny and witty and interesting. For the person moving to Portland, this book is for you. It outlines the areas where one should and should not live. It give detailed and interesting reviews of everything from children's parks to gay bars. It illustrated the history of Portland perfectly and was a hoot to boot. Five stars!

Alan Watts did an excellent job in putting together this guide. The topos and maps are high quality, the photos are excellent and it's easy to navigate. But what really sets this guide apart from many others is the quality of the historical perspective and the overall readability of the text. Watts played an important part in the development of sport climbing in the US and thus was a controversial figure for years. His treatment of those tumultious times is worth the cost of the guide.

One of the best guidebooks out there. The topos and pictures are clear and the descriptions are detailed. The author has probably done all the climbs so he should know. The topos even give specific gear needed at certain places on the climb. Where the author's climbing style lays is obvious, he seems to dislike anything with a chimney. Quality of routes are measured by a 4 star system. The author uses R and X rating. This guide has everything you could ask for. If you only want one guide to the area, this is it.

This is the greatest guide book to Smith Rock State Park ever. It has it all. That is all there is to it. This is the perfect guide to the perfect climbing area.

Basic Review

I was told to read the way west as a highschool [kid]. I'm glad I did! I havn't read The Big Sky the first in the series I only knew that is was a series after I read the way west but I still eaisly followed. Guthrie is an author that convey feelings and messages is little words a compelling gift. He also has a way with discription and makes understand the characters personality and way of thinking completely. I have long since been interested in the Oregon Trail and life of the pioneers and will gladly read the whole series. This book tells the harsh truth but without sentiment meaning it didn't bring tears to my eyes but made me stop and think. By the end of the book I was thankful for modern times though it made me reflect on modern families.

About the Book

The book starts out telling the story of Lije and Becky Evans and son Brownie after they get "the fever". They decide to go west to Willamette Valley Oregon to help settle the territory for America (joining a wagon train with people of different backgrounds and storys). Dick Summers and ex-mountain man agrees to go along and piot the train it encreasingly becomes his story. He falls in love with the mountains and old trails once more they don't understand it is part of him and at first envy how he knows and can do everything with little. If it were not for him the train would of gone through more trials and hardships than it did. He becomes best friends with them and there is a sence of loss when the mountains reclaim him. I want to know what happens the Evans family Guthrie wrote it that way and I was amazed I would like and appreciate a book written in 1950. I recomend this to everyone and history buffs finding it hard to get good books on the Oregon Trail before 1850+. The Way West had found a place in my heart and I declare it a classic by my standards for teens to adults. I know that everyone will approve and enjoy this book. It took me a while to read but once I got started I couldn't put it down!

This book changed the way I read novels. I used to read mostly fast-paced books with lots of excitement, "page-turners" that propel you towards the ending. Although The Way West has a good story line, it did not develop in the way I expected. I kept waiting for the Indian attacks and shoot-outs, standard fare for a novel about a wagon train, but they never quite came. In the meantime I started to appreciate the way the author got into the minds of the characters, how well he described their lives and journeys.
This book is not so much about telling a story about a wagon train as telling the individual stories of the people in it. The book describes their day-to-day lives, their attitudes and motivations, and gives insight into the times in which they lived. The landscapes of the early west are painted beautifully. Guthrie does all of this in a writing style which is very readable.
Most novels today use techniques to keep you on the edge of your seat, so that when you finish a chapter you want to dive into the next. They manipulate the reader and compel you forward to the finish line and - if the author is crafty enough - to the next book in the series. This is much more about selling books than creating art.
I found that when I reached the end of a chapter in The Way West, I was often inclined to return to the start of the chapter and read it again. After reading this book, I started looking for books of greater substance, that create lasting images. Guthrie's other books fit the bill nicely.
The Way West is a beautifully written book. Slow down and enjoy it.

This sequel to The Big Sky continues the story of Dick Summers. It would be very beneficial to first read The Big Sky. I actually found The Big Sky more interesting and if possible, better-written, than The Way West. Both books are extremely interesting and hard to put down. The Way West tells the story of a wagon train on its way to Oregon. Dick Summers, an experienced mountain man, agrees to lead the group to Oregon. This takes place in the early days of the Oregon Trail when men were still working out the exact route they would take. There are six Big Sky novels of which The Way West is the second. I am currently reading the third book in the series, Fair Land, Fair Land. It is every bit as good as the first two. All of these books are historically accurate and, once again, very hard to put down. I highly recommend The Way West!! Enjoy!!