Walk About Guide to Alaska, No. 2: Chugach Mountians

By Shawn Lyons

Shawn Lyons is, by vocation and avocation, a person of many parts. As a professional classical guitarist, he plays dinner music every Thursday through Saturday at Villa Nova Restaurant in Anchorage. When he is not playing guitar at Villa Nova, Shawn is a part-time instructor of guitar at the University of Alaska in Anchorage where he also teaches English Composition and Literature. Shawn is also avid hiker and hill scrambler. Growing up in the Boston area, he spent his early years wandering in the White Mountains. At the age of 17, he hiked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine and, at the age of 18, hiked the Long Trail from Massachusetts to Canada. Since moving to Alaska, he has continued to hike and climb extensively. So much that after many long hikes through many a valley and over many a summit, he has become, for some, the hiking guru of Southcentral Alaska. Nor is this all he does in the outdoors. As an ultra-athlete, he is a nine-time winner of the Iditashoe wilderness snowshoe race, and three-time winner of the 100 mile Coldfoot Classic held each year on Halloween above the Arctic Circle. Shawn's narratives about his hikes and races often appear in a weekly hiking and climbing column that he writes for the Anchorage Daily News.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1888125470
• ISBN13: 9781888125474
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Publication Consultants
• Length: 472 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great hiking guide

Even though the guide is 10 years old, it is still a good source of information of hiking trails around the greater Anchorage area as the mountains will always be there as they have for thousands of years. Matter of fact, it shows trails that you won't find in newer books anymore, and the author's narratives and experiences and detailed descriptions and maps of trails, are easy to read and follow. I enjoy his books very much.

Spectacular Hiking Near Anchorage, Alaska

Shawn Lyons three volume "A Walk-About Guide to Alaska" may be the most popular and heavily-used trail guide for South Central Alaska. This volume covers the spectacular Chugach Mountains immediately east of Anchorage, Alaska. Few urban areas in the United States have such immediate access to such a huge outdoor resource as Chugach State Park. Many trailheads are located in neighborhoods along the east side of Anchorage, providing access to a variety of trails. On offer are opportunities for short afternoon strolls, extended rugged journeys, and other hikes inbetween. Much of the Chugach is above treeline in whole or part; hikers will be rewarded on clear days with superb vistas into the Anchorage area or deep into the valleys of the Chugach. Lyons includes basic data on selected trails, with length, grading of the trail, elevation gain, and a sketch map of the route. Most trails are less well marked in Alaska than in commonly found in the lower 48; hikers are advised to read the guide closely to find their way. Similarly, some trails cross steep and rocky ridges or traverse snowfields early in the year; hikers should prepare accordingly. Lyons is an unusually fit hiker; those less dedicated may wish to take the trail grading scheme with a grain of salt. This volume is highly recommended to visitors planning a stay in the Anchorage area, and to long-time residents looking for variety in their hikes.