ay Hikes from the River:
A Guide to 75 Hikes from Camps on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park”
by Tom Martin
Just when it seemed all possible tomes about Grand Canyon had been published, along comes another book from our intrepid community to fill a specific niche in the Ditch. Tom Martin, co-founder of the Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association has penned a guidebook rich with hikes accessible only by river runners, the first of its kind. The author offers up his considerable experience in Grand Canyon with enthusiasm for the topic and concern for hikers' safety and pleasure. He covers most of the shorter favorites along with daylong treks to less frequented destinations. Hike descriptions include handy advice on tricky pull-ins, handy camps, courtesy issues, seasonal variations, sun versus shade, historical tidbits, viewpoints, obstacles and alternate routes. However, the book falls a bit short in other key areas. Trails are characterized as either “easy, difficult, or very difficult”, leading the author to rank North Canyon and Buck Farm in the same category as the Tabernacle. Trail descriptions do not include easy-to-find summaries of distance, time commitment and difficulty. There are no photos and the maps are crude and sometimes difficult to read. The book suffers from some bad grammar and poor editing. While Martin does review care of the Canyon, more discussion is needed in the opening sections regarding protection of archaeological sites, wildlife, off-limits campsites, multiple trailing, flashfloods and what to do when nature calls (some of this is covered in the individual hike descriptions, but most readers will not tackle the book cover to cover). Though he is good on human history, Martin often misses the opportunity to add detailed descriptions of the natural oddities and wonders that make Grand Canyon hiking so wonderful—what the heck is a nautiloid and why are there some many exposed at River Mile 34.75L? There is no mention of the cool stromatolite at the top of the Carbon-Chuar Loop or description of its amazing exposed faults and rock layers not visible from the river (none of this is obvious to most Canyon amateurs). The primary market for this book is private river runners, many of whom will not have Martin's in-depth knowledge and would enjoy these tidbits. In Grand Canyon, the more you know about something, the more you appreciate it.
Overall, Martin's book is a useful volume to tuck into your dog-eared boat library, whether you are a seasoned runner or taking your first trip, private boater or professional guide. Even those on a 30-day winter trip will find plenty to choose from, along with resourceful advice. If you are plotting some longer day-hikes, detailed topographic maps would be helpful companions to the guide.

bqr Staff