Jerry Schad (1949–2011)

This was my Hiking Bible during my Hiking Decade (my twenties) during the 90s when I spent just about every weekend in So Cal's local mountains exploring summits, abandoned mines, hard to reach waterfalls (like the one featured on the cover -- Fish Fork Falls -- an 18 mile round trip heartpounder which literally requires swimming in spots in order to reach your destination), the "Bridge to Nowhere" -- a highway bridge built in 1936, seventy feet above the East Fork of The San Gabriel River show more which, after the great flood of March, 1938, left little of the road but the bridge, and which is now owned by a bungee-jumping company (hike in five miles and leap off a bridge!) -- the ruins of trail "resorts" from the "Great Hiking Era" of the early 1900s, abandoned "trails", hidden GPS markers, tunnels, cross country bushwhacking routes, swimming holes, natural waterslides, fire lookouts and whatnot.

Schad's descriptions are spot on, his mileages and directions uncannily accurate (compared to a lot of other So Cal hiking guides), and he writes in an engaging manner that makes you curious about what he's describing; curious to lace on those lug-soled water-proof boots, tie on that bandanna and bolt for the trails! show less

If you're ever in Orange County, CA and want to know how you can get out into the wild beyond the kind of wild that's been stereotyped by the thankfully defunct TV show, "The O.C." and hopefully soon-to-be defunct reality show, "The Real Housewives of Orange County", then please, by all means, pick up a copy of this excellent hiking guide. There's a lot more wild to Orange County than you might expect at first glance: redrock canyons, waterfalls, strenuous hikes to the summits of 5,500 show more foot-plus peaks (often snowcapped after storms), natural arches, sea carved shoreline grottos & tidal pools great for kids & exploring. Schad, in his usual, obsessively precise manner, concisely though encyclopedically, takes you into every nook and cranny of Orange County that, thankfully, only a small percentage of the OCs population know about. show less

Excellent overview of the best hiking (ranging from easy beach walks to excrutiating treks) in all of S. CA. The only hiking guide I'm aware of with a description of the hike that's even more difficult than doing Mt. Whitney in one day -- hiking from Palm Springs all the way to the summit of Mt. San Jacinto (10,000 ft. vertical climb, the first two-thirds of which traverses exceptionally steep desert terrain on an unmaintained, unmarked, and at times difficult to follow trail which the US show more forest service officially recommends you not use). The book is worth buying merely for including this incredible hike.

Lots of other fun destinations described too. Schad is always precise in his directions to the trailhead, and even his off trail, cross-country routes are dependable. His knowledge of hiking opportunites in S. CA is unmatched by any other author. show less

Hiking has become my latest obsession, and this handy guide, known as the bible of San Diego hiking and trekking, is a big help in making my way around the county! The trips are organized into geographic areas (ex: Mountain, Coastal, Desert), and all pertinent information is provided (distance, time, difficulty, ideal season). Rough maps are shown, and the highlights of each hike are described at length. There is a trip for every type of hiker in this book, from low-key coastal walks to show more multi-day bushwacking adventures. I've made it a life goal to complete every hike in the book, but time will tell whether or not that is a realistic dream or not, as a handful of the hikes are extremely challenging and require significant backpacking experience. I'm currently using an old version of the book, but I plan to purchase the new version as well, since there are many more hikes to choose from. Also included, as appendices, are lists of "best hikes," recommended reading, and park contact information. I highly recommend this book to all adventuring types, and I plan to check out Schad's Orange County version as well. show less