55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska

The Mountaineers Books. Copyright 2002, 5th Edition. ISBN: 0-89886-791-6. Softcover. 256 pages. Dimensions 5.25" x 8.25" x .75". 78 B&W photos, 62 maps, 4 tables. Author: Helen Nienhueser

(From the back cover) "Can one actually love a guidebook - as one loves, say, well-broken boots and a favorite alpine meadow? Yes, especially when it's 55 Ways, a companion to several generations of hikers and climbers, and the most complete and reliable guide to some of the grandest country in Alaska." - Peter Porco, Anchorage News

"Along with rain gear, food, warm clothes, and water, 55 Ways is an essential piece of gear for anyone exploring Southcentral Alaska...and with each new edition, it just keeps getting better." - Jim Stratton, Director, Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation

MORE THAN 70,000 COPIES SOLD!
 
 Since 1972, 55 Ways has been the most useful guidebook available for discovering Southcentral Alaska. The completely revised fifth edition features seven all-new, comprehensive trips and 18 new guide routes. Whether you are seeking a stroll along an iceberg-studded beach (the recently opened Shoup Bay trail) or a four-day trek into Alaska's high country (Kesugi Ridge), 55 Ways offers the ideal destination.

- More than 160 "ways" to experience the backcountry of Southcentral Alaska, from public-use cabins to tundra hikes.
- Twenty trips on the Kenai Peninsula, 19 trips in Chugach State Park, and 16 trips in the Matanuska - Susitna Borough, Denali State Park, and the Copper River Basin. 
- A new Trip Summary Table compares routes by location, length, level of difficulty, and ease for children.
- Difficulty levels range from rambles to rugged, multi-day excursions.

Helen D. Nienhueser has been hiking Alaska's backcountry since 1959. She has chaired the Alaska governor's trails board. Helen' son and co-author, John Wolfe Jr, is an environmental planner and a volunteer for the Alaska Mountain and Wilderness Huts Association.