Beckey Rules

As a wilderness ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, I patrolled the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness on the Malheur National Forest and the Glacier Peak Wilderness (below) and Alpine Lakes Wilderness on the Wenatchee National Forest.

During my time on the Wenatchee National Forest, I discovered the Cascade Alpine Guide by Fred Beckey (above, right), the definitive three-volume description of the mountains from the Canadian border to the Columbia River.

"Definitive" is an understatement. Describing routes in excruciating detail, his prose is delightful mix of technical analysis, historical insight, and geological and geographical research. Indeed, the Cascade Alpine Guide covers the terrain in such intricate detail, you'd swear he's been everywhere he writes about. In many cases, he has.