Indispensable - The Kenai Canoe Trails by Daniel Quick
Written: Sep 08 '03 (Updated Sep 08 '03)
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Pros: The definitive guide to a national treasure. Written from experience, not conjecture.
Cons: Warning: Reading may lead to catastrophic expenditures and a unquenchable desire to travel to Alaska!
The Bottom Line: If you plan on traveling the Kenai Canoe Trails, or are just interested in learning more about them, you MUST get this book! Well written and durably constructed.
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| pilotpat's Full Review: Daniel L. Quick - The Kenai Canoe Trails: Alaska's... |
INTRODUCTION
The Kenai Canoe Trails: Alaska's Premier Hiking and Canoeing System by Daniel J. Quick is the definitive guide to the Kenai Canoe Trails [review coming soon] in Alaska. The Kenai Canoe Trails is one of only two such priceless wilderness systems in the United States, joining the Boundary Waters Canoe System in Northern Minnesota. Another similar system is Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada.
The author is a frequent user of the trails, and his experience and expertise are obvious. The book is compiled from more than 30 years of his field notes.
Should you be planning a trip into the KCT, this book is a must have for the planning and execution of your adventure. Our copy is well dogeared and moisture-warped from use at the kitchen table, by the campfire, in the tent, and on the water.
THE TRAILS, A BRIEF REVIEW
Once the KCT is added to the epinions directory, I will include a much more detailed review. However, here are the basics:
LOCATION
The Kenai Canoe Trails are located on the picturesque Kenai Peninsula, just south of Anchorage. From Anchorage, one travels through the beautiful Turnagain Arm and then turns right (West) on the Sterling Highway towards Sterling, Kenai, Homer, and Soldotna. Total driving time to the entrance from Anchorage is about 2.5 to 3 hours.
WHAT IS IT?
Like the aforementioned Boundary Waters and Algonquin Provincial Park, KCT is a system of lakes, streams and rivers in which only non-motorized canoes and hiking boots are the only authorized means of travel. Consisting of about 70 lakes, these waterways are linked by portages (paths) of different lengths and in various levels of improvement. Although you can plan just about any length of excursion, the trails link together to provide about 140 miles of afloat/afoot travel. This exclusive means of access means that once you have traveled more than about a day, you can enjoy the wilderness pretty much on your own. The KCT's prime location in the least densely populated State ensures an added level of solitude and serenity. Once you pass the "dayhiker" range, humans likely are the least numerous large land mammal within a day's paddle.
BOOK STRUCTURE
The book is highly user-friendly, and in a small-enough format (about 5x8 inches) to be useful as a field guide. The front and back inside covers are basic maps of the two major systems in the KCT - the Swan Lake and Swanson River trails - and are of a thick, plastic-coated paper that makes the book largely water-resistant (not waterproof). The pages themselves are also plastic-coated.
SECTIONS
Introduction/Description
The book opens with 17 pages of introduction and physical description of the Canoe System, including a good description of the wildlife and fishery resources you are likely to encounter in any given season.
Preparation/Trail hints
This section - about 10 pages worth - covers everything from canoe selection, camping and packing tips, and equipment suggestions. It also includes a section on how to bear-proof your campsite (a highly-important skill to know and practice).
Limnology
This is a pretty neat, if brief, description of the different water qualities and types in the KCT - of much interest to geologists, ecologists, and fishermen. It also serves as a key to the limnology statistics listed next to each lake in the directory/lake guides.
Lake/Trail Guides
The remainder of the book (and the vast majority of its pages) is devoted to individual descriptions of the lakes and connecting portages. Each lake description is preceded by a table that lists altitude, area, maximum depth, primary watershed, water profile (with last sample date), and fish species present. The general descriptions vary from the basics (some of the smaller or remote lakes) to very detailed essays of the author's favorite locations. From experience, I can attest to the value of many of the fishing and camping tips. Each description also contains a full-page black and white enlarged aerial photos of the lakes described. These are awesome, and the mosaics are nearly seamless. Though the resolutions are not listed, I estimate several are 1 or 2 meter at least (individual trees distinguishable). Some of the smaller lakes are listed in groups. Campsite symbols and portage locations are superimposed on the photos.
OVERALL
As said before, this is THE guide to reference during your adventure in the Kenai Canoe Trails. Combined with a good quality topographical map (perhaps not necessary, but I can't imagine every traveling into the wilderness without one), a compass (OK, OK, I have succumbed to borrowing a GPS on one trip), and a good dose of common sense and preparation, it is all you need to plan and execute an awesome and memorable journey in the Kenai Canoe Trails.
Other Alaska Reviews
Seward, Alaska
Coming soon...
Kenai Canoe Trails
Denali NP
Russian River
Seward Resort
Recommended:
Yes
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