I used this for a quick 3-day tour of Shenandoah. The suggestion was great! Definitely do read the difficulty levels. The route I did, which included Old Rag (after 2 sleepless nights in a bad tent), definitely pushed me harder than I was anticipating, though pretty much exactly as the author described. For those thinking of doing that mid-Shenandoah tour: You do have the option of skipping Old Rag at the end and just taking the fire roads back to the trailhead. Old Rag is not for the faint of heart.

This is an excellent resource for any backpacker in this area whether a greenhorn like me or an old hand. The layout is very user friendly with an overview of each hike to make selection simple. Then he gives plenty of detail for each hike in the trail notes. The maps are detailed enough by themselves and he includes resourse listings for more if you want. Well done!

Gives good information and description of what to expect from each trip. Really helps with choosing and planning.

There is at least one error in this book. Trip 2 lists NG Map 792 but it should list Map 791. I'm in my mid-50s and have been backpacking regularly since the age of 10 in areas that include the southern Rockies, Frank Church, and Northern Cascades so feel qualified to write a review on this book compared to many, many others I've read over the decades. This book covers trails like the others but they are all backpacking vice hiking day trips or mixed hiking day and backpacking trips, and the concentration is on loop rather than out and back, and shuttle trips. If you hike alone, don't like to cover the same ground twice, or want to avoid the shuttle task loops are the way to go. I also find this author does a bare minimum of pandering, unlike rival authors.