Book Review – AMC’s Mountain Skills Manual
AMC’s Mountain Skills Manual: The Essential Hiking and Backpacking Guide was part of my 2018 Summer Reading List.
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AMC’s Mountain Skills Manual – Overview
This guide was written by Christian Bisson and Jamie Hannon and published by the Appalachian Mountain Club as part of their Skills Series. Both authors are New Hampshire residents and experienced outdoor educators. Bisson and Hannon have taught at the National Outdoor Leadership School among other organizations. Topics covered in the guide include trip planning, clothing, gear, navigation, trail skills and etiquette, health and hygiene, safety, camping skills, cooking skills, winter skills, groups, and ultralight backpacking.
Who Is This Book For?
In the introduction, the author states that the book is designed for hikers of a experience levels and suggests that beginners read the guide from cover to cover and advanced readers use it as a reference. I found this statement to be true in regards to my experience with the book. Some sections had more new information to present to me than others but all topics covered in the guide led me to reflect on my own practices, tendencies, and experiences. I feel that experienced hikers will find the book useful but it would also make a great gift for someone new to backcountry travel. In addition, discussion of the unique dynamics of group hiking offers perspective to group leaders and outdoor educators.
The Things I liked Most About AMC’s Mountain Skills Manual…
The guide is exceptionally well written and thoughtfully sequenced with the most pertinent information for beginning hikers at the beginning and more advanced topics at the end of the book. I found it to be well-organized enough for easy reference but also still an engaging cover-to-cover read.
I particularly enjoyed the variety of informational charts and tables in the book. Some of the tables that I feel likely to reference in the future include “Heat Index”, “Wind Chill”, “Recommended Daily Water Intake According To Body Weight”, and “Calorie Intake And Food Weight Based On Physical Activity”.
…And A Few Things You May Not Exactly Love…
Something that may not be immediately apparent to the casual shopper glancing at the cover of this guide, is that it is specifically focused on backcountry travel in the Northeastern United States. Information regarding climate and weather patterns, for example, are specific to the Northeast. When situational examples are provided, the trails and locations mentioned are almost always in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Since I live in New England and that is where I do most of my hiking, I actually found this to be a positive attribute. Hikers in other parts of the country can still benefit from the AMC’s guide but may wish to supplement with information from local organizations.
Another important point to note is that some of the gear information and recommendations in this 2017 guide are already beginning to become slightly out of date. For new backpackers putting together a basic, affordable setup, the information provided is more than sufficient. If you are an experienced hiker looking to fine tune your ultralight gear list on the other hand, the gear section of this book probably isn’t for you. With today’s rapidly advancing outdoor clothing and equipment technology, however, this is true of most any source more than a season old.
Bottom Line
The Mountain Skills Manual originally caught my eye because of the AMC name. The Appalachian Mountain Club has a reputation for reliable publications and this guide did not disappoint. It is a thorough, modern guide that I would recommend to beginning and experienced hikers alike as well as anyone leading group trips. I enjoyed reflecting on my own practices while reading the manual cover to cover and can see myself reaching for this book to review specific topics in the future.
Have you used AMC’s Mountain Skills Manual? What other skills manuals would you recommend for hikers and backpackers? Please share in the comments below!