Twelve Months at Barclay Lake

Rating:
Summary: A different kind of hiking book
Review: Tom Trimbath is a hiker who often posts on the Washington Trail Association web site about the North Cascades area. Although I met the guy on a trail once, I don't know him and have no financial interest in his book - a disclaimer, if one is needed.

This book is different from trail guide books in that it tells about visiting the lake during each of the twelve months of the year. A couple of months, however, Trimbath was kept from reaching the trailhead or lake by bad roads and weather. Although his failure to reach the lake and describe it during early winter was disappointing, his descriptions of dealing with a closed road and much snow was entertaining.

This is not a rip snortin' adventure story. This is an in depth report on one hiking locale during different seasons of the year. There is a ton of detail about the area around Barclay Lake, and Eagle Lake to the north, under different conditions. Since I hike this area frequently, I found the book quite interesting, seeing takes on the area that I hadn't considered.

Trimbath provides the reader with interesting insights by reporting on the lake during the lonely winter season, the crowded summer scene, and even from the perspective of a worker on a trail crew. He is a keen observer of the flora and fauna of the area and points out information that isn't usually found in a hiking book.