Review by Chris Dickey
Guidebooks – August 2007 – Colorado Central Magazine
Timber, Talus, and Tundra
by Mary Anne Tarr
Second Edition
Published in 2007 by Uncompahgre Books
ISBN 0-965-0-84213
THE MOST COMPLETE GUIDEBOOK to hiking in the Gunnison Basin — and a bit beyond — just got better. Longtime Gunnison resident and avid outdoors person Mary Anne Tarr recently published the second edition to her popular and easy-to-use book, Timber, Talus and Tundra. The first edition was published in 1996.
“It had been a 10-year run since the first edition, so it was time to update it,” Tarr explained.
Tarr admits that the fun part of producing her encyclopedic work of the local hiking scene — and, perhaps, at least part of the motivation for the second edition — is “doing the field research.” She’s been to every spot described in the book — an impressive accomplishment considering the more than 140 destinations, hikes in seven wilderness areas and 70-plus peaks. She also snapped the vast majority of professional-caliber photographs and made all of the maps, which are based on U.S. Geological Survey information in the public domain.
The layout, organization and look of the second edition is much like the first. The biggest differences are the 40-plus new hiking trails and destinations that have been added, as well as updated information — such as general road conditions for routes leading to trailheads (if a 2WD road has become 4WD, for example).
Tarr also expanded the parameters of Timber, Talus and Tundra in the second edition. New are some hikes and peaks that are within multi-use areas (i.e. motorized) where “it is still possible to get away from the noise and haste if you know where to go.” At the urging of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, she also included six 14er hikes in the second edition as a way to promote the increased efforts toward sustainable trails and protecting fragile alpine environments associated with the state’s extremely popular highest peaks.
STILL, TARR INTENTIONALLY leaves out some hikes. One reason is practicality: the 326-page book would simply grow to unmanageable size if everything were included. The second reason is one of philosophy.
“Some places are just so special they need to remain anonymous,” Tarr explains in her introduction. “And I hope the reader will get pleasure out of discovering some places without the aid of a guide. I love to pick up a map and look for new places to explore. This book is the result of 40 years of my explorations and I will still enjoy finding new places in the future.”
Timber, Talus & Tundra is well organized geographically, with hikes broken down into specific areas: “Crested Butte area,” “Ohio Creek Valley,” “Curecanti and the West Elks,” “Lake City,” etc. The hiking directions are precise, making them easy to follow even for someone with no familiarity of the area. They are also accompanied by interesting tidbits of history, geology, and lore.
A thorough index adds to the book’s ease of use.
Tarr acknowledges the many people who’ve shared the backcountry experiences that made the making of the first and second editions of the book possible — from Nancy Ruehle and Boy Scouts Troop 476 in the first edition to Ruth McDonough, who not only accompanied Tarr on most of the new hikes in the second edition, but supported her through six months of cancer treatments.
Tarr reused the pen-and-ink illustrations created by her daughter, Abbie Mahlin. Gunnison High School graduate Lara Garren created the cover design and icons for the second edition.
Timber, Talus & Tundra was printed by B&B Printers in Gunnison. The book retails for $22.95 and is available just about anywhere books are sold in the Gunnison Country.
