Mapping the Sheltowee

Boyd

Picked up this handy $14.95 guide recently. It can be found at most gift shops in local visitor centers and in regional book stores.

This handsome book contains maps, general trail elevation profiles, quality of experience measures, and good text descriptions. It is a great reference for hiking the Sheltowee Trace and connecting trails, especially if you want to tackle Ky's longest trail as a slackpacker or 3-day backpacker. He's covered great loops and shuttle trips.

A few minor issues: I've noticed a trail mis-label on the Furnace Arch Trail map, the front inside cover map could be more useful, and the book has *no* photographs. Well, it has one blurry 'concept' photo and of course, the author's mugshot on the back inside cover.

Has anyone used this new book?

Boyd · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 3:12 pm Post subject: More info about the book

J Molloy's Site about his book: http://www.johnnymolloy.com

doublea · Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:30 pm Post subject:

I picked it up last weekend while in London, then up and forgot it at my Mom's house. Grrrrrrr. The 10 minutes I got to thumb through it, I really enjoyed it. I especially like his description of Cromer Ridge, saying it was like the surface of Mars.

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juxtapose · cub Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Frankfort, KY

I think the book is written well. The author does a good job talking about the history of the chase, he addresses the inclamate climate of KY, lets the reader know of reintroduction of the Black Bear and Elk and how to protect one's self, etc, etc. I also dig how Molloy seperates the book: basically he opens with useful information and then progresses from day hikes all the way to thru hikes. What's best is that the reader can tell that Molloy loved the hike, at the beginning he even talks about how the Sheltowee has kind of stalked him for the past twenty years, fun section.

Now do I think the book is perfect? Not by any means, for one there is no mention of LNT. Also I think it would be handy to have USGS quadrant names as well as GPS stuff (I say stuff because I know nothing about GPS; as Seargeant Klink would say, "Nothing!"). these things don't ruin the book, but they are things I would like to see.

I would deffinitely recommend it to any outdoor enthusiast living in E. Kentucky. Think of the trail guide for RRG, and then expand it to 260 miles plus side trails... word.
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