Blackwoods Press Publications

John Muir Trail Atlas

John Muir Trail Atlas is a compact guide book that fits in your pocket, weighs just 2.5 ounces, and includes all of the maps and information you need to hike the 210 mile John Muir Trail from Yosemite to Mount Whitney.

Colorado Trail Atlas

Colorado Trail Atlas is a compact guide book that fits in your pocket, weighs just 3.5 ounces, and includes all of the maps and information you need to hike the 485 mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango.

Pacific Crest Trail Atlas

Pacific Crest Trail Atlas is a compact guide book that fits in your pocket, weighs just 5 ounces, and includes all of the maps and information you need to hike the 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada.

Ultralight Backpacking

Ultralight Backpacking teaches you how to slash your pack weight without sacrificing safety and comfort, and have more fun in the backcountry. Loaded with trail-tested tips about gear, food, weather, resupply strategies, sample gear lists and more.

16 Responses to “Blackwoods Press Publications”

Terri 28. Nov, 2010 at 6:03 pm

Hi Erik,

Just want to let you know I really like your JMT Atlas. I have the most popular JMT book and map pack out there and the way you have organized your information is SO much better. It’s well organized and easy to use. Your trail track also appears to be more accurate, i.e. showing greater details like switch-backs up steep inclines.

I’m having a great time organizing my itinerary with your book! Thanks. Terri
Erik The Black 29. Nov, 2010 at 7:13 am

Thanks Terri, I appreciate that. Good luck with your hike!
bii filsinger 10. Dec, 2010 at 4:33 pm

When will your new books be available?

Ultralight backpacking and How to hike the PCT
Erik The Black 10. Dec, 2010 at 4:45 pm

@bii: Ultralight Backpacking and How To Hike The PCT will both be available in 2011. I’m still working on both books so I don’t have a release date set for these yet.
John Sund 08. Feb, 2011 at 5:06 pm

We are planning to hike John Muir Trail September 9 – 22, 2011 north to south.
where do we get permits?
any ideas on transportation to the trail heads?

thanks
John
Erik The Black 09. Feb, 2011 at 8:44 am

@John: You get your John Muir Trail wilderness permit from the agency in charge of your entry trailhead, and it is valid for the whole trail. If you plan to hike southbound starting at Happy Isles it would be Yosemite National Park. If hiking northbound from Mount Whitney it would be Inyo National Forest. It’s more difficult to get a Mount Whitney permit due to trail quotas.

You can find more info about permits here:

Yosemite Permits
Mount Whitney Permits

I had written an in-depth article about transportation to and from the John Muir Trail, but unfortunately it got lost during a website redesign.

But, here are the websites of public transportation providers servicing different parts of the John Muir Trail:

Yosemite Area Regional Tranportation System (YARTS)
Yosemite Valley Shuttle
Mammoth Area Shuttle
Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA)
Mount Whitney Shuttle Service
Wally Sanford 14. Apr, 2011 at 5:03 pm

I have been reading just about everything you post and it is great. I am planning my first thru hike for this summer, I am hoping to complete the Finger Lakes Trail in New York. I am interested in purchasing your book “Ultra Backpacking” but have been unable to find a way to purchase on your site. I am sure you can help me with this questiuon.
Erik The Black 14. Apr, 2011 at 5:26 pm

@Wally: Thanks. I am still working on Ultralight Backpacking, but I hope to have it finished and available sometime later this year (hopefully by summer).
Bryce 11. Sep, 2011 at 3:40 pm

Hey Eric, love your stuff. I’m planning a PCT through hike in 2012 and was wondering when or if your 3rd edition trail atlas would be available. Thanx for all the great info, Bryce
Erik The Black 24. Sep, 2011 at 7:23 pm

@Bryce: Some of the PCT Atlas 3rd Editions will be available in 2012, but not all. Volumes 1 and 2 (Southern and Central California) should be ready by Spring. Volume 5 (Washington) later in the year and Volumes 3 and 4 (Nor Cal and Oregon) in 2013.
Jared 10. Oct, 2011 at 9:16 am

Erik,
I am planning a thru-hike of the PCT for 2013. Will the 3rd addition be ready before the season??
Erik The Black 11. Oct, 2011 at 11:27 am

@Jared: Yes, if all goes according to plan all five books of the 3rd Edition PCT Atlas will be completed before Spring 2013.
Doug Prosser 11. Dec, 2011 at 6:24 pm

I was following a discussion on backpackinglight@yahoogroups.com that talked about putting guide books & maps on Amazon’s Kindle readers. Any thought to putting you guides on Kindles??
Erik The Black 12. Dec, 2011 at 8:12 am

@Doug: I am a big fan of Amazon Kindle. I use mine all the time. But they are not very graphics-friendly. The black and white e-ink screens are good for displaying crisp text, but don’t do a very good job with graphics. I’m not familiar with Amazon’s new color Kindles. They would probably do a good job of displaying graphics, but I imagine they suffer from the same problem as other color LCD devices like Ipads and Smart Phones, which is poor battery life. The black and white Kindles are great because you can go for weeks without recharging, but when you add a color screen into the mix battery life tends to plummet. Personally, I don’t think it is a good idea to rely on an electronic device in the back-country for anything, because they can be so easily damaged, malfunction or run out of batteries. But, the world is changing, and people are becoming increasingly dependent on their electronic devices. If things continue along that path and hikers decide they no longer want printed books, then I will publish my books for those devices. But, my plan is to resist as long as I can, because I think it is irresponsible to rely on technology on a hike.
Meredith Kifer 21. Dec, 2011 at 10:06 pm

Erik how can I get a copy of the PCT Atlas Vol 1. I live in Escondido, CA
Erik The Black 22. Dec, 2011 at 9:46 am

@Meredith: The 2nd Edition Volume 1s are all sold out, so they are no longer available. The new 3rd edition for Southern California is almost finished. It will be available in Spring 2012 (March or April).