RECOMMENDED READING:
The following books and maps are some of many we would recommend for reading before coming to the Canadian Rockies.
Some are what we would call 'background' reading, some are specific to the trip you will be doing, and all are excellent preparation and fun to read, counting the days before your holiday begins.
The books & maps are divided into following categories:

1: AVALANCHE SAFETY BOOKS
2: TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS
3: GUIDE BOOKS
4: REGIONAL TITLES

1: AVALANCHE SAFETY AND GLACIER TRAVEL BOOKS

BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Bruce Tremper: Staying alive in avalanche terrain "...I own 6 of the most popular books on avalanche safety; this is by far the best. The core information needed to assess avalanche risk is given in some detail but the explanations are presented in "everyday" terms and are quite easy to understand. None-the-less,Tremper never talks down to his readers and the full level of complexity inherent in the subject matter is maintained..." (reader's review, amazon)
Bruce Jamieson: Backcountry Avalanche Awareness This book has been published by the Canadian Avalanche Association, and covers every aspect and detail one needs to know in regards to avalanche safety before heading out to the backcountry, be it for skiing or climbing.
P.A. Schaerer, P. Schaerer: The avalanche handbook "For backcountry enthusiasts with a science background, this book provides a thorough introduction to avalanche theory. The book is divided into chapters which build a solid foundation (weather systems, snow structure) through snowpack basics (snow strength and deformation, snowpack structure) and well into more advanced concepts (snowpack analysis, avalanche prediction, search and rescue, and even control with explosives, etc.) " (reader review, amazon)
BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Martin Volken: Backcountry Skiing "...The authors provide skiers with all the tools and knowledge they need to safely and successfully travel in the mountains. The guide features intermediate-to-advanced techniques for ski touring and ski mountaineering, from planning wilderness trips to perfecting turns in rolling terrain and mastering uphill climbing. ..." (amazon)
Andrew Selters: Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue "This superb primer is now larger and sports new photos and excellent drawings that illustrate the technical aspects of travel in glacier country." (Back Country Magazine)
David Seidman, Paul Cleveland: The Essential Wilderness Navigator This book has the best ratings by far for all orienteering/navigating books. All skills are explained in a language everybody can understand, and covers meticously all assetts of orientieering with a compass/map. The book does talk about GPS and how to use it, but is not a specific book for navigating with a GPS.

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2: TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

MAP TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
When ordering one of the following maps online, please use coupon id "ontop" to receive a 5% discount!
Murray Toft: Ski Touring at Rogers Pass Fourth Edition New Map 1 : 50,000 scale with 100 feet contour interval. Revised fourth edition printed on tearproof, waterproof paper. B&W photos with route overlays.
Rogers Pass 1:50,000 Chrismar Mapping Contour intervals 25m. Waterproof and tear resistant material. Over 150 km of exceptional hiking, ski and interpretive trails with information on the geology, natural and human history of the area.
Canada Centre for Mapping, Natural Resources Canada Banff 82-O/4 Scale 1:50,000 Contour elevations - 40 metres. Latest edition.
Canada Centre for Mapping, Natural Resources Canada Canmore 82-O/3 Scale 1:50,000 Contour elevations - 40 metres. Latest edition.
Canada Centre for Mapping, Natural Resources Canada Castle Mountain 82-O/5 Scale 1:50,000 Contour elevations - 40 metres. Latest edition.
When ordering one of the maps online, please use coupon id "ontop" to receive a 5% discount!
MAP TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Canada Centre for Mapping, Natural Resources Canada Lake Louise 82-N/8 Scale 1:50,000 Contour elevations - 40 metres. Latest edition.
Banff Up-Close 1:35,000 GemTrek Publishing Contour interval 25 metres. It combines state-of-the-art relief shading with contour lines, making it easier to visualize the mountain topography. On the back of the map are descriptions of sights, museums, scenic drives, biking trails, walks and day hikes in the Banff area.
Banff & Mount Assiniboine 1:100,000 Gem Trek Publishing Contour interval 50 metres. 2000 metre grid. It combines state-of-the-art relief shading with contour lines, making it easier to visualize the mountain topography. On the back of the map are descriptions of hiking, biking and cross country ski trails in the area.
Banff & Jasper 1:400,000 Gem Trek Publishing This new map uses state-of-the-art relief shading, making it easier to visualize the mountain topography. Includes campground information and townsite maps, 32 points of interest, lodges and hot springs. Includes both Banff and Jasper National Parks.
When ordering one of the maps online, please use coupon id "ontop" to receive a 5% discount!
MAP TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Banff National Park 1:250,000 Gem Trek Publishing A map and guide in one. National Parks Explorer Series. Folded map in card wrapper. 1:250,000 scale. 200 metre contour intervals. Wildlife, history, geology and highlights are included in this user-friendly guide to Banff National Park.
Best of Canmore 1:35,000 Gem Trek Publishing Contour interval 25 metres. Waterproof and tear-resistant paper. Includes sights, museums, hiking, cycling, skiing trails.
Canmore & Kananaskis Village 1:50,000 Gem Trek Publishing Waterproof and tear-resistant paper. Contour interval 25 metres. 1000 metre grid. It combines state-of-the-art relief shading with contour lines, making it easier to visualize the mountain topography. On the back of the map are descriptions of hiking, biking and cross country ski trails in the area.
Best of Lake Louise 1350,000 Gem Trek Publishing Contour interval 25 metres. It combines state-of-the-art relief shading with contour lines, making it easier to visualize the mountain topography. On the back of the map are descriptions of sights, scenic drives, hiking and biking trails in the area.
When ordering one of the maps online, please use coupon id "ontop" to receive a 5% discount!
MAP TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Lake Louise & Yoho 1:50,000 Gem Trek Publishing Contour interval 25 metres. 1000 metre grid. This new 3-D map combines state-of-the-art relief shading with contour lines, making it easier to visualize the mountain topography. On the back of the map are descriptions of hiking, biking and cross country ski trails in the area.

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3: 'GUIDE BOOKS

BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Chic Scott: Summits and Icefields: Canadian Rockies This ski touring guide features all classic and new alpine ski tours that can be done in the Canadian Rockies. Ski ascents, glacier tours, traverses. Difficulty ranges from easy/moderate to difficult and long ski tours.
Chic Scott: Summits and Icefields: Columbia Mountains This is the second volume of the 'Summits and Icefields' series. The best ski ascents, glacier tours and ski traverses in the Purcell and Selkirk Mountains.
Chic Scott: Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies A very thorough ski tour and backcountry guide to the Canadian Rockies: Information about equipment, accommodation, regulations included. Day-tours as well as multi-day adventures.
BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
American Alpine Club / Alpine Club of Canada: Rocky Mountains of Canada: South A complete guide to the Southern Canadian Rockies, although the book is older (1979), it includes a tremendous amount of information for anyone wanting to venture to the Rockies, be it for skiing, climbing, or mountaineering.
Bill Corbett: 11ers of the Canadian Rockies A climber's guide to the 45 peaks above 11,000 feet. Detailed route descriptions, extensive histories and abundant photos.
Sean Dougherty: Selected alpine climbs in the Canadian Rockies "This is the pretty much the current and standard guide to the Canadian Rockies. More complete guides exist, though they are rare and out of print. This guide presents 200 of the best climbs, eliminating overdrawn discussions of the obscure and focusing nicely on routes that have become legendary in the mountaineering world. The book itself is well made and suitable for the top of your pack." (reader review, amazon)
BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
R.Green, H.Green, Benson: Bugaboos Rock The Book is a comprehensive rock climbing guide to the different Bugaboos Spires, including photos, route description, and some background information.
Chris Atkinson, March Piché The Bugaboos The Bugaboos is a magical alpine playground of wild weather, pristine wilderness and towering granite spires that are the home of alpine rock climbs as good as the best in the world. The guide book covers all the peaks, routes, approaches and descents encompassed within Bugaboo Glacier Provincial Park.
BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
David P. Jones: Selkirks North The companion volume to Selkirks South, covering almost 700 alpine routes in the northern portion of the Selkirks Range in British Columbia. Covering some of Canada's highest and most dramatic alpine summits, including the granite faces and ridges of the Adamants, Gothics and Sir Sandford.
BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
David P. Jones: Selkirks South The essential guide to over 500 alpine climbs in the vast southern region of the Selkirk Range of British Columbia, from Rogers Pass to the edge of the Bugaboos. The author is a leading authority on the range and has detailed the climbs, the mountain environment, and more than a century of activity in this masterly guidebook, the first of two volumes to the Selkirk mountains. 383 pages fully illustrated with maps and photos.

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4: REGIONAL TITLES

BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Glen Boles, Roger Laurilla, William L. Putnam: Canadian Mountain Place Names The towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains rival the European Alps in fame. When travelling or climbing, hiking or skiing in these areas, have you ever wondered where the names of the peaks, rivers and lakes came from, or who named them and why? Originally published as "Place Names of the Canadian Alps", this new edition is completely revised and updated. (Synopsis, Amazon)
Chic Scott: Powder Pioneers "...Discover the rich ski history of the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains with award-winning author and historian Chic Scott. He covers all aspects of the sport, ranging from the ski jumpers at Revelstoke in the 1920s to the birth of ski lodges and ski resorts to the heli-skiers, loppet racers and snowboarders of today..." (Rocky Mountain Books. For more books on the Canadian Rockies: www.rmbooks.com)
Chic Scott: Pushing the limits "...Begin the trek through Canada's climbing history… Learn about Swiss guides who ushered in the glory years of first ascents. Continue through to the turn of the twentieth century when British and American climbers of leisure found themselves hampered by the difficulties of travel through the Canadian wilderness. Learn about the European immigrants of the 1950s who pushed the limits on the rock walls, and the American superstars who led the search for frightening new routes on the big north faces." (Rocky Mountain Books www.rmbooks.com)
BOOK TITLE	USA	CANADA	UK
Mary Schaffer: Old Indian Trails in the Canadian Rockies "...Mary T.S. Schäffer was an avid explorer and one of the first non-Native women to venture into the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, where few women - or men - had gone before[]Full of daring adventure and romantic depictions of camp life, set against the grand backdrop of Canada’s mountain landscapes, the book introduces readers to various characters from the annals of Canadian mountaineering history..."(Rocky Mountain Books: For more books on the Canadian Rockies: www.rmbooks.com)
Jack Bennett: Not won in a day "...An adventure story and guidebook in one, this is the tale of Jack Bennett's extraordinary effort to become the first person to climb all the high points of Canada's provinces and territories. From a fire tower in New Brunswick to a remote mountain in Nunavut, this is a story of hardship, triumph and sheer singlemindedness..." (Rocky Mountain Books: For more books on the Canadian Rockies: www.rmbooks.com)

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