Barry Parr grew up hiking the Sierra Nevada, and though he's traveled widely and lived many years both in Europe and Asia, he still loves these mountains more than any other place. A student of literature, history, and geology, he adds rich description and fascinating anecdote to his hikes. Unlike most Sierra Nevada guidebooks, Parr's does not confine itself to a single park or geographical region, but samples hikes from every region, wandering from foothill to desert, deep canyon to alpine mountaintop, Gold Country to Basin and Range, compiling a list of fantastic hikes that illustrate the gigantic entirety of the Sierra Nevada in an epic panoply of scenic beauty, historical lore, and natural complexity. An lifelong backpacker and long-time adult leader in the BSA, Parr enjoys a variety of hikes, from strenuous, multi-day journeys to shorter jaunts accessible to all.With a "day job" teaching English and journalism at Livermore High School, California, Parr continues his career in publishing in his spare time, including the summer break. He works as a writer, editor, and publisher. Aside from many magazine articles, he has written other guidebooks (and sections of guidebooks) to California, including Exploring Big Sur (FalconGuides). He publishes charts for California biological zones (e.g., Northern California Tidepools), and is working on a historical guide to Guangdong Province, China.