[Allison]

There are a number of copies of LoW, Vol 1, Western Washington, available at www.abebooks.com right now for cheap. A couple at $20 and one at $12.95 from Powells in PDX. Good luck finding Volume 2 (E WA) that cheap, but it's a start...

[Newt]

So what's the story behind these books? I'm in the dark and would like to know. Thanks NN

[Allison]

They were put out by the State Department of Conservation until I think the early 70s, and they catalogue by photograph and location every lake in the state. Pretty cool stuff. I'll try and remember to bring mine to the Social if anyone is interested.

[Dean]

Allison, neat books, kind of the Bible of mountain lake lovers. Another neat feature these books had was the type of fish in the lakes, when they were planted, depth of the lakes and more. My W.Washington volume is paperback (1965 2nd ed.) and my E. Washington volume (1973 2nd ed.) is hardback. I believe I bought them separately several years apart but both were very helpful (and still are) I'm just curious if your books are like mine, paperback/hardback.

[Allison]

Mine are the 1961 edition. They came hardbound ($3.50) and softbound ($2.50). I've got the hardbounds, and Volume 1 is autographed.

[McPilchuck]

I corresponded in letters with Ernie back in the 1960s (showing my age here, but I am about as in good of shape as I was at 35 now 50 so beware Stefan <grin>, at any rate I have the two volumes...Volume I -1965 hardback and Volume II - 1964 hardback. However, they are in terrible shape due to use over the years...been a Trail Blazer member going on 24 years continuously but had these copies before membership. I recollect only paying about $5.00 each for them. And though the fish data has changed much, they are still a valuable text for those seeking to know further about lakes, specifically high lakes. I would also say, (like many old-time Trail Blazers knew, Ernie was a real treasure...simply a wealth of knowledge like many of the old-timers I once knew that have gone onto other worlds. (Just thought I'd relay a little about Ernie and his great books)

[Backpacker Joe]

I have five copies (sets) (western/eastern editions) of these books. Two (sets) of which are signed by the author. I have both hard and soft bound copies. They were made between the years of 1961 to 1973. There will NEVER be updates to these books, as the eastern templet was lost in a fire in late 1974. Private pilots were commissioned to fly over the mountains of Washington state and take photos. Other than by satalite, that couldnt be realistically done today. The cost would be much to high. There were 100 western editions made to every eastern edition. The eastern editions are the really rare ones. Here's my offer. I will GIVE away a set of western/eastern edition books via drawing a name from a hat at our social that is coming up. Only those of you that do not already have a set are qualified to PLAY! So there you are. A motivation to show up at our get together! Tom Bentzen P.S., I have two ice axes to give away too. Al gets one of them though, as I ran out on her once already!

[McPilchuck]

I am curious, where did you get the autographed copies? BJ, Did you get them signed or were they signed copies you bought, not that it really matters. Ernie passed away many years back.

[Backpacker Joe]

Mc P, they were unfortunatly later copies of the units. Being an enthusiast, I have found various ways of getting them..... TB

[McPilchuck]

That's cool anyway, I wish mine were signed by him. Somewhere down the road all the personal letters I had from him were lost, but I do remember the content of some of them. I also remember him saying, "may your legs and lungs grow stronger...thus the mountains will seem smaller." Or something along those lines...

[Backpacker Joe]

Jesus Mc P, do you realize the IMPACT of that statement? That kind of philosophy is ledgendary~ TB

[Scrooge]

[Newt]

Is there any major differences between the issues other than maybe the number of fished stocked? Do all the issues list the same lakes? Dang, wish I was going to BC after the gatherin'. Wouldn't mind a lookie see at those books. Thanks, NN

[Brian Curtis]

I've got 4 copies of the western WA edition: one of each edition, 2 hardcover, one softcover, and one signed copy. I've got one copy of the eastern WA edition. The fish stocking information was never very complete and was not updated between editions. There were only 25 changes made between edition 1 and 2. They are listed on an errata sheet. Those changes were integrated into volume 3, but no other changes were made.

[Tom]