Glen Ellen writer’s Lassen hiking guide wins national award

Glen Ellen writer Tracy Salcedo, author of over 25 books, adds a trophy to her shelf this month. Her guidebook “Hiking Lassen Volcanic National Park,” was announced Nov. 12 as a National Outdoor Book Award winner.

“I’m over the moon about it,” she said when she heard the news. “Kind of like an Oscar, but for outdoor writing and literature.”

“It's always a pleasure to come across a guidebook writer who really knows her stuff—and Tracy Salcedo is certainly that and more,” said the awards committee.

“Hiking Lassen Volcanic National Park” is one of 20 of Salcedo’s books still in print from Falcon Guides, an imprint of Globe Pequot. Among the 59 hikes outlined in the guide is a challenging climb up Lassen Peak to its 10,463 foot summit, as well as easy rambles around crystal clear lakes, with information on campsites, backcountry permits and other trail essentials.

The 264-page paperback, published in May of 2020, has a list price of $24.95, but is available for less at online retailers. It is the third edition of the Lassen guidebook; the first was published in 2001. “The first edition was one of the first guidebooks I ever did, that’s one of the reasons it’s so special,” said Salcedo from her Glen Ellen home.

The National Outdoor Book Award (NOBA) was formed in 1997 as an American-based nonprofit program at Idaho State University and each year presents awards in 10 categories honoring the best in outdoor writing and publishing. Salcedo’s book won in the outdoor adventure guidebooks category.

“It’s a pretty big deal,” Salcedo said, but there’s no direct monetary reward as far as she knows. “I get medallions on my book, I get international press, and I’m already getting email from around the nation, and one from Ireland, which is fun.”

Along with the 21 guidebooks she’s written, she is also the author of “Historic Yosemite National Park,” “Historic Denali National Park and Preserve,” “Death in Mount Rainier National Park” and “Search and Rescue Alaska.”

Email Christian at christian.kallen@sonomanews.com.