Climbing Books

If you are climbin in Western Colorado there is no better book than this one. In fact, I'm pretty sure that this is the best guide book that I have ever come across. My only wish is that it would have something about the front range (ie Boulder Canyon, Clear Creek).

While this says it is a beginner's guide, climbers of all levels will benefit from a quick scan of it to remind themselves of basic principles. It is easily scanned.

And although it was published in 1977 before the revolution in gear and clothing, the basic keys to success and survival in the mountains are preparation and a calm understanding of the risks and options. This book provides a readable, commonsense introduction to these and is therefore still valuable.

Add to it the latest GoreTex and chocks and you will be well equiped for the rigors of mountain climbing in the 21st century.

There are about 3 or 4 books on hiking around Mt. St. Helens and I'd rate this one as best of the bunch. Mr Vielbig covers all the trails, has good maps and provides the right amount of information on routefinding and what to see.

Beckey's climbing guide to Darrington and Index shows how far climbing has come since the mid 1970s. The cover shows a climber dangling off a tough 5.10 crack using large hexentrics for protection and bell-bottom courdouroy pants for fashion. This book has been out of print since the mid-70s, but you will still see it used by climbers looking for those elusive routes. The guide book is a nice addition to the library of any Northwest rock climber. The book is an overgrown pamphlet that describes two areas. The descriptions of routes around Darrington help unlock the mystery of that area (no other reliable guidebooks are in print or easily found). The pictures (topos) are a real help when finding routes. Index has a new guidebook available at the Index Town Store, but there are no pictures. Use this book with the new local guidebook to find the routes. The Beckey guide also has the aid gear lists for original routes that cannot be found anymore. They are not really necessary with new clean climbing techniques, but it is worth some historical significance. One special note: there was a printing update on the Green Giant Buttress topo, but most copies of the guidebook were sold with a correction insert. You should make sure this insert is there if you are buying the book used.

Overall, a good history of climbing in Yosemite that covers early years to the early 1990's. Some well written narratives, but occasionally dry at times. If you want a better history of the years before 1970, read "Camp 4," by Steve Roper.

Eric Bjornstad does a superb job documenting most of the routes in the Moab, Utah area. Although some mistakes will be found, which is to be expected in a compilation of this magnitude, the climber will find many known and unknown routes to challenge their skills. The book includes many popular areas like Wall Street as well as many unknown cliffs and spires. It's essential gear for any climber contemplating a long term climbing trip to Moab... Another book, Rock Climbing Utah, offers a good overview to the area also.

This book does a great job of describing the routes up desert summits throughout southern California and southern Nevada. Basic maps, photographs, and detailed descriptions of routes make it a highly informative book. I can personally attest to the accuracy of the directions for about forty of the hikes. Additionally, mining and natural history add to the depth of the presentation. The only summits left out of this book that I've climbed myself are those within the boundaries of military reservations (and so it's fair to say that this book is as complete as is legally possible). Those who already own the first edition of this book do not need to get the updated edition since very few substantial changes were made between the two editions.

A fascinating look back to a time when the support of hundreds of porters etc was available to small groups of mountaineers. It illustrates how approaches have changed and is a "must read" for anyone interested in Himalayan mountaineering over the decades. Buy it, read it and drift back in time!

This book is a very good for initializing in the world of the clibing rock, my experience in teh climbing rock is the six months, and this book is ver, very easy to read and practique.

"Everest: Triumph and Tragedy..." reminds me of a box of reproduction Civil-War memorabilia I was once given: it includes replicas of 1921 map, a Tibetan prayer flag, an envelope recovered from George Mallory's body in 1999, some 55 years after he died trying to climb the mountain, etc. The so-called 'artifacts' are nicely done - the envelope has Mallory's scribbles on it, and is worn along its edge - and will give the neophyte a "you are there" kind of thrill, like attending the re-enactment of a Civil War battle. The whole book comes to only 28 pages of text, however, so there is not much to it other than these interactive elements.

Beyond this thrill the book is a serviceable introduction to the mysteries and history of Mount Everest, but it does not cover any new ground. Its interactive nature would make it an excellent choice for kids, but for adults it is for completists only. 4 stars for kids but 3 for adults.