Books about International

International : Canada : British Columbia : Squamish

The Climbers Guide to Squamish

Kevin McLane / Elaho Press (2005)
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This book is a comprehensive guide to all the rock climbs of Squamish, British Columbia.

Softcover, 552 pages, black-and-white photos

Presents scores of climbs in such areas as the sea cliffs South of Murrin, the crags of Murrin Park and the Shannon Falls-Papoose cliffs

Also includes the Malamute granite dome, the Smoke Bluffs crags and, the centerpiece of the guide, The Chief

Provides maps, routes, ratings and a wealth of other valuable information

Squamish Select

Marc Bourdon / Quickdraw Publications (2004)
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Climbing guide to bouldering, sport and traditional climbing of the Squamish area of British Columbia.

Softcover; 260 pages; maps, black-and-white photos with route overlays

Guide covers bouldering, sport climbing, select traditional climbs and select multi-pitch climbs in the area

Covers the area from Murrin Park to Squamish and all the way north past Whistler to Pemberton

Squamish Bouldering

Marc Bourdon & Scott Tasaka / Quickdraw Publications (2003)
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Always known as a world-class granite climbing area, Squamish is now rightfully considered Canada's premier bouldering destination.

Softcover; 284 pages; black-and-white photographs, maps and route overlays

Squamish is not a one-dimensional destination, and no traveling boulderer should leave disappointed

Whether you like moderates, desperates, roofs, slabs, highball or lowballs, no climber should be lacking

International : Thailand

Thailand: a climbing guide

Sam Lightner Jr, the Mountaineers Books First Edition 2005
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More than 350 sport routes, rated 1-5 stars for their appeal

Up-to-date post-tsunami information

Information on Thai history, culture, and geology, along with useful Thai language phrases

This new guide contains everything climbers need to make the most of Thailand, both on the rock and off. You'll find information on local transportation, lodging, sightseeing, guide schools, and gear shops, as well as how to preserve your gear from the wear and tear of warm salt water breezes, and much more. Most routes located on the Phra Nang Peninsula; also includes Koh Phi Phi, Chiang Mai, Laos and Andaman Sea locations.

Provides information on transportation, lodging, sightseeing, guide schools, gear shops and much more
http://www.thailandclimbingguide.com

100% of the profits from sales of Sam's guidebook goes toward the rebolting effort done in conjunction with the American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA)

Rock Climbing in Northern Thailand

Josh Morris and Khaetthaleeya Uppakham, Nopburee Press copyright 2004
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Provides up-to-date information on Crazy Horse Buttress plus over 120 routes on 14 different buttresses

Offers travel tips on getting to Thailand, plus recommends hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, and bars

To help you connect to the culture, includes Thai culture guide, useful Thai language phrases and a list of Thai holidays and festivals

Climbing in Thailand

Wee Changrua and Elke Schmitz, Third edition 2006
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220 pages. 100 climbing areas.

Over 80 easy-to-read topo maps.

Covers all of Railey and Ton Sai in Krabi over 50 areas.

Post-tsunami update on Ko Phi Phi.

NEW: Chapter on Deep Water Soloing.

All climbing areas in Laos and sidetrips in Malaysia.

Route recommendations for every grade level.

Indicates recently rebolted routes.

All you need to know before you go.

King Climbers: Route guide book

Somporn Suebhait(King), 5th Edition 2004
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Up to date and comprehensive guide book on rock climbing in Thailand. It includes Railay, Krabi and Phi Phi areas. Plus pretty colour pictures, useful top tips on surviving Thailand, and miscellaneous trivia. With over 700 routes it'll keep you busy for years.

International : Mexico : El Potrero Chico

The Whole Enchilada -- A Climber's Guide to Potrero Chico, Mexico

Dane Bass, Puma Press, February 2007, 248 pages.
This is the latest and greatest comprehensive guide to Potrero Chico, hot off the press on February 20, 2007. Lots of useful introductory information about the area, driving in Mexico, bringing your pets, where to stay, where to eat, where to get help, etc. Includes information on more than 500 routes.

Lots of maps and photos with route lines drawn in to help you find your way around and get on the right route. A zero-to-three-star quality rating system will help you identify the classic climbs.

Unfortunately, the guide wasn't proofread very well and there are lots of typos and spelling errors, but that's not a serious problem.

If you only buy one Potrero Chico guide, this is the one to have.

Available for $26.95 at Posada's Restaurant: http://www.elpotrerochico.com.mx. May eventually be available on-line at http://www.potrerokrew.com.

Potrero Select -- Selected Climbs of El Potrero Chico

Magic Ed Wright, Granite Publishing, November 2006, 165 pages.
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This select guide covers more than 350 of the best climbs at El Potrero Chico. Includes introductory material on driving, weather, history, geology, etc.

The guide includes a good overview map of the area, topos of a few popular routes and walls, and some color action photos. However, it does not have any photos with route lines drawn in, which sometimes makes it difficult to identify which route is which.

Available for $20 at Tami's Cafe and on-line at http://www.climbingcentral.com.

Climb El Potrero Chico, 14th Edition

Ed and Tami Wright, self published. 14th Edition, December 2006, 68 pages.
The 14th edition of the pocket guide to El Potrero Chico. Has an overview map of the area on the back cover, and a few topos of popular routes, but no photos and no route index. Comprehensive; includes all routes, but written descriptions are very brief. Small enough to take with you on that long multi-pitch route when you want some extra beta.

Probably not the best guidebook choice for the first-time visitor.

Available for $10 at Tami's Cafe.

International : Canada : British Columbia

Central BC Rock

Lyle Knight, Elaho Publishing
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Now a little out-of-date, but still the essential reference for the BC interior areas such as Yak Peak, Kelowna, and all the smaller crags that deserve attention but don't quite have the same draw as Skaha.

Scrambles in Southwest British Columbia

Matt Gunn
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A well put together guide to scrambling routes on many BC peaks.

Alpine Select: Climbs in Southwest British Columbia & Northern Washington

Kevin McLane, Elaho Publishing
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As the title lays out, this is a book of select alpine climbs mainly in BC, but also a few in Washington. The book is interesting for being divided into a section covering all of the approaches and another covering all of the climbs. McLane writes to a high standard and this book is no exception.

There are some fairly accessible day climbs in here as well as some monsters. Would you believe that there's a 37 pitch rock route only a few hours from Vancouver?

International : United Kingdom : Wales : Snowdonia

Rock Climbing in Snowdonia

Paul Williams - Frances Lincoln New Ed edition (July 19, 2006)
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Even though it's a select there's a big collection of routes in this guide, and not just the total classics - more than enough for a climber making a vacation visit. Due to space constraints the descriptions are not as colorful as the individual guidebooks, but it's great value.

A must have for anyone interested.

Paul Williams was a well-known rock climber and mountain photographer. He died at the age of 49 in a climbing accident on Froggatt Edge in 1995.

The Mountain Men

Alan Hankinson - out of print do a web search.
I love this book.

Here's a review by Colin Wells of On The Edge Magazine (posted at planetFear.com):

What�s the gist?
Eccentric elements of the late Victorian & Edwardian bourgeoisie invent mad new British sport one drizzly Easter bank holiday. It involves slimy gullies, waxed moustaches, Meerschaum pipes, and standing on each others� shoulders in a manfully, but vaguely homo-erotic way. Rock climbing is born!
Are they any good?
In other hands, the narrative could have been as dry as a gentleman�s snuff box but ex-ITN newshound Hankinson employs his journalistic skills to great effect, bringing the landscape and the characters of the protean Edwardian climbing scene come alive as if it were but yesterday. The Mountain Men recalls the hard nuts who grappled with the Welsh volcanic battlements of Snowdonia, which is both educational and entertaining.