preferred guidebook for Squamish?

Not even sure if there's more than one option yet, but if there is, do people have a favorite?

Squamish Select by Marc Bourdon.. Quickdraw publications

You can buy one on the net or at Vahilla Pure Outfitters in town.

Kirby1013 wrote: Squamish Select by Marc Bourdon.. Quickdraw publications You can buy one on the net or at Vahilla Pure Outfitters in town.

Thanks Kirby! How'd you like Squamish?

There are a few options. Two authors have Squamish guidebooks available currently: Marc Bourdon and Kevin McLane. Bourdon writes Squamish Select, which relatively recently put out a 3rd edition. It is excellent, and covers a lot of routes (as far as Select books go, it is quite extensive). It covers just about anything a visitor to the area will want to climb, even if you are there for a full summer. For a comprehensive book, go to McLane's The Climber's Guide to Squamish. It is fairly well done, but a bit harder to use (as a first-time visitor) than the Select book. While it would be useful to a long-time local, a lot of the additional stuff isn't what a visitor will want to climb anyway. The most recent McLane book is also pretty old now; the new edition should be out soon, they say, but not quite yet.

Summary: get Bourdon's Squamish Select book. Bourdon also wrote the Squamish Bouldering guidebook, which is excellent and worth looking in to as well.

If its your first visit to Squamish - or if its a one-time trip and you don't know when you'll be back, I think the new Select guide has enough material to keep anyone busy regardless of how hard they climb. Get that to start with, and if it doesn't keep you busy, pick up the comprehensive guide in town while you're there.

Optimistic wrote: Thanks Kirby! How'd you like Squamish?

Sorry! I didn't see your reply until now. I love Squamish!! I got a place in Whistler about 5 years ago because I enjoy the Sea to Sky so much. The climbing is as awesome as the people you meet there. There's so many different spots to hit from TR to multipitch. There's spots to hit when it's raining. A ton of sport and trad, tons of cracks and everything in between I'm not a strong climber but there's still lots for me and the wife to do. The only thing is the crowds on weekends sometimes. I think you'll be pumped after flipping through the guidebook!

Thanks to everyone who commented. We're here using the Bourdon guide now and it's been great, hasn't steered us wrong yet. Squamish is awesome!

bourdon guide is indeed excellent, although some of the quality ratings are all over the map. he might be one of those twisted dudes though! :)