Devils Lake Guidebooks

Seth Jones wrote:Thanks for the review, Woodchuck! Lookin forward to getting my copy.

Didnt' want to write too much and spoil all the fun. I saw an early copy because I guess anyone who paid for ads inside got their copies early this week, before even the pre-paid early buyers do. I think it said 'mid Sept' was the hoped for mail out date. Maybe they will all be on the way this week now that the outfitters and stores got their early copies. Was surprisingly thin; I figured it had to be at least as phat as that Swartling 3rd. edition was, since it was to include Necedah and HH' routes, plus full page color pics, etc.,but it is more on the size of the last two RRG guidebooks that Wolverine put out a year or so ago. Still, a nice improvement and step forward to make a guidebook that looks and is set up like many other guides are now days.

Well the Devils Lake exclusive will have 100 versions of each line which is exciting... sorry, couldn't resist.

sweatpants wrote:Well the Devils Lake exclusive will have 100 versions of each line which is exciting... sorry, couldn't resist.

That's probably not even taking variations that involve a traverse into account.

Ha. I am such a troll.

sweatpants wrote:Ha. I am such a troll.

Acknowledgement is the first step in recovery. Or something.

Woodchuck ATC wrote:Do they include the free solo highballs' that John Gill did on main classic climbs as bouldering routes these days for this new bouldering guidebook?

I would wager that Gill's Crack and Sometimes Crack are not listed as highballs in the bouldering books!

Does every boulderer have his or her definition of a 'highball'.. or does it define by being over say 30 ft. or even less if the landing is a death fall? I just put my backpack down over the sharp rocks at DL if we were gonna solo something stupid back in the day...and a fleece jacket for 'padding'.

Seth Jones wrote: Na, bouldering doesn't involve lugging a rope and full rack so they can carry a bigger book ;)

I beg to differ: they are usually carrying 3 giant pads per person,,,at nearly 300 bucks each,, a cost that out spends my trad rack by 2X ! Go figure. /;-)

Got mine in mail today. Intend to get it signed by everybody who shows up at CraggNClassic weekend. Have your favorite color sharpie ready to go.

According to USPS tracking my copy should be waiting at home for me. Just have to finish work.

But now I'm going to have The Waiting by Tom Petty going though my head all day.

Mine arrived today! Loving the format and pretty pictures. One portion cracked me up, though:

"Despite rumors to the contrary, cams work well on the quartzite." Gee, Jay...where did those rumors come from?? ;)

Ted Pinson wrote:Mine arrived today! Loving the format and pretty pictures. One portion cracked me up, though: "Despite rumors to the contrary, cams work well on the quartzite." Gee, Jay...where did those rumors come from?? ;)

Liar,liar....! they skid like mad on summer humid quartzite..maybe they work better in the cool of fall.

Got mine in the mail Tuesday. Still haven't done more than sim through it. Looks great

Woodchuck ATC wrote:Got mine in mail today. Intend to get it signed by everybody who shows up at CraggNClassic weekend. Have your favorite color sharpie ready to go.

Hey Woodchuck, I'll be selling and signing books at the Wildside tent starting at 6pm on Friday and 5pm on Saturday.

All I've got are black sharpies, so if you want another color, BYOS.

Jay, The new DL guide book sounds like it's very well done. Congrats on your effort. Do you happen to know where I can preview a copy in culturally deprived Boulder? I would like to at least kick the tires a little before I buy it. I won't be able to test drive it in the backyard since I live in Eldo, but will probably throw down the coin for a copy for historical purposes and inspiration. Once again mad props for putting out a modern guide book to an area that deserves one and is very special to many a punter.
Now puke, Steve S.

Edit: Thanks for the prompt e-mail response Jay.

Steve Sangdahl wrote:Jay, The new DL guide book sounds like it's very well done. Congrats on your effort. Do you happen to know where I can preview a copy in culturally deprived Boulder? I would like to at least kick the tires a little before I buy it. I won't be able to test drive it in the backyard since I live in Eldo, but will probably throw down the coin for a copy for historical purposes and inspiration. Once again mad props for putting out a modern guide book to an area that deserves one and is very special to many a punter. Now puke, Steve S. Edit: Thanks for the prompt e-mail response Jay.

Definitely worth for at least cultural and historic comparison. As little as I even look at any of my new/old guide books these days for DL,,I will set it in view on a prominent shelf at home side by side to the Anarchists' guide pamphlet for a superb comparison of how complex, detailed and professionally printed a guidebook has become in this age. Great sidbars and color pics make it worth it too. Now if I can just corral Pete and force him to sign my copy next weekend. !

Any clue as to where I might be able to purchase one in person? Shops that might stock in the area? Visiting next week and would like to pick one up.

BenRobert wrote:Any clue as to where I might be able to purchase one in person? Shops that might stock in the area? Visiting next week and would like to pick one up.

Wildside.

Well we sure kept Jay busy signing books both nights at the fest. I had mentioned in a post last week that I was going to locate my old original copy of Hoofers guidebook that got me started in mid 70's at DL. Forgot to bring it along to the fest, but took some pics here to show it off.
Book sat on lab table one day in nitric acid, so the back side got eaten through and turned pages brown or disintegrated it. My 'binding' was to take the double pages copied on legal paper, and drill holes in end, and attach, tie together with some used paint sticks.
Hand scrawled notes are from that era. Note the belief that Bagatelle, listed as A3, was written in as possibly 5.10c. Nobody was trying to claim 5.12 in the era of 'maybe' 5.11 coming to reality...how conservative we were in our claims to difficulty! Also included the F' rating sample page from the old guide. Can't believe I lived, dreamed of those routes and ratings based on what that book told me for about 4 years before the first pocket edition by Widule & Swartling was available.

Tom Hanson wrote:Extremists Guide II? One could only hope.

FYI, There is an Extremists Guide II, I have a copy, but it was never published,

Alex A wrote: FYI, There is an Extremists Guide II, I have a copy, but it was never published,

Alex, we need some copies of that!