Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
The Book Rock Climbing
Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
| Elevation: | 8,554 ft | 2,607 m |
| GPS: |
40.40599, -105.53429 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
|
| Page Views: | 266,432 total · 906/month | |
| Shared By: | Charles Vernon on Dec 31, 2000 | |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: 2024 Partial Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/21/24
Details
From the Denver Post 7/21/24: some of the raptor closures have been lifted, officials announced.
Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.
Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.
Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Upper & Lower Twin Owls, Rock One, The Book and access trail, Bookmark, and Left Book were opened based on a park new release.
Closures have been extended for Thunder Buttress, access trail, The Parish, Cathedral Wall.
Closures above the Loch Vale-Sky Pond trail have been extended.
Per Brent Frazier: the raptor closures have been lifted in the Lumpy Ridge and Loch Vale Areas ( nps.gov/romo/raptor-closure…)
Each year, Rocky Mountain National Park initiates temporary closures in certain areas of the park to ensure that birds of prey will be undisturbed during their breeding and nesting seasons. These closures begin on February 15 and continue through July 31, if appropriate. Monitoring by park staff and volunteers have determined that all remaining closures can be lifted on July 28, 2023.
Per Matt Coghill: the Golden eagle nesting activity has extended Lumpy closures through Aug. 15, 2022 on Sundance, Thunder Buttress, and Needle Summit!
Per A.Eaton: the raptor closures have been lifted as of 6/4/2022 at Lumpy for the following formations:
Twin Owls
Rock One
Batman Rock
Batman Pinnacle
Checkerboard
Lightning Rock
Per the Denver Post: as of Feb. 15, 2022, Checkerboard Rock, Lightning Rock, Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Sundance, Thunder Buttress, The Parish, Bookmark Pinnacle, The Left Book, Bookmark, Twin Owls, Rock One, and the Needle are closed for raptor nesting. These closures will continue through July 31, 2022 if needed.
All areas [were] OPEN to climbing for the 2021 post July season.
Closures ending July 31:
Batman Rock, Batman Pinnacle, Lightning Rock, Checkerboard Rock - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Sundance - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
The Book Area: Left Book, The Bookmark, Bookmark Pinnacle, and the entire Book formation (including Renaissance Wall, Isis Buttress, Pages Wall Area, and J-Crack Slab Area)- nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Thunder Buttress and The Parish - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Twin Owls and Rock One - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
Cathedral Wall - nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/…
When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.
Areas not listed are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.
Description
In the opinion of many, the Book is the finest cliff on Lumpy Ridge. It certainly offers the best non-wide crack climbing (if you like them wide, head for Twin Owls!). Many long, striking crack and dihedral lines grace the complex cliff, which rises to heights of 600'. Due to the cliff's predominant less-than-vertical aspect, many of these lines check in at under 5.10, though there are plenty of test-pieces at 5.10 and 5.11 as well. A few bolt-protected 5.12s are scattered about, and true hardpersons can attempt the 5.13+ crack line of Country Boy, first freed by Tommy Caldwell.
Some recommended routes would include Pear Buttress at 5.8; Loose Ends and J-Crack at 5.9; Fat City, Cheap Date, and many others at 5.10, and any of the 5.11 routes such as Howling at the Wind that ascend in or near the Howling dihedral. The Renaissance Wall and El Camino Real are said to be good 5.12 routes. The Book also has many 1-pitch routes (including first pitches of longer lines) which are a good alternative if the weather looks iffy for a longer route. Fixed anchors seem to come and go, however...
DESCENT: From the very top of the cliff, one can walk east a ways, beyond a steep broken area, and then contour back to the base (long and easy). Many routes end just above the "Cave" on the right side of the Book. From here, scramble out on a narrow, exposed ledge east to its end, and downclimb a groove (or do a short rappel from a tree a little ways out). From the bottom of the groove, go southeast (easier but longer) to walking terrain, or head southwest down more grooves to a cairn at the top of a east-angling chimney/gully. Go down that and one more chimney to walking terrain. Like the east slabs descent in Eldorado Canyon, this shorter descent should not be attempted in the dark or when wet unless you are familiar with it. Some considere the grooves to be 4th Class. No rappel route exists that I know of, and none is needed.
Some recommended routes would include Pear Buttress at 5.8; Loose Ends and J-Crack at 5.9; Fat City, Cheap Date, and many others at 5.10, and any of the 5.11 routes such as Howling at the Wind that ascend in or near the Howling dihedral. The Renaissance Wall and El Camino Real are said to be good 5.12 routes. The Book also has many 1-pitch routes (including first pitches of longer lines) which are a good alternative if the weather looks iffy for a longer route. Fixed anchors seem to come and go, however...
DESCENT: From the very top of the cliff, one can walk east a ways, beyond a steep broken area, and then contour back to the base (long and easy). Many routes end just above the "Cave" on the right side of the Book. From here, scramble out on a narrow, exposed ledge east to its end, and downclimb a groove (or do a short rappel from a tree a little ways out). From the bottom of the groove, go southeast (easier but longer) to walking terrain, or head southwest down more grooves to a cairn at the top of a east-angling chimney/gully. Go down that and one more chimney to walking terrain. Like the east slabs descent in Eldorado Canyon, this shorter descent should not be attempted in the dark or when wet unless you are familiar with it. Some considere the grooves to be 4th Class. No rappel route exists that I know of, and none is needed.
Getting There
From the new parking lot, take the west trail towards the old Twin Owls parking lot ~0.6 miles up and over a rise. Then it is another fairly flat mile to the turnoff to the right for The Book area. Then there is a fork for the Bookmark (left) and Book (right). It is ~2.1 miles total with ~900' gain taking ~45-50 minutes to approach.
The Book is a complex cliff; here is an attempt to describe it: starting from the east, as you view the south-facing cliff from the Black Canyon trail, note a broken area of slabs and gullies (the Cave descent). Just left is the beautiful J-Crack Slab, sporting the very long parallel crack lines of Femp and J-Crack, and several other excellent crack lines to their left. Above are some reddish overhangs on the right, a cavernous overhang (The Cave!), and to the left, a short, steep headwall capping the cliff.
The next major landmark is the Howling at the Wind dihedral, a massive, overhanging left-facing corner which extends about halfway up the cliff. Many superb and intimidating free lines attack this feature and the overhangs nearby. Left of it are narrow, smooth slabs, with an arching roof band about 150 feet up. The next section is obvious: an area of deep grooves which extend the entire length of the cliff, known as the Pages Wall. Left again are two massive chimneys running the entire height of the cliff (Book of the Dead Chimney and Requiem Chimney). A narrow prow between the two, known as the Isis Buttress, offers many excellent routes. The western-most chimney includes the brilliant Renaissance Wall, home to numerous hard bolted & naturally protected climbs. Left of the west-most chimney the cliff becomes broken and unappealing for a long stretch and no routes are recorded here. Below this broken area is The Bookmark, a subsidary cliff about 400 feet high, described elsewhere.
The Book is a complex cliff; here is an attempt to describe it: starting from the east, as you view the south-facing cliff from the Black Canyon trail, note a broken area of slabs and gullies (the Cave descent). Just left is the beautiful J-Crack Slab, sporting the very long parallel crack lines of Femp and J-Crack, and several other excellent crack lines to their left. Above are some reddish overhangs on the right, a cavernous overhang (The Cave!), and to the left, a short, steep headwall capping the cliff.
The next major landmark is the Howling at the Wind dihedral, a massive, overhanging left-facing corner which extends about halfway up the cliff. Many superb and intimidating free lines attack this feature and the overhangs nearby. Left of it are narrow, smooth slabs, with an arching roof band about 150 feet up. The next section is obvious: an area of deep grooves which extend the entire length of the cliff, known as the Pages Wall. Left again are two massive chimneys running the entire height of the cliff (Book of the Dead Chimney and Requiem Chimney). A narrow prow between the two, known as the Isis Buttress, offers many excellent routes. The western-most chimney includes the brilliant Renaissance Wall, home to numerous hard bolted & naturally protected climbs. Left of the west-most chimney the cliff becomes broken and unappealing for a long stretch and no routes are recorded here. Below this broken area is The Bookmark, a subsidary cliff about 400 feet high, described elsewhere.
Classic Climbing Routes at The Book
Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
Weather Averages
|
High
|
Low
|
|
Precip
|
Days w Precip
|
Prime Climbing Season
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
Photos
![View of [[105833341]], [[105744823]] and the Book as seen from the southwest.](https://mountainproject.com/assets/photos/climb/105988714_smallMed_1558387702.jpg?cache=1721491380)
All Photos Within The Book
Most Popular · Newest · RandomMore About The Book
Printer-FriendlyWhat's New
Guidebooks (10)
6 Comments