Guidebooks you've willingly overpaid for?

Everyone's got that 'white whale' guidebook: the one that's been out of print for 10+ years, covers an area no other guidebook does, and whose author always promises to come out with a new edition but it keeps getting delayed. Then, you see that listing on amazon: $50 for an 80 page staple-bound guidebook with hand-drawn topos. You say fk it, pull the trigger, and spend more on a crappy old guidebook than any of your new 500 page color guidebooks. 

What's that book for you? If you've got several in that category, what's the biggest jackpot and the biggest regret?

Huey’s Ten Sleep guidebook. Absolutely legendary.

An Ice Climbers Guide to Munising Michigan has been a good read. 

The Original Desert Rock by Bjornstad

Paul Piana's Touch the Sky to the Black Hills Needles

I’m Willing to help anybody join the club with my original copy of desert rock

Levin's 2nd edition of the Eldo guide was out of print for the longest time. I found it for sale online from a small gear shop in the UK that was clearing old stock and had one copy. I bit the bullet on shipping and my bank called me about paying in GBP, but it was worth it.

I've got a copy of the original Desert Rock that I'll part with for $90 and shipping. . . 

Please PM if you are willing to sell this book to me. I'll gladly pay good money. Thanks!

Telluride Rocks

An Arial photo Atlas for the in-bounds and out/of-bounds skiing at Las Leñas, Argentina. I had to go to a dozen bookstores in Mendoza to find one, they’d been out of print for years. I paid FULL gringo price, prolly 10x what they sold for while available…

Happy to share scans if anyone’s headed that way, it’s pretty valuable for navigating down there… PM me

Chris Cwrote:

I thought I overpayed for this one till I checked on the price about a month ago and it was double what I paid last year at this time. I was shocked.  The writing in that book really is great! 

ZT Gwrote:

I thought I overpayed for this one till I checked on the price about a month ago and it was double what I paid last year at this time. I was shocked.  The writing in that book really is great! 

Yeah, I managed to get one for $90 off the forum here. Both a splurge and a good deal. Fantastic book indeed. RIP Joseph Puryear. 

I’d love to find a pristine copy of Yosemite Climbs. Those topo sheets that came out in the early 80s with a green cover, held together by two rings. Anyone have one?

Daniel Joderwrote:

I’d love to find a pristine copy of Yosemite Climbs. Those topo sheets that came out in the early 80s with a green cover, held together by two rings. Anyone have one?

Late 70s, I think. I recall leafing through my copy while overnighting in Euston railway station, London, en route to The Valley in 1979; one of the various punks who appeared to spend their nights there was looking over my shoulder and got very excited about names like Magic Mushroom and Mescalito. The hardback yellow volume was published in 1982.

Edit: 1976, according to the preface of the 1982 edition.

ZT Gwrote:

I thought I overpayed for this one till I checked on the price about a month ago and it was double what I paid last year at this time. I was shocked.  The writing in that book really is great! 

I have a mint copy of "Alaska Climbing" by Puryear in awesome condition if anyone wants to make an offer.  Barely been cracked, had it a long time, and with 2 kids, I don't think I'll be using it for real. 

Might be time to update my pinnacles and JTree guides too.  I keep getting lost. 

Daniel Joderwrote:

I’d love to find a pristine copy of Yosemite Climbs. Those topo sheets that came out in the early 80s with a green cover, held together by two rings. Anyone have one?

I have yellow cover guide from 82 and blue cover from 87 if you want those.  Both in quite good condition.  

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison, only because I am in it.

Thanks, tall guy. I’m holding out for that loose leaf topo set… and, yeah, late 70s, I stand corrected. It was pretty cutting edge for the times.