Desert Guidebook (UT/CO)

Taking my first trip to the UT/CO desert next month (March 20-30). We're flying to Denver, picking up friends, and driving to Grand Junction, Moab, and the San Rafael Swell. We like everything from short, hard sport to long, multi-pitch trad, at grades from easy to hard. Guidebook recommendations? Anything that covers all these areas? A quick search on Amazon left me with too many options. Thanks!

As far as I know, you'll be needing the Eric Bjornstad collection. If you find something to cover it all le'me know (but it may be too big to handle)!

For a trip of that length you really don't need go go all-out with a major collection of books; a basic select guidebook should have you pretty well covered. I like Fred Knapps' Classic Desert Climbs guidebook. I have an older edition (it looks like they're on to the 3rd edition by now), but I imagine the new one covers the same stuff as my old one. It has everything you need for to weeks, and covers all the areas you mentioned (with primary emphasis on Moab area, but also enough information for San Rafael and Colorado national monument). Its a pretty good book with reasonably clear descriptions, and is cheap and compact.

mountaingear.com/pages/prod…

Hope this helps

I have every desert guidebook out there and I think that the Burns guidebook, Selected Climbs in the Desert Southwest , is the best overview. The one bad thing, however, is that it doesn't have the Swell in it. But you can find a lot of Swell information here on MP.

+1 for the Burns book. It does in fact have some Swell info.

Oh yeah, you're right!

I think that if I could only have one guide for the trip (wow that would suck) I would probably go with Fred Knapp's new "Classic Desert Climbs." It has good maps, all the classics, up to date information, and even some bouldering for the non-rope days.

That being said, I would probably shell out for the new "Indian Creek" guide and at least one of the Eric Bjornstad books (depending on what area you are planning on spending the bulk of your time in). Might I suggest you plan to stop at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder on your way out as they have the biggest guidebook library in North America (or the world), it is only 25 min north of I-70, and a must experience for any true climber (I mean, they have Hillary's Everest boots on Display! Nuff said!)

Most of all, have a F$#%ing awesome time. The "desert" of western CO and eastern UT is without question the most magical place in the continental US. Tread lightly and treat everything with respect and you will be rightly rewarded.

Anyone have a copy of the original Desert Rock they want to get rid of for cheap.

coop wrote:Anyone have a copy of the original Desert Rock they want to get rid of for cheap.

Coop
I found DR I online $4.00 plus shipping $3.99
DR II the cheapest was $40.00 with free shipping.

Where at? Amazon?

for the original desert rock you should expect to pay around $100 minimum. not many copies out there and lots of demand. i was on the wait list at both amazon and chessler for months before i got a copy, and when i did it wasn't cheap.

shiz, if you find it for a hundy let me know. seems like i always see it around $200.

You just have to check Amazon religiously. I picked up Desert Rock I for $20 once, and about the same for 50 Classic Climbs. Desert Rock is going for $115 today, but seems to dip below a hundred fairly often. (Rather than having and checking the price of stocks, I check the price of my rare books)

k, i will keep searching

and the search continues for a copy of the Original Desert Rock, i heard that someone had a digital version???

just checking back on the availability of a digital version of the Original Desert Rock? Anyone?

anybody see any flying pigs around lately?

They have it at the ACC library in Golden. Go in there and blow your wad all over it...get it out of your system, then realize that there really isn't that much in there besides the Reservation stuff that isn't covered in much better detail and more accurately in every other desert guidebook.

PS, they have a photocopier in the library

just checking back on the availability of a digital version of the Original Desert Rock? Anyone?