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Elevation: 8,554 ft
GPS: 40.40599, -105.53429
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 265,845 total · 941/month
Shared By: Charles Vernon on Dec 31, 2000
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC
Warning Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Raptor Closures lifted 7/28/23 DetailsDrop down
Warning Access Issue: Closure Notice DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

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.

Getting There Suggest change

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.

80 Total Climbs

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Classic Climbing Routes at The Book

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 270
Osiris
Trad 5 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 618
Pear Buttress
Trad 5 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 287
Loose Ends
Trad 5 pitches
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 306
J-Crack
Trad 4 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 254
Cheap Date
Trad
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 64
Visual Aids
Trad 4 pitches
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b
 19
High Plains Drifter
Trad, Sport 5 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 213
Fat City Crack
Trad 3 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 110
Outlander
Trad 2 pitches
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 39
Howling at the Wind
Trad 3 pitches
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c
 36
Living Dead
Trad
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 21
Corner Pump Station
Trad 3 pitches
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 22
Dead Boy Direct
Trad
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b
 10
Renaissance Wall
Sport 3 pitches
5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b
 22
El Camino Real
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Osiris Pages Wall Area
 270
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad 5 pitches
Pear Buttress J-Crack Slab Area
 618
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad 5 pitches
Loose Ends J-Crack Slab Area
 287
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad 5 pitches
J-Crack J-Crack Slab Area
 306
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad 4 pitches
Cheap Date Pages Wall Area
 254
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Visual Aids J-Crack Slab Area
 64
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad 4 pitches
High Plains Drifter Pages Wall Area
 19
5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad, Sport 5 pitches
Fat City Crack Pages Wall Area
 213
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad 3 pitches
Outlander Pages Wall Area
 110
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad 2 pitches
Howling at the Wind Pages Wall Area
 39
5.11a/b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Trad 3 pitches
Living Dead Isis Buttress
 36
5.11b 6c 23 VIII- 23 E3 5c Trad
Corner Pump Station Pages Wall Area
 21
5.11c 6c+ 24 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad 3 pitches
Dead Boy Direct Isis Buttress
 22
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Renaissance Wall Renaissance Wall
 10
5.12c 7b+ 27 IX- 27 E6 6b Sport 3 pitches
El Camino Real Pages Wall Area
 22
5.12+ 7c 28 IX 27 E6 6b Trad
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