corvallisclimb Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 oregon has not seen a complete rock climbing guide like the dodge guide for 30 years or when ever the last edition was published. is there just a lack of want or need for something like this through out the oregon climbing community. or just no one has wanted to get up off there ass and embark on a project like that. there is a lot of stuff out there choss and no choss, and more exploration to be had. what are other peoples inputs on this sort of thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 If Falcon produces one, I am sure it will suck like the Arizona and Washington ones do. I say let the locals produce there own guides to their local spots. May be the local guide sales could fund some Crag maintenance. There are so many small local crags around Oregon I doubt one or two people could collaborate and produce something accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 If Falcon produces one, I am sure it will suck like the Arizona and Washington ones do. I say let the locals produce there own guides to their local spots. Aren't most of the Falcon guidebooks just rebadged guidebooks written by locals that Falcon acquired by buying up the local publisher  They have some crappy books, but also excellent ones written by local climbers like Eric Horst's Rock Climbing Va, W Va & MD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 I can't speak to those you mention, but the Washington State Falcon guide pretty much sucks. For example the section on Darrigton appears to be written by someone who has either not climbed there for a decade or at all. Like wise I used the guide to Arizona and it also was very lame. However, some smaller non-brand name guides kick ass such as the CD guide to Darrington that D. Whitlaw put out or a host of other Washingto guides. I think sticking with the small guides lets local area people get some credit and fundage for their work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 I like the local guides because they bring some personality to the place too. Reading Watts' Smith Rock guide for example definitely gets you in "smith mode" and Jeff Thomas' Oregon High sets the mood with good history in the oregon cascades. And these aren't even exactly "small local" guides. Â I like opening up the smith guide back home and having bits of sagebrush fall out too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 I like the local guides because they bring some personality to the place too. Reading Watts' Smith Rock guide for example definitely gets you in "smith mode" and Jeff Thomas' Oregon High sets the mood with good history in the oregon cascades. And these aren't even exactly "small local" guides. I like opening up the smith guide back home and having bits of sagebrush fall out too  umm. Iain - did you know The Smith Rock guidebook is published by Falcon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 Considering how big just the Smith Rocks second edition is (need SUV to carry it around in), a complete Oregon guide would probably require multiple Brittanica-sized volumes and the destruction of thousands of acres of old growth forest for pulpwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 I am aware of who publishes the Smith Rock guidebooks. I was just saying I like the idea of keeping a local guidebook, rather than something like the washington rock book, as the guidebook can enhance a visit to an area with history etc. more than just illustrating routes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvallisclimb Posted November 29, 2004 Author Share Posted November 29, 2004 yeah i was thinking a guide w out smith. i was thinking of this as a projct that i may like to embark on, and was wondering what people thoughts where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldManRock Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 If you want to write a guide book - Be prepared to have everybody who was asked for info, seen requests for info and did not respond, who knew somebody was writing one but did not want anybody to know thier special place, etc be your worst critic when it appears in print - "I did the first of that route", "Its a lower grade than that", The worst route description I have ever seen" - Over a beer or two, Nick Dodge, Jeff Thomas, and Greg Orton have told me stories of how people seem only be able to spot errors after the fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 Oldman: weren't you saying Jeff is coming out with a revision soon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgw Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 Two yrs. ago or so I heard rummors that some lady was writing an OR scrambles book. I'm guessing that it would not cover anything over class 3 (Wallowa/Cascades/Elkhorns scrambles?). Would love to see an updated Dodge or Thomas -type guidebooks. Orton is supposedly working on 2nd edition to his (excellent IMHO) book that will incorporate Jim Anglin's Menagerie guide. Â On the flip side, having old Dodge or Thomas guides as your ONLY sources for beta makes for some rewarding pinnacle bagging / choss thrashing. Â So what happened to Watts's updated edition ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriznitch Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 Two yrs. ago or so I heard rummors that some lady was writing an OR scrambles book. I'm guessing that it would not cover anything over class 3 (Wallowa/Cascades/Elkhorns scrambles?) I heard about that too. I know she was working on it last year. It will be put out by the mountaineers and prolly match the Washington version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldManRock Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Jeff Thomas has a higher prioity book project going right now, but is still working on a new version of his guide kinda in the background - You can't keep a good writer down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORScrambles Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 Yes, it is true that "a lady" (me) started an OR scrambles book nearly two years ago. I did the last scramble in August - so it's done! Â The book is coming out in Spring 2005. Â Includes stuff like Mount Thielsen, but mostly 3rd class. Wallowas, Strawberries, Elkhorns, SE peaks, etc. Â The Dodge book is still a good resource, I like his understated descriptions. Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo_Montalban Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 bb, i'm looking forward to it! -rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin_Matlock Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 Yes, it is true that "a lady" (me) started an OR scrambles book nearly two years ago. I did the last scramble in August - so it's done! The book is coming out in Spring 2005.  Includes stuff like Mount Thielsen, but mostly 3rd class. Wallowas, Strawberries, Elkhorns, SE peaks, etc.  The Dodge book is still a good resource, I like his understated descriptions.    I can "QA" the material if you want to email me a copy!!!  Damn... hurry up and get that badboy printed; sounds cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgw Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 ORScrambles, Please tell me more about it now that you've peaked my curiosity. What other peaks are in the book - esp. curious about SE Oregon ones & any other less-traveled ones. Thanks! Looking forward to buying that baby in Spring '05! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.