Red Rocks Guidebook Recommendation

[bstach]

 

I am heading to Red Rocks this weekend for the first time in years. I have the old Swain guide (Rock Climbing Red Rocks from Falcon Press), but it must be 10 years old.

 

So I am wondering what guide book I should buy that covers new route development in the last 10 years. A "select" type guide might be best as we are only down for 3 days and don't expect to be making frequent trips.

 

Any suggestions?

 

I'll probably re-visit some of my old favorites (Frogland, Black Orpheus, Olive Oil) but would love to get on some new stuff too.

[Lithophiliac]

I highly recommend the Jerry Handren book. Comprehensive and with very few errors.

 

http://www.redrocksguidebook.com/contact-us.html

 

Just got back from an 8 day trip down there myself. Awesome as usual. You will have a blast.

[dennyt]

Agreed, the Handren book is good. Gearlooptopo.com is great for the multipitch routes too. Really nice when you need a reminder where to go on the next pitch, how far it is, and if there are bolts at the anchor. Which apparently I have trouble with.

[billcoe]

Handren.

A "select" type guide might be best

The Supertopo is a good select book. Limited though.

 

ST book in use about a week ago on a P2 or 3. I might have the ST book upsidedown but it's easy to read. I'm more likely to take the ST book out as it's light. The Handren book is awesome in all respects except in one:weight:-)

 

If I walk a mile and a half to climb a 7/9 pitch route where I'm planning to carry our gear up and over, I'm more likely to leave the Handren book in the car, and if the route has a line:-( Hard to go do another route unless you are familiar....grrr.

[shapp]

Anything but Brock's book

[David Yount]

 

If you want coverage of the significant route developement since 2000 then you will only find it in Jerry Handren's 2007 guidebook. It has a signficant price tag and it's easily worth it. Here's an inventory of what's on my shelf:

 

Red Rocks

A Climber's Guide

Jerry handren

2007

black cover, color photographs, comprehensive, accurate, excellent, a beautiful guidebook, truly awesome, as others have already made clear this book is accurate

 

 

Red Rock Canyon

A Climbing Guide

Roxanna Brock

2005

red cover, contains dangerous errors leading teams off route on numerous occassions, as others have made clear this book is to be avoided even if given to you for free

 

 

Red Rock Odyssey

Calssic Traditional Climbs

Larry DeAngelo

2004

smaller sized, blue cover, rich in histroy with first person accounts and excellent stories and also a select guidebook

 

 

Red Rocks Climbing

Greg Barnes

Supertopo

2004

smaller sized, it's a select guidebook covering mostly only classics and doing a very good job on the routes it covers

 

 

The Red Rocks of Southern Nevada

Joanne Urioste

1984

very small sized to be brought on-route, white cover (original edition had a red cover), concise route descriptions from the 80's

 

Red Rock Canyon

The Red Book Supplement

Joanne Urioste

2003

thin pamphlet, white cover, supplements the 1984 edition

 

 

Red Rocks Select

Todd Swain

1995

the standard, for a short while

 

Rock Climbing Red Rocks

Falcon Guide

Todd Swain

2000

his updated and more comprehensive book

 

Classic Rock Climbs

Red Rocks Nevada

Falcon Guide

Todd Swain

2001

an inexpensive book for those not planning on more than some of the usual popular lines

 

[Drederek]

Anything but Brock's book

If you like Swains guide you should get Brocks, they are both likely to send you on an unanticipated adventure. Plus you can rip out the pages with the climbs you want to do on them and leave the rest behind without a single qualm.

[ScaredSilly]

I finally said screw it and went back to using Joanne's book. It may be old but at least it is correct. I have not yet used Handren's book but seem to have heard it was good.