City of rocks guidebook

[Quarryographer]

Hey all! I'm in the market for a Guidebook to City of rocks. There's a few options online, and it seems the Dave Bingham is prob the best bet? Any feedback would be helpful.

 

[stevetimetravlr]

You might want to buy the Castle Rocks guidebook also. Its available at the Ranger Station in Almo last time I was there or online.

[genepires]

I think the falcon guide (calderone?) is better than the Bingham one. Ditto on getting some info on castle rocks area too.

[genepires]

there is some online pretty comprehensive page for castle rocks. lots and lots of photos. unfortunately I don't know the link but it should still be out there.

[ScaredSilly]

I think the falcon guide (calderone?) is better than the Bingham one. Ditto on getting some info on castle rocks area too.

 

That one was a piece of shit and was basically recalled by Falcon because of all of issues with it. Get Dave Bingham's books. They will get you the crag and back without issue.

[Quarryographer]

Thanks all! Isn't there a closure ay Castle currently?

 

[genepires]

I got a message from access fund that the closure was on BLM land and that most of the climbing was on rec land or something. All the negative info may have been misinformed. or not. the best bet is to call the ranger station there.

 

back when I got the falcon guide, it was way better than the 2nd ed bingham guidebook which I had been using for years before. hopefully the 7th ed of the binham got the weakness out of it. I have never had any issues with info from the falcon guide so I don't know where the "piece of shit" part comes from.

 

but it is all a moot point since the falcon book is $900 used on amazon. really?

Edited June 1, 2013 by genepires

[Drederek]

Binghams 7th ed seems pretty good to me, it is more of a real guidebook than some of the earlier ones. Its very similar to the blue tieton guide or Viktors first Leavenworth guide. Getting to some of the more remote crags can be adventurous! I believe the whole Bingham/Calderone controversy has its roots in the Almo massacre, or the reporting of it anyway.

[Quarryographer]

Thanks for all the beta! Finally got the books, Binham 7th City and Castle. Realized camping was difficult and reserved out months ago. The website isn't very user friendly. Just want to find a spot to car camp (sleep in the car) everything available is walk in. For this kind of hassle I'll just go to the Valley... Off to find a better destination...

 

[John Frieh]

BLM land is free and extremely close to the climbing. It's in the guidebook

[Quarryographer]

Wow! Awesome! Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for...

 

[Quarryographer]

Just found the little sentence about BLM. Where is it?

 

[markwebster]

it is just past Smoky Mountain Campground which is here:

http://www.nps.gov/ciro/planyourvisit/smoky-mountain-campground.htm

 

For BLM camping, instead of turning left into smoky mountain campground, continue straight up the road, which gets very rocky. Access in a 2 wheel drive car is scary, but people do it. the camping up there is free, and unregulated. People leave their tents up for a week.

 

City of rocks is my new Yosemite. Closer drive, closer bolts, less crowded, great cracks, lots of domes for sun or climbing in the shade, ton's of moderates (under 5.10)...what's not to like?

 

We will be there Friday...site 50, in the city proper. Stop in and say hi!

[Quarryographer]

Thanks again! We'll be rolling in a week from tomorrow. If you're still there, we'll have a beer!

[markwebster]

Sue and I will be there a week. White Rav4 with a wood rack on top.