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Mad Max
Trad climber
Bakersfield
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 3, 2015 - 09:28am PT
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What is the most rare and exotic, revered and holy guidebook of all climbing and alpine literature?
For me, the Needles guidebook comes to mind, since I've only ever heard of it and the few that are around for sale cost anywhere from $160-$450 for a used copy.
Show me what a REAL good guidebook looks like.
Cheers,
Max
EDIT: This thread has gotten to be pretty amazing, I never would have ever guessed there were so many guidebooks published before the 60's and I was wrong.
Thanks for all your contributions, it's cool to hear,read,or see little bits about what life was like before the whole world got smaller.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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You did say holy, didn't you? I'll let you handle it, under my supervision.
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Mad Max
Trad climber
Bakersfield
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2015 - 09:46am PT
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Now we're talkin'!
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Mad Max
Trad climber
Bakersfield
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2015 - 10:44am PT
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better make a PDF of it and keep the original in a fireproof file safe, That thing will probably be worth thousands
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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None of the aforementioned guides is even scarce, least of all rare.
But, like most things that are "collected," where demand exceeds readily available supply, prices go up. The Moser, et al Needles Guide demands high bucks because (until Kris's guide comes out) it is the most current and only "available" guidebook for the area. [It would be a VERY POOR investment of $$ unless you absolutely have to have it as a guide to the area. Otherwise, once Kris' guide comes out, expect prices and interest to plummet.]
The Beckey guides are not really that scarce in real terms, but people like them and they are not readily available.
Here are some genuinely Scarce and Rare U.S. guidebooks (there are many more, but I don't have pics to post):
1st Devils Tower Guide - 3 known copies (though I'm sure others are out there somewhere).
1st Needles Guide - a dozen or so copies known.
1st Pinnacles Guide - very scarce.
There are tons more obscure and/or early guides that are genuinely scarce or rare.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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That first Pinnacles guide came to my mind, too. The Fresno County Library had a copy which we borrowed when we first went climbing at Pinnacles in the mid-1960's. About the only things I remember were a picture of Photographer's Delight (incorrectly captioned "Mechanic's Delight") that looked like the summit of the Lost Arrow, and the description of the start of Condor Crags -- "A balance pitch on tweek holds."
John
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dwell
climber
Pollock Pines
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This one might be pretty rare. Old Roper hardcover red guide from 64'. Almost mint condition without dust cover. I also proudly own an old well used Bartlett Sierra Eastside, and an old type paper lovers leap,Consumnes,and Sugarloaf from Gene Drake,RIP.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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The Bartlett East Side guide is a Classic (as are the Roper Red guides). But, none are even remotely scarce (though I would think the Bartlett guide would edge out the Roper guide, even if the Roper guide had a mint dust jacket).
John, Is this the picture to which you were referring?
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dwell
climber
Pollock Pines
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thanks for the info Sketchy. Also have all three of the Moser/Vernon guides. Needles, Domelands and Sequoia/Kings. Living up North never got there much so they are all in great shape. And damn if I didn't lose an old desert rat Joshua Tree, and drove away with one of your old purples on the roof back in the nineties.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Yes, it is, Sketchy.
I have my own version of it:
John
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Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
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I agree with lookssketchy.
I need the Moser needles guide but waiting for price drop to complete the collection.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Hmmmm^^^....I find myself in a surplus (have exceeded the mint shelf and road trip copy minimum for any classic still useful guidebooks).
How much you willing to part with for one in fair condition?
Or, maybe something to trade? There's a few obscure guidebooks I'd like...(any of Randy's posted above...ha ha!).
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Goddammit Vogel, once again you have overlooked the one true Opus of Odiferous SoCal Adolescent Crag Audacity, that sulpherous, testosterone-infused tome of tasteless sandbagged tripe bearing page after page of shameless grade suppression, those days of future passed, pages aglow now with the bronzed smokey patina and hash oil stains of a thousand and one tentbound bunkweed sessions, a monumental rumination on the unique vibrancy of high-school hubris and prescient self-parody -- but above all, at the end of a very long day, a timeless, enduring, and transcendent testament to just how far a bunch of stoned teenagers will go with their fearlessly naive delusions of destiny: that's right, I'm talking about The Scumbag Digest, that inspired volume of unrestrained youthful crag stoke and emergent free-climbing euphoria that launched a thousand ill-fated debacles into the molecular matrix of impenetrable chaparral that is San Diego County climbing.
And here, now, in the year of our lord two thousand and fifteen,with four decades of ripened rumination and mature reflection providing a temperate lens of sober hindsight, there really is only one thing left to say:
"You Gotta Have Vision, Man, You Gotta Have Vision."
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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BVB is correct in that The Scumbag Digest is a truly scarce and highly desirable guidebook. IMHO it also qualifies as a Classic guide worthy of any collection.
I have only a limited number of guides scanned (and lack copies of many others).
Tami, I do have the Woodsworth guide, for what it is worth. A great little early guide to a major North American climbing area.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Isn't the original Stanford Buildering Guide pretty rare?
Somebody recently gave me a mint copy of Roper's Pinnacles Guide--Stoke!
And Reilly, what the heck is that thing??
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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Isn't the original Stanford Buildering Guide pretty rare?
the 2nd Edition, but still quite hard to find.
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Crystal Basin - Branscomb
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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IIRC, only 200 copies of Glenn's 1967 guide were printed. I believe that a scanned version is on the Varsity Outdoors Club's website, as may also be the guide to buildering at UBC, created in about 1968. There may only be one copy of the latter in existence.
For rarity, one might equal but not surpass Jim Baldwin's first guidebook to climbing at Squamish. Hamie has the handprinted version, Glenn has the typed version. Making a grand total of two, one of each variant. There are a few photocopies of the latter around, probably fewer than ten, maybe fewer than five. Although Baldwin's guide was largely reproduced in Culbert's 1965 Coast Range guide.
Oddly, no stand-alone guide to climbing at Squamish says anything about the Touch and Go Towers.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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The original Pinnacles guide by David Hammack cost all of $0.50 and was published by the Sierra Club in 1955. It described about 60 routes (none on Discovery Wall!). There are currently over 1000 known routes at the Pinnacles, over 800 described in Brad Young's excellent 2007 guide.
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Mad Max
Trad climber
Bakersfield
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2015 - 08:39pm PT
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When is the new Needles guidebook coming out?
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F
climber
away from the ground
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Molten World by Paul Turecki. Matnuska Valley, Ak climbing. All hand drawn. 50 Xeroxed copies. One edition. Free.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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And Reilly, what the heck is that thing??
K-man, if I have to explain it you're getting a fatwa dumped on you
for poor reading comprehension.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Here is a photo of Jim Baldwin's hand-written guide to Squamish. As MH mentioned above this is as rare as it gets. ONE copy! At the time there was only 21 routes--now there is well over 2,000.
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Inner City
Trad climber
East Bay
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This thread is a rare and wonderful beauty! thanks!
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Reilly's book is a tourist's guide to the Dome of the Rock shrine. No climbing is allowed. Access Fund has no authority there.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Hunk Guide, first edition
Vogel
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rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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The Hunk Guide was absolutely inspired.
And the Jenny Lake Guide: "These boulders are big boulders, and they make their own weather."
Who/where/what was the first Mt. Roubidoux guide?
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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I betchya this is the rarest guidebook in the United States...
Of course, its value is somewhat diminished...
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rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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Steve Mackay's 1976 Rubidoux Guide, reprinted in 1988. Profit? Nearly nothing. Value? Priceless.
I've got a first edition, spiral bound, somewhere. Make me an offer, BVB.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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How about the original ring-bound Yosemite topo guide by Meyers?
I couldn't sell mine, so I donated it to the AAC Library.
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Cragar
climber
MSLA - MT
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Bouldering in Rockiln CA
I bought it from a fellow named Phil in '91 or '92. He was our FedEx driver for Sonora Mountaineering. I believe it has its own rating system and it should as most of the problems are barely 4-5' overhead. I believe it is fairly rare and must be the smallest gb I have and I have a few of those; I think most are Canadian. It easily fits in any pocket except for the little loose change pocket
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Here is a rare little book:
John Ewbank's guidebook, ( Australia).
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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dwell
climber
Pollock Pines
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Gene was the best, and his descriptions are great, but it was paper. I also have Branscomb's Crystal Basin, and Cottrell's Cal dome...paper. Not really guideBOOKS. Here is my favorite, probably a lot out there. This thing was perfect. Excellent binding, lightweight and nice hand drawn topos. Memories.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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The 1937 version of the Night Climbers Guide to Cambridge?
ABE Books has a copy for $545.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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What about Paul Piana's Touch the Sky, The Needles in the Black Hills of South Dakota. . .
Cheapest one on Bookfinder.com is $159.95
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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Here is a genuinely scarce guide (and historically very interesting as well):
Compiled, edited and published by Brits: Dave Nicol, Pete Livesey and Keith Nannery.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Stanard's fold up Seneca guide printed on a sheet of tyvek...
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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"A CLIMBERS GUIDE TO CATHEDRAL AND WHITE HORSE LEDGES" by Joseph and Karen Cote, $1.50, 1969
Many good granite adventure memories from that book...
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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This one is pretty rare. My friend Gary Clark published it in 1973 & most of the area was drowned by Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River in 1975.
I'm amazed to see that Mountain Project has Granite Point in their inventory of climbing areas.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/granite-point/105834465
It was a fun fall/winter/spring climbing spot for Pullman WA & Moscow ID climbers, before the drowning occcured. There are still some routes above the water level, but not many. Reopening the area would be another good reason to add to, the many other good reasons for removing Lower Granite Dam.
Here's a photo taken by Brit climber/photographer John Cleare when he visited in 1974.
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kpinwalla2
Social climber
WA
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My entry. Red River Gorge guide from 1980 - maybe 200 produced. I'll bet this is the last one.
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Hey mad max-
Just because my mom raised a grammar nazi... "Rarest" would be proper :-)
I doubt any of these are very rare, just local guides to local spots from the late 80's early 90's.
Looking sketchy, how's this one...
It's rated PG (Pre Gordo) lol! Just kidding.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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It just occurred to me that Werner Landry's 1973 Guide to Mission Gorge was the first guide I'd ever even SEEN, much less owned!
Has anybody ever even seen a real-life, in-the-flesh copy of Eric Beck's 1964 guide to Mission Gorge?
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WyoRockMan
climber
Grizzly, WY
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This one is pretty hard to come by lately:
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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The first Needles guide is a good one.
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rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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If not most rare, it certainly is obscure…
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rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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The oldest climber's guide in my stash…
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chill
climber
between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing
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I don't know about exotic but here are my entries for most obscure:
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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That Eleven Mile Canyon Guide is very obscure. One of 200 printed or something like that.
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MisterE
Gym climber
Small Town with a Big Back Yard
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Randy, speaking of only 200 ever printed -
Lost my copy at some point, but have some scans.
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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I have a zerox copy of Ruth Mendenhalls hand drawn topo and route description of the North Face of Strawberry Peak in Angeles Crest near Los Angeles 1939. I think I got it from Secor who gave it to me while I was helping Troy Mayr with the So Cal Sport Climbing Guide. I'll try and dig it up.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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This is a reprint but I suspect that not many copies remain of the original 1964 printing.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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A few Obscure and Rare Items.
BTW: Somewhere I have a Mint copy of Ray Jacqout's Snowy Range Guide.
Here you go Bob:
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Tan Slacks
climber
Joshua Tree
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Certainly not my oldest but I have not seen another copy. I imagine Randy has one.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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TS, I do have a copy. It is simply a wonderful, high quality production. Not rare, but a Classic.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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I have that one too Dan.
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Mad Max
Trad climber
Bakersfield
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 6, 2015 - 10:46pm PT
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This thread is really taking off, I'm glad I could give everyone something to enjoy :)
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Uh oh, so much for this thread.....
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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T Hocking,
I don't believe the guide you are showing is actually Gene Drake's original 1970 guide. I have the guide in your photo and it appears to be a supplement that was prepared by Bill Todd in the mid 70's before the publication of the first 'book' guide to the Tahoe area by Greg Dexter, Rick Sumner, John Taylor and Bill Todd in 1976. Here's a photo:
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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This Squamish guide, written by Tricouni, may not be rare, but there aren't many still around. What is rare tho' is the size. It's 5.5" by 9". Glenn, what were you thinking???? As you can see, mine has a fold in the middle, so I could stuff it into a pocket.
This next guide is not that rare either, but it is significant. Written in 1980, it was/is the first ice climbing guidebook in the world.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Here is a guidebook(#21 in a series of ???) which contains Gene Drake's guide to Lover's Leap and his guide to Sugarloaf. It also contains John Harwood's guide to Consumnes River.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Written in 1980, it was/is the first ice climbing guidebook in the world. Actually there was an earlier ice climbing guidebook:
"Shades of Blue: A Guide to Ice Climbing in New England",
by Peter Cole and Rick Wilcox, 1976.
One of its interesting features was that it included some climbs which had not been done yet (labelled as unclimbed). Some of these were named.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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^^^Yep...1976:
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol
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Here are a couple obscurities from my shelf.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Local classic:
A few other random guidebooks:
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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Jerry, those Hiskes guides are great. Especially like the Clark Canyon guide, which I have not seen before.
Brian, the Buddy Price guide is an all-time favorite.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Here are a few more of my favorites that might be hard to find.
I used to have the 1976 version of this guide, but I can't find it!
Check out this page in the guidebook. Unique!
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Here is what CosmicCragassMan was sayin' way back on p 1 that was really rare. There be few, really, it seems.
This pic was posted a couple pages back, too.
I owned one of the paper back orange JT Desert Rats' guidebooks when Jeff Mathis and Millis and myself went down there in the week of Christmas, 1970.
I've not seen it in like twenty years, so I suppose I sold it in a major yard sale back in the nineties when I (stupidly) let go a fine collection of climbing books...grin and bear it, eh?
The Dessert Rats' guidebook featured line drawings, not quite like the Kernville Rock guidebook's, but perhaps more crudely drawn? I wonder who their artist was, as well.
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Rolfr
Trad climber
La Quinta and Penticton BC
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Would anyone have a copy of Kevin Mclean's pocket guide to the Squamish Chief where he tried to unsuccessfully introduce the S rating, a version of YDS and the two-part British grade, a combination of the adjectival and technical grades.
Rare for his attempt to introduce a new grading system.
Please post if you have a copy.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
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Wow you guys all those entries are pretty impressive.
I have to say though, BVB's impassioned presentation of the Woodson guide is the most moving of all.
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Sonic
Trad climber
Boulder, Co
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Dec 11, 2015 - 07:13pm PT
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Nice guidebook find tonight at the used bookstore. Most of these have been reprinted except the Telluride Book
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Dec 11, 2015 - 07:20pm PT
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The earlier, graph paper version of Sharp's 1981 Boulder New climbs pictured above.
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Dec 11, 2015 - 07:28pm PT
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I've got a paper printout for a certain national monument that'll knock your socks off. Two-three copies out there? And a big glossy coming next year. Let's hope that the publishers are respectful and righteous in their publication.
Publication is a funny thing. I avoid that sh#t besides this place.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Dec 14, 2015 - 10:38pm PT
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Something for Marlow and Guido, anyway, and for those who've noticed that there is climbing outside California.
"Rock Climbs in Romsdal, Norway". Note that the "Romsdal" in the title uses italics - the word is made up of a rope.
Romsdal being of course the home of Trollveggen - the Troll Wall. 2015 was the 50th anniversary of the first ascents. A team of four Norwegians - Leif Norman Petterson (Patterson), Jon Teigland, Odd Eliassen, and Ole Daniel Enersen - started their climb, and very soon after a team from England's Rimmon Club also began. (Tony Howard, John Amatt, Tony Nicholls and Bill Tweedale. Contrary to news media nonsense, the two teams did not compete, and indeed all became friends.) A few claim that Trollveggen is the "highest rock wall in Europe", and it's certainly one of the higher ones. Although the valley below is the Rauma Valley - despite what a well-known author says, it's no more possible to see Trondheim from the Troll Wall than it is to see Yosemite from Tahquitz.) Still, pretty notable climbs. The ascents were celebrated at the Norsk Fjellfestival in July, in the Norwegian magazine Klatring, and elsewhere. The Klatring articles aren't online, but there is one (including photos) at http://www.aftenposten.no/fakta/innsikt/50-ar-siden-Trollveggen-ble-besteget-for-forste-gang-8083013.htmlf the first ascent. A chance to practice your Norwegian, too.
It is one of five such guidebooks (at least) published in the 1950s, to promote tourism in pre-oil Norway.
The inscription inside, from Arne Randers Heen, the grand old man of mountaineering in Norway, to Leif.
Leif, his son Tor Ørn, and their friend Jeremy Saarinen died in a fall on Chancellor Peak in the Rockies, 39 years ago.
Klatring is doing an article about Leif, with photos, in January. I'll ask them if I can post it here, and we're hoping to persuade an English language climbing publication that an article about Leif and/or Trollveggen would be a good thing. He was one of the most prolific mountaineers of the 1960s and early 1970s, and a good friend.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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Dec 15, 2015 - 08:38am PT
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OK, a tiny smattering of Rare Non-California Guides...
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Dec 15, 2015 - 06:08pm PT
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Here's a few oldies but goodies from my collection
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H
Mountain climber
there and back again
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Dec 15, 2015 - 10:28pm PT
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Harry nice bunch of guides.
I know some of these have been shown already but it was so much fun going through my older books I have to show them to you all who might might be interested. I have a penchant for books. ANd not all of these are "climbing" guides. I hope you enjoy.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Dec 15, 2015 - 11:27pm PT
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Robs and H, if you ever need to find a home for your Roper Pinnacles Guide, I'll gladly add it to its brethren guidebooks that I have on my shelves. Sierra Club bulletin, Hammack, Gagner, Richards, Rubine(2), Young/Dawson. Well loved and cared for.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Dec 16, 2015 - 04:09am PT
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Score! on that Norman Clyde signature
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 16, 2015 - 06:47am PT
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Nice guidebooks folks!
Anders- Very cool to LNP's family give you those Norway guides. They are treasures.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Dec 16, 2015 - 09:38am PT
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Mighty Hiker.
Awesome guidebook and great to see that you still have a connection to Norwegian climbing...
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 16, 2015 - 09:58am PT
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There was a very rare Charlie Porter guide book written on a napkin in the old lodge Bar.
Every route he did on Elcap was on it.
The topos only had start and a straight arrow line pointing to the summit with one rating A5.
LOL so classic .....
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Dec 16, 2015 - 11:10am PT
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whoa whoa whoa there Werner! Too much beta!! Save some adventure why dontcha. ;) :)
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Dec 16, 2015 - 11:12am PT
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Not rare but that Eastside guide was my best friend for awhile
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H
Mountain climber
there and back again
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Dec 16, 2015 - 11:27am PT
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I just went through all the postings. There are some pretty cool posts. Jerry that one on Clarks is awesome.
Thanks Harry, I got that at the used book store in Bishop. I is in really good shape. There were a bunch of John Fishers books that were for sale in there. Most of which I had.
Munge and Randy I sent you both an email. I'll probably be getting rid of a bunch of books here on the Taco. It's time to make some room. When it comes to climbing books I had a weakness.
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Dec 16, 2015 - 12:39pm PT
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Found this in a local used book store last year. It was orginally kept at the Kern County Free Library.
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H
Mountain climber
there and back again
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Dec 16, 2015 - 01:04pm PT
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Nice one Batrock. You have a nice collection. Watch out it can be addictive.
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Texplorer
Trad climber
Sacramento
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Dec 16, 2015 - 05:16pm PT
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Werner,
Sounds like Porter's napkin guide was the inspiration for the Reid guide.
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
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Dec 16, 2015 - 07:29pm PT
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I have many guidebooks, but the one close to my heart is ...
Signed by Doug White and BVB.
Priceless.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Dec 17, 2015 - 04:13am PT
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Batrock scored big
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Kironn Kid
Trad climber
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Dec 17, 2015 - 07:47am PT
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I've got the original Wolf, orange covered J-Tree guidebook.
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Dec 17, 2015 - 07:51am PT
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If anyone is holding the
Lovejoy Granite Mountain guide or
Urioste little red book
and wants to sell...
Let me know.
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Janet Wilts
Trad climber
Grand Teton National Park
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Dec 17, 2015 - 08:40am PT
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Janet Wilts
Trad climber
Grand Teton National Park
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Dec 17, 2015 - 08:41am PT
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Janet Wilts
Trad climber
Grand Teton National Park
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Dec 17, 2015 - 08:49am PT
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Dec 17, 2015 - 09:19am PT
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^^^Too fun...I have my dad's copy. The illustrations are great!
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John Morton
climber
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Dec 17, 2015 - 09:26am PT
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What a marvelous thread. Thanks to all for hanging on to those books for all these years.
There's one that has not been shown, a guidebook renowned for having a typo in the title: "Cracks Ulimited", a guide to Vedauwoo, WY.
I have one of those looseleaf Nicol 1974 Yosemite topo guides. My favorite section is this page instructing Brits on how to get by in the Valley. Take note of the literary skills of these gentlemen, and of the editor's note that Roper's guide is "immensely funny".
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Dec 17, 2015 - 09:29am PT
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Janet, those are great! Having grown up on Tahquitz rock it is cool to see those.
That Omnibus on belaying probably needs a reprint and passed around the new school crowd. good stuff!
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H
Mountain climber
there and back again
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Dec 17, 2015 - 09:56am PT
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Klimmer, I think your right. It is priceless. I wonder how many of those are out there.
Janet thanks for joining in. Nice collection of Tahquitz stuff. I almost posted a picture of the omnibus but figured I had enough at that point.
Munge your book is going out today. Thanks
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Dec 17, 2015 - 09:59am PT
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Here are a few more I found. Some not so rare but the Granite Crags is pretty collectible.
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tomchaps
climber
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Dec 17, 2015 - 10:24am PT
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The famous 1937 first edition of The Night Climbers of Cambridge might qualify?
My college library actually had a copy of this, and I remember running across it by accident...
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DanaB
climber
CT
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Dec 17, 2015 - 10:44am PT
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A few post back someone mentioned the Urioste Red guide - those are common I believe, shouldn't be too hard to find.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 17, 2015 - 11:33am PT
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Hey Janet Wilts.
I just sent you an email through the ST so please respond to it as I need some help sourcing a couple of Tahquitz photos for the Tom Frost book.
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H
Mountain climber
there and back again
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Dec 17, 2015 - 11:38am PT
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Batrock You have a nice collection that overlaps some of my books. I also have Along Sierra Trails and that Norman Clyde book. Love the Granite Crags.
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Vertizon
climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 17, 2015 - 11:45am PT
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Love the thread. Old guidebooks are are like great memories on the shelf.
Love this one. Great illustrations:
Surely this is rare, but there's good reason. A guide to obscure SE Pennsylvania choss:
And a classic bit of inspiration for RMNP:
Sorry. Too lazy to rotate. :-)
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Steven Amter
climber
Washington, DC
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Dec 17, 2015 - 11:48am PT
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I really enjoyed this thread... thanks everyone!
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AKDOG
Mountain climber
Anchorage, AK
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Dec 17, 2015 - 12:20pm PT
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Love this thread, here is a rare guide to one of the worst crags in North America
[photoid=439039]
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MikeMc
Social climber
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Dec 17, 2015 - 12:46pm PT
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Gary
Social climber
Hell is empty and all the devils are here
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Dec 17, 2015 - 12:51pm PT
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Have any of you seen Mike Baca's guide to Christmas Tree Pass? It's printed on photographic paper. Baca did a great job covering all the know routes at the time of publication. My copy is stashed around here somewhere, If I can find it I'll post something.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Dec 17, 2015 - 02:43pm PT
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H (and anyone else...)...I see a few guidebooks that I don't have...if you're offloading, please consider my bookshelves. Thanks!
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AE
climber
Boulder, CO
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Dec 17, 2015 - 03:01pm PT
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"What is the most rare and exotic, revered and holy guidebook of all climbing and alpine literature?"
Surprisingly modest in price, check out
“Climbs on Alpine Peaks,” by Abate Achille Ratti, Mountaineer translated into English by J. E. C. Eaton.
Published by T. Fisher Unwin Limited, of London, in 1925 and is the second impression of the 1923 FIRST ENGLISH EDITION.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLIMBS-on-ALPINE-PEAKS-Abate-Achille-Ratti-POPE-PIUS-XI-Mountaineering-1925-ALPS-/361352468863
asking only 14.95lb !?
Ratti became Pope Pius XI in 1922, and his reputation from ascents like the first traverse of the Monte Rosa in 1889 generated the interest in compiling the guide, now apparently of little interest as a collectible.
Certainly might fulfill the "most holy" niche (if one isn't concerned about the nasty debate over Nazi tolerance).
///\\\\\\\
The best thing he appears to be responsible for is this
BLESSING OF TOOLS FOR SCALING MOUNTAINS(Approved by Pope Pius XI on October 14, 1931)
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, we beg you to bless + these ropes, staves, mattocks, and
these other tools, so that all who will use them in scaling the
mountains’ heights and precipices, in ice and snow and raging
storms, may be preserved from all accidents and catastrophe,
safely reach the summits, and return unharmed to their homes;
through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Let us pray.
Protect these servants of yours, O Lord, by the prayers of St.
Bernard, whom you have made patron of mountain dwellers and
travelers; and grant that along with scaling these heights they
may also reach that mountain which is Christ; through the same
Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
(the equipment is) sprinkled with holy water.
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ArmandoWyo
climber
Wyoming
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Dec 17, 2015 - 03:27pm PT
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Sorry to be late to great thread. before yaking, I'll post a contribution or 2. I think THIS IS the first Pinnacles guide, 2 pages, by David Brower.
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Janet Wilts
Trad climber
Grand Teton National Park
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Dec 17, 2015 - 03:58pm PT
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Hey, the omnibus is fairly funny......it sounds like one engineer talking to another.....great old books on this.....
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Curt
climber
Gold Canyon, AZ
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Dec 17, 2015 - 07:02pm PT
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I have a copy of a hand drawn bouldering guide to Hueco Tanks by Bob Murray--from the 1970's. I suspect that's fairly rare.
Curt
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Dec 17, 2015 - 07:36pm PT
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You know you are old when you have 4 or 5 of the books mentioned, a couple full of notes and one so used it's falling apart.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Dec 17, 2015 - 08:51pm PT
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How about rare pieces of paper:
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TomMc
Trad climber
Massachusetts
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Dec 20, 2015 - 07:26am PT
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Oh boy, do these ever bring back memories from BITD. I have a slew of old guidebooks from the '60's and '70's. I'll post what I can find, and by-the way, I'd probably sell them to anyone who collects old guidebooks. These are hard to find and I want them to go to another climber who appreciates the history they record and represent.
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Dec 20, 2015 - 12:53pm PT
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This is a fun thread. That old Vedauwoo book is outstanding.
This one by Eric Beck may be the first Tahoe rockclimbing guide. I like how he describes many of Bliss State park boulders as too egg shaped to climb.
I haven't yet seen Pat Ament's Eldo guide from the sixties here.
Here is one of the early specialty guide books from 1960.
This Static Point guide by Dave Whitelaw from the 80's may be my rarest guide. As it is put together by hand very nicely with glue, tape, and staples, there must not be very many of them.
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jgill
Boulder climber
The high prairie of southern Colorado
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Dec 20, 2015 - 01:50pm PT
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1898 bouldering guide by Aleister Crowley and friend Legros (artist)
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Buck Wilde
Boulder climber
Oregon
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Dec 20, 2015 - 03:19pm PT
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An entry from this decade would be the Young/Ryan Bishop Bouldering guide that is currently selling for $330 on Amazon.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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Dec 20, 2015 - 03:26pm PT
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John, That Crowley guide has to be the coolest thing I've seen - particularly considering it is a bouldering guide and pre-1900.
Fascinating to see that "eliminates" were in vogue so long ago. Love the notations about off-route holds and features.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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Dec 20, 2015 - 03:34pm PT
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Here is an obscure area that recently came up over on MP. Original single page topo of Temple Rock, Laguna Beach, CA. Fairly worthless climbing area.
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Rockin' Gal
Trad climber
Boulder
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Dec 23, 2015 - 06:07am PT
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Another obscurity. Not sure if climbing is allowed there now.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Dec 23, 2015 - 10:36am PT
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Gibraltar Rock just north of Madison, Wisconsin is currently closed to climbing. The Wisconsin State Department of Natural Resources currently controls it's fate, but it is still closed.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 23, 2015 - 11:09am PT
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Jenny Lake bouldering guide was mentioned up thread...
this is the 1987 edition
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Jan 20, 2016 - 09:42pm PT
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Steve O'Keefes' list / guide to Green pond Nj-1977-8?
I wish I had scanned more of the pages in this, now it is tucked away again and the scanner is very fickle . . .
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Jan 21, 2016 - 07:08am PT
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Well, I don't have a picture since I don't own it but... cant even find a pic on the intardnet.
15 Climbs that Don't Suck in Sedona
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Jan 21, 2016 - 08:02am PT
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Three things
Hey Just the Maid, I've been in Jim Henson's moms' basement,
And thnx for your totally cool headed and thourogh response to trolling jelous
Pencil dicks
And for the Sedona climbs I remember a red booklet, "A Cheap Way To...? Fly or die can't
Remember but it had about 40 routes I think?
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JerryA
Mountain climber
Sacramento,CA
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Jan 21, 2016 - 08:36am PT
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In the 1960's ,I purchased an unopened 1934 first edition of Starr's Guide at the Holmes Book Store in Oakland for $7.50 . It contains a wonderful "15x30" map of the High Sierra in a rear folder in the hardcover. The number of paved roads and major reservoirs constructed since 1934 are dramatic.The Huntington Lake to Mammoth Lakes trail that was almost paved all the way is an obvious trans-Sierra highway route.
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ExtraBlue
Ice climber
=802-1
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Jan 21, 2016 - 03:37pm PT
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One of the original guide books for Elbsandstein. You know the ones published in 1905/6.
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jgill
Boulder climber
The high prairie of southern Colorado
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Jan 21, 2016 - 03:52pm PT
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Well, my vote would be for the 1898 Aleister Crowley/Alfonso Legross hand written and drawn guide to the Y-boulder that I mentioned earlier. One copy, kept carefully under wraps and preserved.
But lots of great guides shown on this thread!
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jgill's Crowley guide wins!
Tell us more about it John. From your website, I take it you are the owner.
A Brit or someone who has visited that boulder should report on how the problems rate 100+ years after the guide was published.
The guide is doubly fascinatng: the first known bouldering guide, and written by one of the most interesting climbers of all time.
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Rockies Obscure
Trad climber
rockiesobscure.com....Canada
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"The Grey Boulders"
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jgill
Boulder climber
The high prairie of southern Colorado
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I am not the owner of Crowley's guide, Rick. I think it is kept locked away at the Wastwater Hotel. A British climber, Clint Warren, took the photos and sent them to me. It's got to be the rarest of the rare with the added charm of an infamous author!
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DWB
climber
Madison
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I wonder if Piana was saying "Hey, Gill Something, come see us!" or whether he was saying "Hey, Mr. Gill, come see us".
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Who is the most prolific author in terms of guides to different areas?
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Sep 21, 2018 - 10:50am PT
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My guess Mr CMac.
Bumping good old stuff.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Sep 21, 2018 - 12:20pm PT
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Sep 22, 2018 - 01:35am PT
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Well, I don't have a picture since I don't own it but... cant even find a pic on the intardnet.
15 Climbs that Don't Suck in Sedona
I have a mint copy... could let it go for 9k
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telemon01
Trad climber
Montana
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Sep 22, 2018 - 05:19am PT
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The original guide for our slice of paradise here in NW Montana
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Sep 22, 2018 - 06:10am PT
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@ Russ
Will you take a personal check? :)
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DanMerrick
Social climber
FKA Banquo from Mo' Hill, CA
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Sep 22, 2018 - 07:54am PT
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Gotta get the full set.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Sep 22, 2018 - 08:35am PT
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Missed a couple...ha ha...
Cheers!
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Oct 22, 2018 - 01:31pm PT
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theres more . . .
Gunkie
is holding the goods I would like to see.
A similar type thing to Craigmeur/'Green Pond*' NJ, produced by Steve O'Keef.
(*Not The Cliff @ Grn Pnd, the one past Deer__. )
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Jkruse
climber
Las Cruces, NM
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Oct 22, 2018 - 01:46pm PT
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Found a great condition copy of Bjornstad's "Desert Rock" at a local used book store a few years back filed in the geology section which might have helped it fly under the radar of other collectors. Pretty great find. Amazon has used copies listed from $90-$200.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Oct 22, 2018 - 02:44pm PT
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That's pretty damn funny up there.
I have the whole set!
Brian's missing at least one...and maybe more. Har har har!
Edit:
Jefe wrote:
Urioste little red book
and wants to sell...
Let me know.
Jefe - let me know if you're still looking for this.
I have to look, but I might have a backup copy.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Oct 22, 2018 - 02:53pm PT
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The very rare Alabama Hills guide and Cochise Stronghold guides from the Steel Press are occasionally available for big $$$$. I would entertain offers above 4K for both
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