Comments on: The Colorado Bouldering Guidebook

By: New Guidebook To Colorado’s Alpine Bouldering Areas | Climbing Narcissist

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:40:46 +0000

[...] information about RMNP and Mt. Evans to Mountainproject. However, the Horan book got decidedly mixed reviews and MountainProject is only so useful out in the field**. Enter a new guidebook to [...]

By: eric

eric — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:04:19 +0000

Given the track record of Falcon guides, this comes as no surprise at all. Falcon guides are the least useful and informative of all major guidebook companies. Wolverine, Sharpend, and Greener Grass are much more informed and useful. I personally stopped buying Falcon years ago, after finding several that withh blatent errors and misinformation.

By: greasy enchiladas

greasy enchiladas — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 13:35:03 +0000

I had to see for myself what all the uproar was about. I checked the book out from the Denver Library (impressed that they even had it) and sure enough what a joke. Like some of you above have stated, I haven’t been to a lot of these areas, but those that I have and know well were really misleading and pretty screwed up. I liked the photos showing the problems and hope that others will consider this format for future guidebooks. HS

By: Frank

Frank — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:31:48 +0000

Somebody tell me where this fool lives. I’ll fix it real quick …

By: slabdyno

slabdyno — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:01:05 +0000

this is most unfortunate. A TRAVESTy of sorts!

By: Noah Kaufman

Noah Kaufman — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:17:42 +0000

I wrote to Falcon, and we all should. It is so sad when this type of thing happens. This happened with Tahoe routes (Falcon) and bouldering (supertopo) and now nobody wants to see the amazing bouldering we have here. Bob Horan is an anti-contributor.

By: tim m

tim m — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:22:11 +0000

I appreciate the discovery of a new area without a guide book as well and enjoy connecting with locals for info etc.. however , here in the northeast most of the bouldering is on access sensitive land. Over time word gets out about any given area, then photos and articles appear in magazines etc.. There were articles about our local area full of misinformation including route names, grades and even the type of rock! With each articles publication there was a surge of visitors and a greater impact on the neigbhorhood etc…If someone is honestly interrested in publishing information about a climbing area they need to understand the ramifications of its impact, with access issues clearly spelled out and what is expected of visitors using the guide.I can only hope that any future parties interrested in publishing information about an area openmindedly consult the local climbing community for a better understanding of its history and all possible access sensitivities.

By: Eliott

Eliott — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:41:10 +0000

Falcon guides, and usually the people who author them are complete choss. The NJ climbs guide is a pile. 99% of the areas mentioned are complete choss and utterly unclimbable. Indeed there are rocks there, but no self respecting climber would climb them. To add insult to injury the auther consistantly offers grades of V0 or V0- to problems that much more difficult and in one instance a grade of V5 (always with a question mark) to an arete that is pretty much unclimbable, suggesting that not only is the asshole who arote the guide a complete and total Gumbo, but also that he did not climb any of the problems or climbs mentioned in the guide. The directions to most areas are ass backwards and he leaves out entire areas of cliff containing numerous climbs in already established areas with their own respective guide books.
I think Falcon needs to do a LOT more research on the people they are publishing and the people whoo want to be know as guidebook authors. It would seem to me that these people have no real motivation to accurately inform the climbing community, but only to self promote and associate their names with rock climbing. Pretty friggin tragic.

I almost feel bad for my friend Chris being the poster boy for that guide book. But at least the areas he developed contain somewhat accurate information, but only because he was consulted directly for information on those areas.

Oh and was “Faith in Chaos” added to the Mt. Evans section of the guide? If not, complete and total choss. Burn it. haha

By: Jill

Jill — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:05:41 +0000

My take on all of this: I’ve climbed all over the U.S. and have never bought a guidebook. Not because of errors, but because part of the climbing experience for me is meeting and climbing with others who are equally as passionate about the sport. I’ve never once in 8 years of constant traveling run into a situation where locals, either at the craig or the town climbing gym/shop, were not willing to give directions or even a tour of their home area. I think that online guidebooks are simply an extension of this: Climbers sharing information with other climbers…for free. In particular, those who know an area best, sharing the best information.

By: das bpc

das bpc — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:27:59 +0000

an online guide is being considered for the distant future, but i suspect that if such is ever followed through upon, it will only be after the coordination with the rangers and administrators involved in the management of evans to ensure harmony rather than conflict, as cam and many others have begged regarding this issue.

i was introduced to bouldering guides in the online format ala the glenbouldering.com site. my friends had prepared a printed guide in the past but broken holds and the constant discovery of new lines made the printed guide obsolete mere months after printing and they vowed never to expend the time, money, or effort in such a wasteful way again… they proposed the on-line guide as a way the entire community could chime in on problems, history, and new development.