Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell [Paperback]

Michael R. Kelsey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1990

The San Rafael Swell is located in east central Utah, south of Price and west of the town of Green River. This is an area of little water, lots of slickrock sandstone, soaring cliffs, upturned geologic formations and slot canyons.

This all-new 3rd Edition of the book that first came out in 1986, has been expanded from 160 to 224 pages, and there are about 90 more fotographs than in the 2nd Edition. This edition still has all the hikes from previous printings, but each has been re-visited and updated. The author re-walked most of the canyons. The biggest changes for this 3rd Edition is the addition of 8 technical slot canyons where you'll need ropes and rappelling gear to get all the way through. These canyons are either bolted, or have slings around chokestones for easy rappelling (usless the anchors have been washed away!). This means a new level of challenge and excitment for the adventurous hiker. Also included is an expansion to the colorful history of the San Rafael Swell (Old Spanish Trail, the Livestock Industry and Mining), plus expanded geology and information about the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The author was born in 1943, and experienced his earliest years of life in eastern Utah's Uinta Basin; first near the town of Myton, then Roosevelt. In 1954, the family moved to Provo, where he attended Provo High School, and later Brigham Young University, where he earned a B.S. degree in Sociology. Shortly thereafter he discovered that was the wrong subject, so he attended the University of Utah, where he received his Master of Science degree in Geography, finishing that in June, 1970.

It was then real life began, for on June 9, 1970, he put a pack on his back and started traveling for the first time. Since then he has seen 223 countries, republics, islands, or island groups. All this wandering has resulted in a number of books written and published by himself. Here are his books, listed in the order they were first published: Climber's and Hiker's Guide to the World's Mountains and Volcanos (4th Edition), Utah Mountaineering Guide (3rd Edition); China on Your Own and the Hiking Guide to China's Nine Sacred Mountains (3rd Edition-Out of Print); Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau (4th Edition); Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell (3rd Edition); Hiking and Exploring Utah's Henry Mountains and Robbers Roost (Revised Edition); Hiking and Exploring the Paria River (3rd Edition); Hiking and Climbing in the Great Basin National Park (Wheeler Peak, Nevada); Boater's Guide to Lake Powell--Featuring Hiking, Camping, Geology, History and Archaeology (2nd Updated Edition); Climbing and Exploring Utah's Mt. Timpanogos; River Guide to Canyonlands National Park & Vicinity; Hiking, Biking and Exploring Canyonlands National Park & Vicinity; The Story of Black Rock, Utah; and Hiking, Climbing and Exploring Western Utah's Jack Watson's Ibex Country.

He also helped his mother Venetta B. Kelsey, write & publish a book about the town she was born and raised in, Life on the Black Rock Desert--A History of Clear Lake, Utah. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Kelsey Pub; 2nd edition (January 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0944510019
• ISBN-13: 978-0944510018
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,502,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New hikes in this edition, March 17, 2000

By 

J. Hurlbut - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell 3rd Edition (Paperback)

I've done several hikes based on the 2nd edition of this book (and other Utah hiking books by Kelsey), and I've learned that for the simple hikes, he offers plenty of good help. For the longer or more complicated hikes, I will always consult both Kelsey and Steve Allen's canyoneering books and several maps. I've also learned that Kelsey walks much faster than I do. Once you figure that kind of thing out, it's a pretty helpful guide. This edition has added some new hikes that look pretty interesting (that are not in Steve Allen). If you're planning hikes in the San Rafael Swell, you don't have much choice besides Kelsey and Allen. I say buy them both.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting History, Passable Hiking Info, March 11, 2000

By 

Tom Jones "canyoneer" (Kane County, UT United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell 3rd Edition (Paperback)

The Swell is a great place for exploring interesting slot canyons difficult and easy. This guide has a very good history section, but is a little weak on the hiking info. Why do I say this? Because Kelsey's information is not always accurate - he often makes a few guesses, underestimates difficulties or distances, and sometimes just gets things a little confused. Steve Allen's 'Canyoneering' is a much better primary source, and this makes a good secondary source.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad maps, bad estimates, but good pictures, May 15, 2006

By 

A. Wheelwright (Utah) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell 3rd Edition (Paperback)

I talked with a park ranger who made the comment, "We use Steve Alan's book to find all the people who get lost from Kelsey's descriptions." I didn't believe this until I went down to the Swell and did the Virgin Spring hike described in Kelsey's book. He said that he did the hike in 9 hours. Using GPS I would estimate the hike at just about 30 miles total. Steve Allen recommends 2-3 days to complete the same hike. Kelsey's descriptions of this complicated hike are dangerous and sure to leave you searching for hours for the trail in a place where getting lost is easy because of infrequent use. He also puts a large disclaimer in this book "Don't blame me" because someone blamed him for getting lost on the local news. The only thing good about Kelsey's book are few good pictures. Save your money and buy Steve Allen's book.