Rock Climbing Eldorado Canyon (Regional Rock Climbing Series) [Paperback]

Richard Rossiter (Author)

Book Description

Series: Regional Rock Climbing Series | Publication Date: November 1, 2000

Richard Rossitier's newest guide to the Colorado's EldoroadoCanyon, one of North America's premier climbing areas.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Eldorado Canyon is one of North America's premier climbing areas, with hundreds of first-class routes on beautiful sandstone. Located just south of Boulder, Colorado, Eldo has long attracted the best climbers in the country who come to test their physical and mental skills on cutting-edge face climbs, steep cracks, and exposed, gutsy roof routes. The mere mention of such classic climbs as Rosy Crucifixion and The Naked Edge inspires respect and anticipation in the hearts of rock climbers the world over. Rock Climbing Eldorado Canyon is the most complete guide available to this remarkable canyon and the surrounding areas, such as the popular West Bank. Pitch-by-pitch written descriptions are complemented by detailed, hand-drawn topos and clear overview photos. Descent information and gear recommendations are also included. Rock Climbing Eldorado Canyon is an indispensable sourcebook for those seeking adventure in one of the world's most renowned climbing areas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: FalconGuides; 1st edition (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585920312
• ISBN-13: 978-1585920310
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Colorado
  • #17 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Mountaineering > Excursion Guides
  • #22 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Mountaineering > Rock Climbing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book, September 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock Climbing Eldorado Canyon (Regional Rock Climbing Series) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book, invaluable for serious Eldo climbers. Whoever wrote that first review probably didn't read the intro to the guide where it describes how to use the book. People who know how to use guidebooks to confusing climbing areas should have no problems.

5.0 out of 5 stars exceptional, September 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Rock Climbing Eldorado Canyon (Regional Rock Climbing Series) (Paperback)

I just read the only other review available for this book and felt a 2nd opinion was worthwhile...

Eldo is a worldclass climbing destination. This means that the place is changing. The book is a few years old so yes - some of the data about raps and fixed gear(for example) isn't completely accurate. (but then no climber should rely entirely on any guidebook!)

However, this guide has an incredible amount of information about the incredible number of climbs. The route descriptions are excellent and the maps more than suffice. Eldo is a big place with a ton of routes. I'd like to see someone try to better organize and describe the routes - I don't think it can be done. The book IS organized well, it just takes some time to get oriented to the canyon and it's MANY formations.

Any place as big and historic as eldorado canyon is going to be very hard to cram into a single guidebook. Rossiter does an exceptional job. Any experienced climber will find this book to more that suit their needs for a trip to eldo.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Dangerously BAD Guidebook, May 23, 2002

By 

"trixiefromspeedracer" (Fort Collins Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rock Climbing Eldorado Canyon (Regional Rock Climbing Series) (Paperback)

This guidebook is not only confusing, it is downright DANGEROUS to depend upon. The tragedy is that it is the only guidebook devoted totally to Eldo.

Why this book [stinks]:

1. There is no logic to the formatting. Seems totally random. Is it north/south? east/west? You can't tell! Therefore you cannot just walk along the cliffs & flip pages SEQUENTIALLY to figure out where the [devil] you are. No attempt even made to match text descriptions of routes to the topos on opposing pages. Nor to place trail maps in logical places in relation to routes/parking areas. He counts each section's routes from "1" again, so you have route numbers repeated all over the place. (You can't just say, "Look up route #16." There are SEVEN route "16s".)

2. Topos are a joke

3. Book lacks USEFUL photos with route ID lines

Lots of pretty pictures of elite climbers doing 11s - 13s, but rarely a photo to help the mortals of us find moderates or ANYONE to even know where he is. (Many pretty photos though of the author and his friends being rock jocks.)

4. Rappel locations & escape routes NOT clearly indicated.

5. Book weighs a TON. Would have been better to break this anvil of a book into sections for each area, that you can clip to a harness. (Like the guides for the Gunks).

6. . It was not just us -- for 3 trips we were constantly running across people there who had the same book, and cursed it up and down just like we were. Even people who had been climbing there for many seasons.

Rossiter's other guidebooks are plagued by the same lack of organization. He needs to grasp the, "newcomer to the area" perspective, which is the TARGET AUDIENCE for a guidebook, after all.

This man obviously did not have an editor who (ahem) really tested the guidebook by going there and trying to USE it. Which is the only way to judge such a book. Perhaps he did not have an editor at all.

Use at your own GREAT risk. Please supplement with other general Boulder Area guidebooks to get some sanity into the equation.