Customer Reviews

Shawangunks Rock Climbs - The Trapps (American Alpine Club Climber's Guide)

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Written by the Vulgarian that did a lot of the development in the Gunks, this guide gives details for every pitch including protection ratings for each pitch. Swain's guide is often difficult to determine when a pitch ends and starts and only gives protection ratings for the whole climb. This leads to confusion at times with a 5.8 climb being rated G that may have a 5.4 or 5.6 pitch which is R or PG. The downside to Williams's guide is that you have to buy a separate book for the Near Trapps and Skytop/Millbrook. If you plan on spending a lot of time at the Gunks, go with Williams. Otherwise, Swain's guide is adequate and it covers everything but Millbrook.

Dick Williams' guide books are important and essential reading for the occasional rock climbing, i.e. almost everybody who climbs. The older editions of this book which combine all three climbing areas has become quite a collectors item, one I am proud to own in addition to this title, the one I actually haul up the rock. GD