RRC Archives

I checked out the new guide today and I am majorly impressed. There aren't many guidebooks that can rise to the level that Ray has done with this one. I especially like all the route photos for obscure trad lines, especially as a climber who almost solely seeks out the obscure lines. Those photos sure would have saved me a lot of time and confusion in the past. I was wondering though why there were a few routes left out. I'm not talking Closed areas like Pocket or Oil Crack, or obscure areas like Rock Bridge and Meyers, but routes at areas in the new book.

I'm going to take a stab at answering my own question - all of them are obscure, no doubt and a few like Sampsel's Dihedral are nearly impossible to find. Also I'm going to say they didn't make the cut because they were toprope routes (Dead Deer, Mantelpiece) or chopped (Trouble, Day Dreams and Nightmares - which can now be done as a TR once climbing Lunatic Fringe). The toprope routes seem like they should have made the cut since other TRs did, but in those cases, it looked like space might have been the real issue. Other routes, like Tower Rock Pinnacle definitly should have been included. Don't take that as criticism Ray, I was just curious and I'm a nerd so I notice stupid shit like that. Excellent job!

I've done some of those you mentioned and maybe they weren't wort mentioning again. They were listed in a previous guide so theres no need to list them for historical reason. I don't know Ray's reasons but that's my guess. Lunatic Fringe is good. I thought Tower Rock Pinnacle sounded good and went looking for it but what I found had no pro. I'm still intrested. Want to show me where it is? I recall getting tired of humping a pack through the Rhodos and not finding what I was looking for.

I only had a few minutes to browse the new guide but now I'm curious to see what else is different. Maybe me and you will just have to hump 2 guides and a rack through the rhodos now.

C'mon ynot, you know I do hump both guides through the rhodos, along with a #5 camalot in the bottom of the pack, for that just in case situation. People make fun, but nobody complains when you show them where obscure places like Star Gap Arch are.

Star Gap is a nice hike.

Obscure is good.

Yeah, Ray's new guidebook has inspired me to get out and find some of those obscure trad lines. Like the good ole days...

J-Rock, I bet Karla will like that, but are you sure you are ok climbing down in the Red without putting up any new routes for a day?

Oh yeah, last weekend we climbed at Torrent after putting up routes and the following day we climbed at Roadside after putting up routes. We're going to try and climb 2 or 3 other routes at the end of each day. Not a bad idea. I just wish I had more time and that it wasn't such an expensive drive...

How's Colorado treating you guys? Are you still climbing often?

Colorado is great! We're climbing nearly as much out here as we did this summer as bums in the Red, only now we're also both full time grad students. Plus we now have a bed