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axelcrash
Apr 20, 2006, 1:00 PM
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What is the best guide to have for trad climbing at the gunks?
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clymber
Apr 20, 2006, 1:17 PM
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i use the todd swain and the dick williams books together....they are really good to cross refence between both of them....the pictures in the dick williams book arealot better..only real complaint about the 2 of them is that the ratings have changed on some of the routes...dont know what one to go by
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taino
Apr 20, 2006, 1:19 PM
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In reply to: What is the best guide to have for trad climbing at the gunks?
For the Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to Gunks Climbing", also known as the "Grey Dick".
For the Near Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to the Shawangunks - Near Trapps", also known as the "Black Dick". There are a few versions of this, one for each major cliff area. The Trapps guide is impossible to find in stores, but the Nears/Millbrook is still kicking around.
For the highlights of both: Dick Williams' "Select Rock Climbs in the Gunks" - currently out of print.
If you can't find anything else, you can get the Todd Swain "Blue Book" - however, be warned that, while it has every route, the route descriptions are horrible. If you use the Swain guide, you will inevitably "get Swained".
T
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granite_grrl
Apr 20, 2006, 1:23 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: What is the best guide to have for trad climbing at the gunks? For the Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to Gunks Climbing", also known as the "Grey Dick". For the Near Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to the Shawangunks - Near Trapps", also known as the "Black Dick". There are a few versions of this, one for each major cliff area. The Trapps guide is impossible to find in stores, but the Nears/Millbrook is still kicking around. For the highlights of both: Dick Williams' "Select Rock Climbs in the Gunks" - currently out of print. If you can't find anything else, you can get the Todd Swain "Blue Book" - however, be warned that, while it has every route, the route descriptions are horrible. If you use the Swain guide, you will inevitably "get Swained". T
Agreed. I much perfer the Dick Williams books. It may cost a little more money, but its the most up to date (grey dick) and he actually climbed every route that he put in there I guess.
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ericbeyeler
Apr 20, 2006, 1:34 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: What is the best guide to have for trad climbing at the gunks? For the Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to Gunks Climbing", also known as the "Grey Dick". For the Near Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to the Shawangunks - Near Trapps", also known as the "Black Dick". There are a few versions of this, one for each major cliff area. The Trapps guide is impossible to find in stores, but the Nears/Millbrook is still kicking around. For the highlights of both: Dick Williams' "Select Rock Climbs in the Gunks" - currently out of print. If you can't find anything else, you can get the Todd Swain "Blue Book" - however, be warned that, while it has every route, the route descriptions are horrible. If you use the Swain guide, you will inevitably "get Swained". T
Eric
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blueeyedclimber
Apr 20, 2006, 1:35 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: What is the best guide to have for trad climbing at the gunks? For the Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to Gunks Climbing", also known as the "Grey Dick". For the Near Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to the Shawangunks - Near Trapps", also known as the "Black Dick". There are a few versions of this, one for each major cliff area. The Trapps guide is impossible to find in stores, but the Nears/Millbrook is still kicking around. For the highlights of both: Dick Williams' "Select Rock Climbs in the Gunks" - currently out of print. If you can't find anything else, you can get the Todd Swain "Blue Book" - however, be warned that, while it has every route, the route descriptions are horrible. If you use the Swain guide, you will inevitably "get Swained". T
I think I got "swained" this weekend. Ended up getting lost a little on the second pitch of Overhanging Layback.
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taino
Apr 20, 2006, 2:14 PM
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In reply to: I am looking at getting a guide to the Gunks as well. This is an updated (2005) version of the Williams books. I read about it here. Does anyone have any comments on this new one? Eric
That's the "Grey Dick" I mentioned above. Excellent guide book.
T
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chossmonkey
Apr 20, 2006, 3:12 PM
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Gray Dick
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axelcrash
Apr 21, 2006, 1:55 PM
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Thanks for the info. I dont want to end up Swained!
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napoleon_in_rags
Apr 21, 2006, 2:13 PM
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Read the history of the Gunks in the Grey Dick. Its hilarious.
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alpine_monk
Apr 23, 2006, 2:55 AM
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Todd Swain's BBL (pronounced bible, stands for "big book of lies) is the way to go. a tad more adventurous... Don't be a pussy just go ground up :P edited to add that the only thing the "gray and black dicks" don't do is climb the route for you.
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scrapedape
Apr 24, 2006, 6:20 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: What is the best guide to have for trad climbing at the gunks? For the Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to Gunks Climbing", also known as the "Grey Dick". For the Near Trapps: Dick Williams' "Guide to the Shawangunks - Near Trapps", also known as the "Black Dick". There are a few versions of this, one for each major cliff area. The Trapps guide is impossible to find in stores, but the Nears/Millbrook is still kicking around. For the highlights of both: Dick Williams' "Select Rock Climbs in the Gunks" - currently out of print. If you can't find anything else, you can get the Todd Swain "Blue Book" - however, be warned that, while it has every route, the route descriptions are horrible. If you use the Swain guide, you will inevitably "get Swained". T I am looking at getting a guide to the Gunks as well. Does anyone have any comments on this new one? Eric
We bought it when we were up there last fall. It never steered us wrong.
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piton
Apr 25, 2006, 1:07 PM
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alpine monk i think you are getting mixed up w/ the brown book of lies of the south platte. different climbing area and author.
swain guide is fine.
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alpine_monk
Apr 26, 2006, 4:48 PM
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In reply to: alpine monk i think you are getting mixed up w/ the brown book of lies of the south platte. different climbing area and author. swain guide is fine. |
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piton
Apr 26, 2006, 5:15 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: alpine monk i think you are getting mixed up w/ the brown book of lies of the south platte. different climbing area and author. swain guide is fine. yeah but when I couldn't find his 14c testpiece with house sized blocks, I just had to do that old Miss Piggy route :wink:
mmm my favorite place to climb millbrook. rubel w/out a cause. did you notice the FFA date 4/1
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alpine_monk
Apr 26, 2006, 8:06 PM
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no I didn't, thats funny though! I think it's in the trapps but one of the FA dates is the mid fourteen hundreds and credit goes to chis columbus.
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