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This book was the basis for Jtree climbing knowledge for years.Now that Randy Vogel already has another guidebook out (which is really good by the way). and is releasing another one this upcoming January (2008) this book may become out-dated, but still a really good tool if you lack the two new volumes.
Combine the lacking route descriptions (see other reviews) with 15 years since publication and you've got a pretty weak guide book. When he saw the book in my hand he asked if I bought it at the ranger station, then complained that it was still on their shelves given how out of date it is.I don't know if the publication date is a typo (maybe 2000 was the last reprint date).
We recently moved to Southern California, bought the book on Amazon, then went to boulder at Hidden Valley Campground. I had trouble getting my bearings.
The material in the 2nd edition is from 1992, NOT 2000 as the Amazon page says. I met a local in the parking lot and asked him what was up.
Intersection Rock was in the wrong place. the roads have all moved in that area since the book was written.
but I'm not impressed with the book. Spend your $33 on a better, more current book.
I also found myself constantly writing on the map page references for the different rocks. If you don't know where in JTree you would like to climb or if you plan on doing a little bit of all kinds of climbing, this is the book to have. It may also be nice to include a guide on all major toprope, bouldering, and sport climbing sections, although these exist on the web. It provides an overview for the whole area with great maps and photographs to easily locate all rocks (and there is a lot of them so the book is thick). Some of the maps and info are out of date and need to be replaced (the Hidden Valley campground/Intersection Rock map and information about showers). Overall, I had an amazing trip and knew where to go every day, I just wish I had more than 5 days to climb there. Ooooh, also the book doesn't tell you that you will have no finger tips left or that the ratings are really hard and you shouldn't use them :-) A 5.10c in JTree is apparently not a 5.10c anywhere else, but this is a one of a kind place.
But as I said before, this book is a work in progress. Some routes have descriptions, some don't.
However, for more detailed information on routes in specific areas of Joshua Tree (Lost Horse, Indian Cove, Hidden Valley, etc)., don't leave home without Alan Bartlett's excellent guides. That said, Rock Climbing JT is and will always be a work in progress, as is any climbing guide, and should be viewed as such.
There are others out there, but Vogel's Rock Climbing Joshua Tree is the definitive overall guide that both new and experienced climbers rely upon. Paradoxically, it is the trusted guide that can't always be trusted.Each route has a star rating, a qualitative scoring process which is again highly subjective.
Bolts on old routes can become unreliable, new routes are always being established and the ratings themselves are highly subjective. Some 5.8 routes have felt like 5.10, while another 5.8 can seem like a walk-up.
Not all routes have accompanying photographs and in this second edition, there is still an annoyingly large number of misspellings and incorrect cross references. It takes years and years of climbing prowess and research to gather information for a guide of this magnitude and despite the highly opinionated nature of this and all climbing guides, it is still an essential piece of climbing gear no Josh climber should do without.
First - the routes often have no description of them or any guidance as to the trad gear needed for a given route. This is a very comprehensive guide to Joshua Tree for climbers. Second, many of the routes for some areas do not appear in the pictures making route finding without a good desription, difficult. It is the book that we always take with us as the defintive reference. Generally, the information is accurate and the maps detailing which rock is which in various formations is quite good.However, there are several notable drawbacks to the book. Third, descent information is often not found or has to be interpreted.It may sound like there are major faults with the book, but in reality it is a good book that is very useful. Just don't expect it to tell you everything you need to know about a given crag.
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