Moab Guidebook

We are headed to Moab this weekend and would like your opinion on which guidebook is considered the best for the area. Thanks in advance!!

Depends on what you will be climbing, of course, but Bjornstad's Desert Rock series is best for the big picture. Cam Burn's is pretty good for classic towers, etc
good Luck

I quite like Fred Knapp's (Sharp end Publishing) book Classic Desert Climbs 3. Its inexpensive and has probably the best of climbing around moab.

Classic Desert Climbs is the only guide you'll need to begin exploring the canyon country around Moab, Utah. From towers to sport climbs, this book records the finest sandstone routes, while weeding out the subpar outings. This third edition includes all the routes of Wall Street and the exquisite bouldering at Big Bend.

15.95

Click on the link and scroll down.

sharpendbooks.com/prod.php?…

Thank you for the replies. We have limited time and will be heading to wall street for a few sport climbs. I will pick up "Classic Desert Climbs 3", it appears to be just what I am looking for.

Going to Moab in May and would love a recommendation for a good guide book. Only going for a weekend so a book covering just the classics would be good enough. If you know of one that focuses on towers, better yet! Thanks a bunch!

Stewart Green's Best Climbs Moab covers Wall Street well, and a bunch of other local venues. Includes a fair number of towers in the area too.

Dave Cummings wrote:Stewart Green's book is great!

Meh.....

Get Classic Desert Climbs.. Just as good. Probably cheaper.

Looks like two books are emerging as the favorites. Both roughly the same price.

1) Stewart Green, Best Climbs Moab
2) Fred Knapp, Classic Desert Climbs III

Anyone want to cast a tie breaker vote between the two? Any other books to consider? Supertopo book?

MIYG wrote: Meh..... Get Classic Desert Climbs.. Just as good. Probably cheaper.

I have both...in comparison, Classic Desert Climbs is 16 bucks, Best Climbs Moab is 19 (oops, 21 in Canada).

Classic Desert Climbs: 159 pages.
Best Climbs Moab: 123 pages.

Other differences...

Best Climbs Moab was done in color, with route topo's overlayed on photo's. Classic Desert Climbs in black and white, with a mix of route overlays on photo's, as well as standard route topo's.

Best Climbs Moab claims over 140 routes. Classic Desert Climbs has a fair number more, and, covers a couple areas not in Best Climbs such as a slice of Indian Creek, Dylan Wall in the Swell, Colorado Nat'l Monument, and the Big Bend Boulders.

I think some of the route descriptions in Green's book are a bit more detailed and I'd agree with some of the, uhh, upgraded ratings on a few of the routes I've done that are in both books. Rounded corners and a burly cover make it seem a bit more durable too (not important to everyone but, I appreciate a guidebook with rounded corners...!).

The Green book is flashier and I'd give the head nod to the nicer photo's (color really helps).

Both great books, both worth having.

21 bucks you say...

I retract. I'd go with Green's if its only 5 bucks more for sure. Shows how much I know. I do know that there will be another Moab book out soon.... (We all hope)

daniel c wrote:Supertopo book?

Supertopo book is a select Desert Tower book, with only 15 routes.

Still, if one or more of those tower routes is on your hit list, nice to have, especially if you've never done any desert towers before.

If you only have a weekend, will you climb a bunch of one pitch routes, or, do a tower, or, a day for each? If your focus is towers, and, you only have time for a couple classics, then the Supertopo book would punch that ticket for only 10 bucks. Ebook only unless you can find one at a retailer?

And, will you be staying immediately around Moab? If so, then I'd pick a Moab specific book over one that covers a larger area.

MIYG wrote:21 bucks you say... I retract. I'd go with Green's if its only 5 bucks more for sure.

Actually only 19. I read the Canada price at 21. Ugh.