Boise Guide Book Recommendations

Hey all! 

I'm moving in Boise later this summer and am looking for suggestions/recommendations for guidebooks for the Boise area! I've seen a few floating around and am curious if one book is generally preferred over the other. I've been looking at "Idaho Underground" vs "Boise Climbs" and I'm planning on using the book mostly for the Black Cliffs area (just because it's close) but also plan to check out other areas as well. I am obviously super new to this area for climbing so any additional information or different suggestions for books/pdfs would be majorly appreciated!

Also! Any opinions on climbing gyms in the area?

Thanks!!

They are both worth getting.

Idaho Underground is nicer, but heavier and more expensive. For the Black Cliffs it is slightly less complete, BUT you might never even notice the climbs that it misses and the better photos might make it the better option, especially since you will be wanting to check other areas as well (Dierkes Lake, The Fins, etc).

Boise Climbs is smaller, only black and white photos, cheaper, and a bit more complete for the Black Cliffs. If you will be going to the Black Cliffs first, it is a good option.

Either way, there are a few routes that are not in either one, although nothing is missing that you are likely to ever notice. Mountain Project can fill-in a couple gaps that I know of for the newest climbs. You might also end up getting "City of Rocks a Climbers Guide", which is the same author, publisher, and print quality as Idaho Underground (you can buy it directly from them, Wolverine Publishing). If you are in to bouldering, I know that there is a book being worked on for Swan Falls, although it is not released quite yet.

Hi Emma,

I just moved to Boise in November, so I was in your shoes recently. I agree with what’s been said on the books. I’ve used the Boise Climbs ones when I go out to the black cliffs but the Idaho underground one is really great with colored pictures and detail.

On the gyms question, I quite like The Commons and have ended up with a membership there. The staff and community there is great. They have a natural wall with cracks, which is fun. I went to Asana a couple times, it’s a bouldering (mostly) gym in town. It is a huge facility, but wasn’t quite what I was looking for. Meridian has Vertical View, but I haven’t been there yet.

A great resource I found was the “Boise Rock Climbers” group on Facebook. I’ve met a couple partners through there. It seems like someone is always wanting to climb/offering guest passes to their gym. On that note, when you get to town, feel free to reach out and I’d be happy to let you use of my guest passes.

Cheers!

Everything said so far is spot on.

I'd also look into Idaho: a Climbing Guide by Tom Lopez if you want info on more remote climbing areas/alpine climbing. The website also has supplemental information on climbs as well. 

There is a rudimentary combo book currently released for Swan Falls and Reynolds Creek bouldering. Which are both about 45 minutes from Boise. 

Riggins Limestone is another book you can check out. 

Going to any local outdoor store (Boise gear collective, Idaho mountain Touring, etc.) has most of these books available if you want to check them out before buying. There's not too many books for Idaho honestly. 

There are also a handful of PDFs for other low-key climbing areas in Idaho that you can find on Mountain Project typically too. 

For the Black Cliffs? Buy Epeldi's book (Boise Climbs) from Boise Gear Collective, then immediately go next door to FedEx/Kinko's and get them to put a spiral binding on it. Even then, you'll be chasing down pages outside, and taping them back in. But, a spiral binding helps, plus it can be opened flat/folded back and stay where you want it.

Idaho Underground is great, for the Fins especially, but isn't one I'd choose to beat up at the BC. For City, buy the Bingham book, and also grab the Climb On approach map. Both are available at the COR visitor center.

Gyms, visit and walk through. The best gym is the one you'll get to and enjoy. They are all good, and it's a great community here. That we not only lost any gyms in these 2 difficult years, but gained 2 new ones, says a lot about the climbing community here, imo.

Idaho has lots of climbing, and a lot of it has been established for a very long time. Pay attention! Bolted may not mean safe sport climbing the way some might expect. Gear is a good idea, so is a stick clip. Watch rope lengths at City, and know how to get off the thing before you go up, everywhere.

A lot of anchors at COR and a few at Black Cliffs have been replaced with mussies to lower off.  ASCA is where this new hardware is coming from, so definitely consider contributing, if you can! That's their sole mission, supplying hardware to replace aging stuff.

And yeah, Boise Climbers on Facebook is active, plus you'll get updates on closures, clean up days, etc. 

Have fun!

Best, Helen

CD Transporter wrote:

They are both worth getting.

Idaho Underground is nicer, but heavier and more expensive. For the Black Cliffs it is slightly less complete, BUT you might never even notice the climbs that it misses and the better photos might make it the better option, especially since you will be wanting to check other areas as well (Dierkes Lake, The Fins, etc).

Boise Climbs is smaller, only black and white photos, cheaper, and a bit more complete for the Black Cliffs. If you will be going to the Black Cliffs first, it is a good option.

Either way, there are a few routes that are not in either one, although nothing is missing that you are likely to ever notice. Mountain Project can fill-in a couple gaps that I know of for the newest climbs. You might also end up getting "City of Rocks a Climbers Guide", which is the same author, publisher, and print quality as Idaho Underground (you can buy it directly from them, Wolverine Publishing). If you are in to bouldering, I know that there is a book "being worked on" for Swan Falls, although it is not released quite yet.

Geez....

How many years more for this, from anyone???

OP, if you do get out to Swan Falls? You can simply park, walk to a boulder, eyeball the thing, and have fun, if you are okay with just climbing. Figure out how to get off the thing before you commit to up!

Old lady H wrote:

Geez....

How many years more for this, from anyone???

 

haha

Yes yes, I know, but a little bird told me that it really is close to being done now. We'll see.

Finally! Woohoo!

swan-falls-bouldering-guidebook

A shout-out is due to Sandy Epeldi for so generously sharing his guidebook info for use in Idaho Underground!  

Get the Bingham guidebooks. Dave needs the money.

New book arrived in my mailbox today, and looks great. Thanks so much for what clearly took a lot if time and effort!

Cover, and a couple (adjacent) random pages:

It's also really fun to see my pad people friends in here. Oodles of pics throughout!

Best, Helen

That's a very pretty guidebook.

I didn't realize Swan Falls was that large an area.

JCM wrote:

That's a very pretty guidebook.

I didn't realize Swan Falls was that large an area.

It's huge, and usually empty. The book is over 200 pages....and still isn't all of it. 

My favorite part about Swan Falls? (Apart from just parking in any parking area anywhere, milling around a bit on a trail, if you choose to skip what's adjacent to the parking, that is, and then climbing on whatever looks interesting to climb on?)

Climbing on stuff next to a river with salmon runs, sturgeon, etc, plus a known human presence for thousands and thousands of years?

Those boulders were likely played on since the first bored kids set foot in my part of North America, lol! I bet they were dinking around in between watching racks to smoke fish, or being tasked with gathering sticks for fires, and such. The "problems" are very recent, in that context. 

And, geez, thinking about the Bonneville flood, and that there may, just maybe, were people there when it happened? Science keeps pushing back that arrival date for the Americas.

You do hafta be okay with climbing with an audience, though. Crows (ravens??);always seem to cruise by, check things out. Then there's the lizards, who sometimes are mere inches away!

Best, Helen

I kind of doubt we’ll make it to Swan Falls on our next trip, but for when we do, is there any camping nearby?
Formal or dispersed- both work.
Can’t tell from the MP entry. 

sorry to hear that you have to move to boise

Mark, the entire dirt road along the river where the boulders are located has decent dispersed camping, usually just a gravel lot with no shade, possibly a toilet and fire ring. 

Thanks, that’s all we need, a place to park and put up a tent