SUGGESTED GUIDES

     Following are the guidebooks and maps that I've used to find my way about in the mountains.  I relied almost exclusively on these guidebooks in my earlier days of climbing but there is now a proliferation of information available on the internet, with some much better than others, of course.

1.  Colorado's Fourteeners, From Hikes to Climbs,  by Gerry Roach               

     There are many fourteener guidebooks on the market, but this one stands tall above the rest, in my opinion.  Gerry provides clear and accurate information about trailheads and routes, along with good assessments of the difficulties and challenges to be encountered, and excellent maps that show various route options.

2.  Colorado's Thirteeners, From Hikes to Climbs, by Gerry and Jennifer Roach

     This fine book describes the way to the summits of the high thirteeners from 13,800 to 13,999 feet, that is, the 13ers included in the highest hundred peaks in the state.  This one is every bit as good as Roach's fourteener book.

3.  Colorado's High Thirteeners, by Garratt and Martin

     This book provides brief directions for climbing all the thirteeners above 13,580 feet, 169 peaks in all.  I used it for the lower peaks of the highest 200 (the Bicentennial peaks) that Roach's books don't cover.  Descriptions are quite sketchy because of the sheer number of peaks covered.  They at least point you in the right direction, but you're on your own from there, which is part of the lure of climbing thirteeners anyway.

4.  Trails Illustrated maps.

     I've found these excellent topographic maps a very useful supplement to written instructions for finding my way to trailheads, and more importantly for routefinding and orienteering while hiking in the mountains.  The maps in Roach's books are very good, and by themselves are usually adequate to accomplish a climb, but these maps provide a much bigger picture and a little more detail.