"WALK ON THE WILD SIDE 5.7+ ****".

For a first-timer, this description lacks the necessary detail to be complete. Is this a bolted or trad route? How many pitches? Do I repell off or walk off? Are there bolted anchors? What gear should I bring?

I've found that using this book in conjunction with climbingjtree.com (which includes color pictures and user-submitted commentary along with detailed route descriptions and gear suggestions) to be the best of both worlds!

10 of 11 found the following review helpful:


Comprehensive  Mar 04, 1998
This thick guidebook has every area covered in Joshua Tree. There are no descriptions of the routes, but you can't expect that with the sheer number covered. Topos of most of the routes show bolts and sometimes gear sizes are included. The protection ratings are not given, i.e. G,PG,R,X. If you want just a basic source with everything in it, get this guide. I'd recommend getting the individual areas covered by Alan Bartlett's series, he has detailed descriptions of the routes for each area covered.

7 of 8 found the following review helpful:


The Guide That Set The Standard  Jun 10, 1998
The comprehensive Joshua Tree Guide set a new standard for use of graphics, protection and quality ratings. More maps and photos than any guide ever published. Some of the best maps I've ever used, which is a real plus in an area like this where you could get hopelessly lost. The only minus is no first ascent information.

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:


This is the book.  Mar 11, 2005 By K. Kasabian
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. 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. 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. 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. Some routes have descriptions, some don't. Not all routes have accompanying photographs and in this second edition, there is still an annoyingly large number of misspellings and incorrect cross references. But as I said before, this book is a work in progress. 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.

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:


Information circa 1992: even the roads have moved!  Jul 13, 2007 By Mike
The material in the 2nd edition is from 1992, NOT 2000 as the Amazon page says. 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... Intersection Rock was in the wrong place... the roads have all moved in that area since the book was written. I met a local in the parking lot and asked him what was up. 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?) but I'm not impressed with the book. Combine the lacking route descriptions (see other reviews) with 15 years since publication and you've got a pretty weak guide book. Spend your $33 on a better, more current book.

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