Guidebooks in the American Alpine Club library at the American Mountaineering Center

By Robert Burns,
AAC Library Committee Member

The Library’s collection of guidebooks is one of its most valuable and heavily used assets. Thanks to recent generous donations from the Colorado Mountain Club and the fundraising efforts of the New York and Central Rockies AAC Sections, this part of the collection is largely up-to-date.

The guidebooks describe U.S. and foreign areas for all types of outdoor activities from hiking to mountaineering, from ice climbing to kayaking. These books give areas for rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing, rafting, and trekking. They cover a multitude of topics from how to get there and where to stay to health concerns, permits, and practical travel tips such as changing money. They even advise what one will need to carry for a particular sport. Some books have street maps and transportation schedules. Many have a glossary of common travel phrases for that country. The collection is strong for the U.S. and North America but also includes guides for exotic places such as the Atlas Mountains in North Africa and the Loften Islands in Norway. These books are essential for anyone wishing to match a sport to a locale and learn the best way to get there.

Some U.S. guidebooks include: The Gunks Guide by Todd Swain; Secrets of the Notch by Jon Sykes; Golden Cliffs, Colorado by Pete Hubbel; Rock Climbing Colorado by Stewart Green; and Rock Climbing Tuolumne Meadows by Don Reid. There is a very good selection of books on the Cascades, Sierras, and Rockies. Tim Toula’s Rock ’n’ Road gives capsule information about most of the climbing areas in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

International guidebooks cover areas from the Alps to the Himalaya, from Bolivia to the Canadian Rockies. These books provide practical information on most of the mountainous areas of the world and are great for planning your next excursion. Kev Reynolds, R. J. Secor, Ed Webster, and Jan Kielkowski are just a few of the many authors represented.

Cicerone Press, Moon Travel Guides, and Falcon Books also offer detailed guidebooks. For families with children, there are many books such as the “Best Hikes with Children” series published by Mountaineers. There are also books for trekkers such as Bezruchka’s Trekking in Nepal and Burford’s Backpacking in Central America. Hiking interests are well covered in the “Walking in Guides” and “Country Guides” published by Lonely Planet.

Check these books out. You will find a wealth of information at your fingertips. Just delve into them for help in planning a trip abroad or even just visiting an area close to home.

Members of the Colorado Mountain Club have full borrowing privileges at the library. Contact member services or the library for more information.