Canyoneering book

[Dan-wild]

I am looking for a book with good technical information on Canyoneering, in-depth natural-anchor building and rope techniques. Does such a book exist? I'm thinking about this one:



I know there are a lot of guides to certain areas, but I am looking more toward expanding my technical skills. I realize that classes and instructors are the best way to go, but I just want a great book to turn to when I need to brush up on something.

Opinions from the pros???

[ratagonia]

Dave's book is pretty good, and essentially the best book out there. Falcon Press cut down Dave's manuscript quite a bit, so it is not as good as we would like but has a bunch of good stuff in it.

Tom

[DesertDuke]

I own this book and am very happy with it. It has what you are asking for.

[Dan-wild]

Awesome! Thanks people, I just ordered this one used off of amazon.com.

[Brian in SLC]

I note that Stefan Hofmann has a new instructional book and DVD coming out and has a funding project for it here:

http://www.startnext.de/lehrbuch-canyoning

Maybe in German only? Anyhoo, looks neat. I have a couple of the European how to books on canyoning and they're good for comparing techniques. One has a DVD with it, which, its kinda cool. Fairly different drill over there, in many ways. But, if you ever go, its nice to have a bit of a reference on how things are done in that neck of the woods.

Dave Black's book seems to be the only game in town for the states right now, and, its a good one.

[Don]

Not a canyoneering book, but there's some useful information in Freedom of the Hills.

http://www.amazon.com/Mountaineering.../dp/0898868289

[Iceaxe]

Freedom of the Hills was my first technical book.... I use a lot of stuff I learned from reading that book.

Curious... mine is a 4th or 5th addition, what's new in the 8th addition?

[Don]

I have 7th edition. I know most of their changes are related to newer technology being incorporated into the techniques they are teaching, but couldn't say what exactly has changed.

[xxnitsuaxx]

The 8th edition has an entire section dedicated to helping you shoot and select climbing pics that will make badass profile pics. It discusses everything from holding the camera at an angle to posting your picture early in the morning so it's on top of everyone's Newsfeeds the next day. It's been super useful to me.

[MrAdam]

The 8th edition has an entire section dedicated to helping you shoot and select climbing pics that will make badass profile pics. It discusses everything from holding the camera at an angle to posting your picture early in the morning so it's on top of everyone's Newsfeeds the next day. It's been super useful to me.

[Dan-wild]

Thanks for all the responses. I will probably purchase that mountaineering guide soon!

[ratagonia]

Thanks for all the responses. I will probably purchase that mountaineering guide soon!

Just my opinion, sacrilege I know, but I find Freedom of the Hills very, very weak, and would advise against it.

It was, after all, written by a committee.

Tom

[spinesnaper]

I love books. I actually read them. Tom is absolutely right here. Don't have this one on your shelf, sure buy it. It has some good stuff it it to be sure. However, not nearly enough stuff for the canyoneer. Dave's book on the other hand is very good. I think too good. The material is actually so compact, it is so very easy to read right through it. You have to go and unpack the information. I actually enjoyed it all the more after taking several advanced canyoneering programs. For the rescue material, I think Dave Blacks book is so dense that it is almost impossible to take much away from these chapters. Instead David Fasulo's Falcon guide on Self-Rescue does a better job simply because it is more current and expands this material. Unfortunately there is no substitute for actually working through this material in the field in a real-world self-rescue course. My two cents.

Ken

[ilipichicuma]

I love books. I actually read them. Tom is absolutely right here. Don't have this one on your shelf, sure buy it. It has some good stuff it it to be sure. However, not nearly enough stuff for the canyoneer. Dave's book on the other hand is very good. I think too good. The material is actually so compact, it is so very easy to read right through it. You have to go and unpack the information. I actually enjoyed it all the more after taking several advanced canyoneering programs. For the rescue material, I think Dave Blacks book is so dense that it is almost impossible to take much away from these chapters. Instead David Fasulo's Falcon guide on Self-Rescue does a better job simply because it is more current and expands this material. Unfortunately there is no substitute for actually working through this material in the field in a real-world self-rescue course. My two cents.

Ken

Wait, we can't learn canyoneering from the computer OR from a book? Shoot!

[spinesnaper]

Wait, we can't learn canyoneering from the computer OR from a book? Shoot!

I know, shocking-right?

[hank moon]

Just my opinion, sacrilege I know, but I find Freedom of the Hills very, very weak, and would advise against it.

X2 It's boring

[Dan-wild]

Wait, we can't learn canyoneering from the computer OR from a book? Shoot!

HAHA. Why not? It seems like it might be more fun to read about climbing your ass out of a freezing cold pot hole, rather than doing it...
I plan on taking courses as soon as I work my off this summer so I can afford them. For now I'll have to wiggle my way through canyons with the advice of, the inner-nets n' stuff. Just waiting for Dave Blacks book to arrive in the mail!

[tanya]

I like David. Buy his book.