Adventure Books

The thread on Comb Ridge by Alex had me thinking a little bit about this subject, so I figured I'd start a new thread for it.

Just curious what books to are reading or have red inthe past to help motivate you to get out there and do some exploring? Also, what books are you using to research your trips and get some more history of the area?

I'm always looking for books about new places, so hopefully this tread can give us some ideas.

I will start with the last few books I have been reading.

The Uncompahgre Plateau by Muriel Marshall


This book has a lot of great history about the plateau. This area does not seem to have too much other information written about it (that I could find) other tha this book and one trail in my Colorado 4WD Adventures Book. I took the Divide Road across the plateau last year on my big expedition, but am hoping to spend a lot more quality time up there very soon.

The book I am currently reading is

Sandstone Spine: Seeking the Anasazi on the First Traverse of the Comb Ridge by David Roberts


I know Alex has probably finished this one already, so maybe he can tell us how he liked it

I've got a number more, but I'll save those for another time.

One of my favorites. Been to quite a few of them and his descriptions and map details were pretty dead on. All the holes in the Gold Rush area are bomb, as well as the holes in the Central Sierras.

They have editions for the Northeast, Southwest & Southeast.

Another book that I recently finished is:

A Guide to Southern Utah's Hole-in-the-Rock Trail by Stewart Aitchison


Was a cool book with a lot of good info in it. I'm looking forward to hitting up the Hole-in-the-Rock trail sometime this year.

Also have this book on backorder (recommended by Jared)....hopefully it will come soon.

Hole in the Rock by David E. Miller

Randy, I liked Sandstone Spine so much I checked out 3 more books by David Roberts, as well as one about Richard Wetherhill, the pioneer explorer of that area. Sandstone Spine was really well written and enjoyable to read, but it did make me a little sad to hear about how much of the ruins and artifacts have been destroyed or lost. Even some place as remote as Comb Ridge has been "hammered" as Roberts puts it.

You'll have to let me know if those 2 Hole in the Rock books have anything to offer that the other doesn't. I have the one by Miller and am wondering if it would be worth getting Stewart Aitchison's version.

Don't forget your local public library! They always have books on local history and geography. You are pretty darned local to all of that canyon country so there should be good selection. You can't beat the price, either!

Handlebars said:

Randy, I liked Sandstone Spine so much I checked out 3 more books by David Roberts, as well as one about Richard Wetherhill, the pioneer explorer of that area.

Click to expand...

I also bought one of his other books at the same time, which is what I plan on reading next after I finish Sandstone Spine.....


In Search of the Old Ones

Handlebars said:

Don't forget your local public library! They always have books on local history and geography. You are pretty darned local to all of that canyon country so there should be good selection. You can't beat the price, either!

Click to expand...

yeah.....i keep meaning to get over there :wave:

Oh heck Randy, I mean Heck. You should look to see what they have, just one block away! Look at what the Heck I found, sitting right on the shelf:
http://www.millennium.marmot.org/se...=Yhole+in+the+rock&searchscope=14&SORT=D&2,2,
I wish I could just walk one block in the late spring Colorado sunshine to find that video waiting for me to look at... for free!

I got rid of my VCR before moving out here....figured I didn't need it anymore....

Handlebars said:

Oh heck Randy, I mean Heck. You should look to see what they have, just one block away! Look at what the Heck I found, sitting right on the shelf:
http://www.millennium.marmot.org/se...=Yhole+in+the+rock&searchscope=14&SORT=D&2,2,
I wish I could just walk one block in the late spring Colorado sunshine to find that video waiting for me to look at... for free!

Click to expand...

...but speaking of the Pass Patrol, I did pickup this book a little while back

The Adventures of Pass Patrol: In Search of the Outlaw Trail

IntrepidXJ said:

I got rid of my VCR before moving out here....figured I didn't need it anymore....

Click to expand...

:doh: Pick it up anyways, we'll have movie night at my house. I'll supply popcorn!

I picked up two new books yesterday in Silverton...and started reading them in front of the campfire last night.

Lies, Legends And Lore Of The San Juans: And A Few True Tales by Roger Henn


and I also got Exploring the Historic San Juan Triangle by P. David Smith....this book has a lot of history in it.

Read Powell's account of his expedition down the Colorado.

Dennis Casebiers guide book of the Mojave Road is also good.

this is one of my favorites.

http://www.amazon.com/Stampede-Timberline-Ghost-Towns-Mining/dp/0804009465

I found a first edition in an old used book store, I am not sure what this newer version has in it (if anything). Most if not all of the data/stories comes from her first hand accounts traveling through Colorado in the middle part of the 1900's. I get giddy just reading about some of these old towns.

Every town I hit while on vacation or just exploring thru Co, I attempt to find a history book of the area. Picked up an awesome book on Tincup at a CoFest a few years ago. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Colorados-Alluring-Tin-Cup/Conrad-F-Schader/e/9780963447906/?itm=9

Picked these 2 up in Buena Vista at COFest a few weeks ago

Try to find some issues of "Desert Magazine"

It was published from 1937 to 1985 (or thereabouts). A lot of articles on history, geology, folklore of the Southwest deserts.

If you go to scribd.com someone has uploaded almost the whole collection. You can download pdf copies.