We recommend some of the most useful reading for the gym-to-crag climber.
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills
Publisher: The Mountaineers
Author: Various
List Price: $35
Publication Date: (Latest Edition): 2024
This is the single most-recommended book on the Internet. Anyone asking about what to read to learn how to climb will be directed to this book. It is true that “The Freedom of the Hills” contains most things you might want to know about climbing. It is also, however, a straight-up textbook. The newest ninth edition is also a whopping 624 pages. So although it’s an important reference and definitely valuable for newer climbers, not everyone will connect with this kind of book.
The 10th edition of this classic mountaineering book is scheduled to be released in Fall 2024.
Glacier Mountaineering: An Illustrated Guide To Glacier Travel And Crevasse Rescue
Publisher: Falcon Guides
Author: Andy Tyson (author) and Mike Clelland (illustrator)
List Price: $17
Publication Date (Latest Edition): 2009
This book is for mountaineers who are looking to travel across glaciers, not for rock climbers. Still, there is often crossover between these two groups.
This book covers all aspects of glacier travel, most crucially, crevasse rescue techniques. What makes this book unique and great for beginner mountaineers is that it is illustrated with a huge number of fun, educational cartoons. Almost every scenario discussed in the text will have accompanying illustrations, which makes understanding and visualizing the concepts much easier.
Even if you don’t read very well or speak a different language, the drawings make this book valuable.
Climbing Anchors
Publisher: Falcon Guides
Author: John Long and Bob Gaines
List Price: $33
Publication Date (Latest Edition): 2024
The gym-to-crag climber usually spends her formative time sport climbing, which means the anchors are usually simple, two-bolt affairs. One doesn’t need a book to understand these things. But wqhat about when you want to dip your toes in trad climbing? Things get complicated quickly.
This seminal book explains almost every possible climbing anchor you could imagine. While older editions included some esoteric and now-outdated practices, an updated and modernized edition is set to be released in March 2024.
Learning to build strong climbing anchors is essential to a climber’s developing skillset – the “anchor” is quite literally what anchors you and your partner to the cliff! Any time a climbing anchor fails, the consequences are likely to be extreme.
Training for Climbing
Publisher: Falcon Guides
Author: Eric J. Horst
List Price: $30
Publication Date (Latest Edition): 2016
This is the perfect book for the gym rat who wants to improve their climbing grade. Eric Horst is one of the biggest names in rock climbing and this book is his most popular and accessible work, including information on the biomechanics of climbing and offering many training exercises you can do on your own, while rock climbing outdoors, and in the climbing gym.
The only downside is that none of these techniques will be too secret – the cover boasts that the book has sold over 150,000 copies so far!
The Rock Warrior’s Way: Mental Training for Climbers
Publisher: Desiderata Institute
Author: Arno Ilgner
List Price: $19
Publication Date (Latest Edition): 2006
Where “Training for Climbing” focuses on physical preparation, “The Rock Warrior’s Way” emphasizes the mental aspect of climbing, which can be just as important, if not more. Ilgner discusses psychological and philosophical factors in climbing as well as exploring how our unseen approach to problem-solving may be getting in our own way, in life and in climbing. A good gift for the more thoughtful climber.
Climbing: From Gym to Crag
Publisher: The Mountaineers
Author: S. Peter Lewis and Dan Cauthorn
List Price: $22
Publication Date (Latest Edition): 2000
Our print equivalent! This book, although published in 2000, addresses the psychological and skill issues you will face while making the transition from indoor to outdoor climbing. It’s not a bad one to consider – although we might recommend checking it out from your local library instead of buying it. Climbing has changed in some significant ways since this one was written.
A Guidebook to Your Local Crag
While we can’t recommend a specific book (we don’t know where you live!!), a climbing guidebook is one of the best investments a new climber can make. We have an article on the benefits of guidebooks vs. Mountain Project, but to summarize: we love guidebooks and think you will too.
Flipping through the guidebook looking for your next day out is motivational and informational.
Your local climbing shop is the best place to find the relevant local guidebooks. If you don’t have one of those, your climbing gym or nearest REI also might carry some books. If you have none of those things available, Rock and Snow has a great selection of guidebooks for some of the most popular areas in the USA and abroad, and will ship them anywhere.
Conclusion
You can’t spend *all* your time climbing. Any of these books will be a good companion on a rest day, and hopefully help you be a little better-prepared the next time you touch the rock (or plastic). Any of these books make great gifts for the beginner climber, too!
These are all instructional books – if you’re looking more for narrative, memoir, or adventure books, we’ll be publishing an additional list soon.
Thanks for reading!! Climb on!
Gym to Crag 