i think a guide book can really affect the culture of a climbing area. It can choose to celebrate some traditions and tone down others. of particular concern to me is the use of fixed anchors -- i'd hate to see bolted sport routes appearing on the spider's web, for example.

mellor's approach is an excellent one to follow.

Thanks Jim. It will be great to see the new book. What's been going on at Azure Mtn. I love the Daks.

Chris (formerly Bill) Moratz

I liked Azure, admitted most people would never go there but I was attending engineering school at Clarkson so it was convenient.

That headwall is stupendous, really blank looking and kind of gently overhanging. It should be bolted, bring in Chris Sharma and there might be a couple of 5.14's on there. That'll put the ADK's on the map for sure.

ok, push my buttons why don't you! (actually, i'm thinking of doing a little sport climbing at west point today for lunch -- i know, i'm a hypocrite)

Jim,

Great to learn about your project. You've mentioned to the two aspects I'd most like to see in a new Dacks guide: updated approach and descent information. Azure Mountain is a perfect example. The cabin's gone, the trail's been modified, and the distances in Mellor's guide were/are inaccurate. Close enough to get you to the place, but definitely in need of ground-truthing.

As far as a need for a new guide, I think the experience I had over the Memorial Day weekend points out why one is in order. Because of the extensive peregrine closure on Poke-O at the time, as well as on Moss and Washbowl cliffs, it seemed to me that there were an awful lot of climbers congregated on just a few crags along Route 73. True, that attests to a lack of imagination or an unwillingness to hike a little by the folks lining up. But I have to believe that a new guide will encourage more of us to head for new places to explore and new lines to try.

Make the hard sell. Lots of nice pics of classic routes at obscure cliffs and few pics of routes at crowded crags will help spread the crowds out.

Just stop by Rock and River one morning and have Ed P dangle pic after pic of hardly known obscure routes off the beaten path and drool.