1996 Banff Festivals: book index page

Dawson's Guide to
Colorado's Fourteeners

By Louis Dawson
Blue Clover Press

From the Banff Mountain Book Festival:

This is a guidebook in the classical style that is comprehensive and full of useful information. It's what guide books are supposed to be, and the fact that this one is a prize-winner partially reveals that many guidebooks do everything but give useful information. Some are anecdotal, some are full of glossy photos, some are funny, many are confusing, and even more are inaccurate. The jury believed that this one was well-researched and accurate. As well, the maps are clean and easy to read. Nothing need be inspirational about guidebooks--just good common sense.

Excerpt:

Introduction Part 1

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The peaks covered in this guide are contained in several mountain ranges which subdivide the south and central Colorado Rockies. The map on the previous page shows these ranges, and the chapters are ordered according to them. These ranges have their gray areas, as do most man-made definitions. But such divisions organize a guide book and help identify departure points for doing several routes during one trip. Most routes are described in their entirety--with little cross referencing. This results in redundancy but saves page turning.

ROUTE NUMBER
The routes are described and numbered consecutively. Referencing is by number. The number is a combination of chapter number, section, and route. For example, in chapter 3, section 4, the second route in the section is numbered 3.4.2.

PEAK NAME AND ROUTE NAME
Fourteener names are those used on official USGS maps. Route names are those in common usage, including generic designations such as "northwest face." Some mountains have been named by locals or mountaineers, but the names are not shown on the USGS maps. These colloquial names are used whenever possible. When peaks have similar names, a range or direction indicator is added, e.g. North and South Wilson.

SUMMER CLIMB RATING
The Summer Climb rating is for the route after the late spring snow melt-off. If in doubt about snow cover, use the Snow Climb Rating. From a purely physical standpoint, many fourteener climbs are mere hikes, but even routes rated as Novice are still a mountaineering endeavor. Consider sudden weather extremes, afternoon lightning, and the effects of exertion at altitude, as well as "trails" that pass close to dangerous cliffs and gullies. Indeed, no fourteener route is just a hike, though it might feel that way to a fit climber on a perfect summer day.

Consider the Novice rating as a caveat, not a license for carelessness. In other words, a Novice rated summer route usually requires no "hand and foot" climbing, but you should still know your mountain craft. You won't find any "beginner" routes in this book. Beginners (people with little or no experience) should hire a guide or climb with experienced friends.