His famous guide book simply called is the premier guide book for all things 14ers describing 250 routes in sufficient detail for most people to make the summit. Now he just released the 3rd edition of his famous book and I wanted to ask him about it.
In total, he has authored 15 books. But who is this guy and what is he up to these days?
First a bit of background. Gerry鈥檚 early years were flavored with international experiences starting with a year in France at age 7 with his family. Soon they moved to Boulder, Colorado 鈥 a rock climbing mecca even in the 1950鈥瞫. He started climbing rocks and mountains and flew a plane before he drove a car. His love affair with the international life continued after graduating from the University of Washington in 1964 with a degree in math when Gerry served as a teacher in the Peace Corps in Bhubaneshwar, India not long after the Peace Corps was formed.
Today, more than 60 years of travel and mountaineering, Gerry has explored and lived in dozens of countries and been on more than 30 major expeditions. In addition to pursuing a career as a computer scientist, he found time to run a university outdoor program and teach Outward Bound in Colorado and Alaska.
After climbing Mount Everest in 1983, Gerry went on to become the second person to climb the highest peak on each of the 7 continents in 1985. In 2003, Gerry became the first person to climb every major peak over 16,000 feet in North America. Gerry received the Sierra Club鈥檚 coveted Farquhar lifetime achievement award for mountaineering in 2005 and the Colorado Mountain Club鈥檚 rare Ellingwood Golden Ice Ax Award in 2006.
Gerry is not alone in his ventures. His wife, Jennifer, has climbed over 1000 Colorado peaks including all the 14ers and all 637 13ers. She is the co-author on several of the guide books.
The 3rd edition of Colorado Fourteeners has 400 pages, 256 Routes, 49 of which are rated *Classic*, 79 Extra Credits, and 79 Variations on Colorado鈥檚 56 Fourteeners, 60 fine annotated color photographs, and 31 fully-revised, color, annotated topographic maps. So what was behind this version? I recently asked Gerry.
Q: What are the major changes from the 2nd edition?
I fixed all known errors of course.聽I removed some routes that were on private property, notably on the north side of Sherman.I added a few additional routes that have become popular in recent years, such as the east ridge of Humboldt.聽I tightened the language to a better standard that I evolved in my 13ers guide.聽I added an essentials table to each peak group.聽I added Roach Points to every route –聽RPs give you a one number measure of efferculty that you can use to compare any two routes,聽and to compute your projected hike time.聽I expanded the route mileage into net and total, to account for going over false summits en route.聽I added coordinates for summits and major waypoints on routes.聽I added the new Rock of Ages Trailhead and approach to the Rock of Ages Saddle near Wilson Peak.
Q: How long did it take to write 3rd edition?
I was actively working on the 3rd edition for a year.
Q: Did you re-climb or climb any new routes for this guide?
I鈥檓 out there all the time鈥
Q: How do position guide books compared to internet sites for climbers?
There are two different markets, and both the paper product and e-book have advantages.聽You can toss my paper guide into your trunk, and you鈥檝e got the whole show.聽You do not need internet connectivity or a printer to use my paper guide.聽The e-book is obviously more updatable, and the e-book can also have more color photos.聽I like to use both mediums.聽I also caution about sites where multiple people are reporting.聽Opinions vary greatly, and a report by a stranger may be strange. At least with my book, there is only one reporter.
Q: How has it been received?
Initial reports are good.聽This was a winter printing, and by spring, it should be well discovered.聽It takes time for any new tome find the light.
Q: Where can we buy it?
It鈥檚 available at the usual sources like REI and Amazon.You can always buy a signed copy from me at聽.
I will mail it via priority mail, and you can have it in a few days.
Q: What else are you up to these days?
There鈥檚 an app for that!聽I also have a 14ers app for the Android OS.聽Go to the android market and search for 鈥14ers鈥.聽It鈥檚 a subset of the same 3rd edition content 鈥 $3.99.
I also have another new book called Orthogonal 国产吃瓜黑料s.聽It鈥檚 a fun word romp through 15 short stories, each with a twist.聽You can buy the paper version from me at聽Orthogonal 国产吃瓜黑料s is also available as an e-book. If you have a Kindle, just search for it, or download the free聽Kindle app on any smart phone, login to your amazon account, and search for it.
For me, I鈥檝e just returned from Uganda, where I climbed 16,762-foot Mount Stanley,聽the highest peak in the Rwenzori or fabled Mountains of the Moon.聽It was a lifelong dream to climb this mountain, and it was my 29th summit on the list of the聽world鈥檚 50 most prominent peaks, my new challenge. 聽See
This was an Earth View 国产吃瓜黑料s trip.聽EVA is a travel business I鈥檝e started with Stan Havlick.聽See for details.聽I鈥檝e posted photos of the Stanley climb in two albums at and
Thanks Gerry. By the way, if you are finished with the or think they are a bit too much, take a look at Gerry鈥檚 Colorado鈥檚 Thirteeners: 13,800 to 13,999 Feet: From Hikes to Climbs 鈥 he has something for everyone!
Climb On!
Alan
Arnette is a speaker, mountaineer and Alzheimer’s Advocate. He is climbing the 7 Summits starting with Mt. Vinson in November 2010 to raise $1 million for Alzheimer’s research. You can read more on his