Rock’n Road: Rock Climbing Areas in North America

Tim Toula

Chockstone Press, Evergreen, Colorado; 1995, 462 pages,
black-and-white maps, charts and photos, softcover

“Tim Toula’s labor of love/love of labor has manifested itself in the Sears catalog of climbing reference books. This massive volume is a marvel of detail that leaves reader wondering if there is any area the author missed, not to mention speculating about his mental state. (…)
With just a few scattered photos, Rock’n Road is about as visually stimulating to peruse as a math textbook. But Toula’s goal is to provide useful data, not armchair entertainment.(…)
There are those who say Toula should not have published this book, arguing it will draw crowds to even the most obscure crag. (…) In this age of limited access, many climbers fear that Rock’n Road will promote visits from high-impact strangers insensitive to local accecc protocol. Acquaintances of the author claim he published information about “secret” areas he promised to keep out of print. Others claim that he has included areas that don’t even exist.”
Eve Tallman, “Climbing” 1995, No. 152, p. 161-162

“This includes lists of climbing stores, guidebooks, gyms, guide service, boot repair outfits. This is either the world’s largest repository of climbing data or something that will prove essential for the peripatetic van-dwelling rock jock. Toula’s encyclopaedic coverage of every single boulder or climbing location yields 1) type of climbing, 2) geology, 3) cliff height, 4) quantity of climbs, 5) developed or not, 6) best season, 7) land ownership, 8) camping, 9) overall rating. Every state and Canadian province has full-page road map, coded to all climbing areas.”
„American Alpine Journal” 1995, p. 357

“Time to hit the road! The first thing you’ll want to do is pick up Rock’n Road: Rock Climbing Areas of North America. Its utility is evident as soon as you open it. This mammoth, coffee-table-size guide will take you where no previous guide has gone before – everywhere! (…)
Neither a climbing guide nor an atlas, this book is a gazetteer of all the climbing areas in the US, Canada and Mexico. Organized by state or province, it tells you how to get to every area and what you’ll find, in terms of quantity, quality and variety, once you’re there. (…)The book is a great addition to any climber’s library.”
Carne Lowgren, “Rock & Ice” 1995, May/June, No. 67, p. 127