Where to Buy It 

Book Review - Southern Sierran - Aug. 2005

Joshua Tree hikes: from easy to extreme by Sherry Ross

Finally! A user-friendly technical climbing guide to world-famous Joshua Tree National Park. The Trad Guide to Joshua Tree is specifically for fun-loving rock jocks from the challenged beginner to the intermediate lead climber.

The guide came out of the relatively low-stress approach authors Charlie and Diane Winger take to the sport. Many of us mortal climbers are just as satisfied scaling easy to moderate routes as the ultra-talented pro is tackling the seemingly impossible.  ... more

Book Review - Camp4.com - Apr 27, 2005

by Sean Hudson

Charlie and Diane Winger have definitely done something different with this guidebook to J-Tree. While many guidebooks choose to use lengthy descriptions to describe climbs and locations, Charlie and Diane show you that a single picture can be ‘worth a thousand words.’ Let’s see …

Sixty climbs + 100 color pictures + 192 pages of detailed descriptions = thorough coverage... more

Book Review - L.A. Times - Feb. 15, 2005

NO SWEAT

Joshua Tree at your fingertips by Emmett Berg

Far from the chicken-scratch mimeographs I've used, this new climber's manual on Joshua Tree National Park gives you what you really want from a guidebook: where to climb, how to beat the heat, available Plan B destinations and road or boulder side attractions....

...The table of contents helps weekend climbing parties target easier and more difficult sections of the park and find alternate climbs next to busy spots. With 5,000 climbs at Joshua, choosing the best way up can make all the difference.

... more

Book Review - The Inyo Register - Jan. 21, 2005

Classic Joshua Tree crack climbs exposed by Keith Rainville

New guide book gives great beta for apprentice trad climbers in J-Tree

....The seminal guidebook, "Joshua Tree" by Randy Vogel, is exhaustive in detail but often provides too much general information without enough attention to detail. Finding a perfect area to crag at can become a mini-research project.

A new guidebook to the park, "The Trad Guide to Joshua Tree: 60 Favorite Climbs from 5.5 to 5.9" by Charlie and Diane Winger, solves this problem of creating the perfect day for beginner and intermediate crack climbers. The book covers, in extensive detail, some of the best introductory crack climbs in the park.... more

Book Review on TraditionalMountaineering.org

At last! A guide book for more of us!

The Trad Guide to Joshua Tree contains 60 favorite climbs from 5.5 to 5.9. These climbs will test the abilities of rock climbers able to climb bolted routes with higher ratings and yet they are within the capabilities of the majority of dedicated week end warriors who have other lives to live back in the big cities....more

December 12, 2004

Got your book yesterday, and yes, I have read it already. Every single climb, all the details. I must say a few things about your book:

WOW!! Never before have I seen such a USEABLE book. I have not been there yet, so, unless you set out on a mission to fool the world, I am VERY excited to have a guide that I don't need to decipher prior, during, and after a climb. Impressive, and the simplicity of the book belies the tremendous work that obviously went into it. Hats off also to your creative people - the feel of the book - colors, composition, etc. are true to the theme. A masterpiece created from people passionate about the sport...it's about time! The whole concept is impeccable.

There is a slight problem: Now, when I use other climbing guides (I just reopened my NC climbers guide, yawn), I am left with a feeling of wanting more. You've ruined us!

...Fast service, an unquestionably superior product...what are we missing here? Oh yeah...NOTHING. And, missing nothing is a very, very good thing.

Your Rockin' Friends,

Mark & Cheryl

November 19, 2004

Hi Diane & Charlie,

We received your new Trad Book and it far exceeds our expectations.  The quality of the book is exceptional, actual pictures of the climbs with the routes drawn on them speak a thousand words, and the detailed descriptions even giving the sun/shade factor are fantastic.  We can’t wait to get out there with your book.  Keep up the great work and when you put together another climbing book, we will buy it!!!!!!

Thank you,

Julie and Steve