Tom Turiano’s revised and updated Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone—A Mountaineering History & Guide remains a classic.
With his updated book, Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone, Tom Turiano sets a high bar.
Guides to the backcountry run the gamut in terms of quality, thoroughness, too little beta, too much beta, no history (as in literally just photos and photoshopped lines and arrows), too much history, and general shoddiness. A good guidebook goes back to the old saying, “you know it when you see it,” or in this case, see it and read it.
Tom Turiano updates his 2003 bible, Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone—A Mountaineering History & Guide: The revised and expanded edition is gold.
Twenty years is a long wait—especially if you’ve been borrowing a tattered first edition from the local library or your friend’s house. The truth is this: no matter how you’ve perused a first-edition book, it likely displays the patina of a well-lived life.
A new edition of the book awaiting heavy use.
Turiano has a fine knack for filtering through the wishy-washy and getting straight to the goods. That skill, the art of knowing what to include and exclude, makes this guidebook an excellent historical resource and entertaining. I’ve read other mountaineering/climbing and ski histories that routinely sap the reading flow as they become mired in the minutiae. Turiano strikes a balance. History buffs, you’ll be pleased. If you come to guidebooks seeking just enough historical documentation to appreciate who and what came before, this over 600-page tome will also serve you well. The bibliography is extensive. You’ll know where to find the appropriate resource to go a mile deep if you seek more history.
The book includes information on 13 mountain ranges and 107 peaks in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Beartooth section title page.
What is the Greater Yellowstone? Considering the lower 48, although under pressure from overloving, it is perhaps the largest zone of core habitat for large mammals. It maintains a wilderness vibe. The region extends south from Bozeman, Montana, hemming in the Wind River Range. Yawning east to west, the Greater Yellowstone bumps up against high desert and sage steppes. The book is organized by mountain range and further broken down by prominent or classic peaks within the range. Cliché? …for certain, but there’s a lifetime of questing to be had with this guide alone. These mountains inspire.
Take the Wind Rivers, for example. A vast spine of peaks with just enough documentation outside the Cirque of the Towers to make a short or lengthy jaunt into the zone, especially during the snowy months, feel like a proper remote adventure. The book is a mountaineering guidebook at its core. The title gives that away. Still, as a lifelong skier, Turiano has your back. If a particular mountain and/or route of note has seen a first ski descent, he gives credit. Look for “FSD” (first ski descent) adjacent the mountain/route photos. The FSD info includes the first descensionists’ names and FSD year.
A detailed look at Mount Warren and how Turiano notates specific routes. For skiers/riders, he notes FSDs, first ski descents. E & F are Fabrikant-Stetson FSDs.
Several years ago, I dropped towards the Dinwoody Glacier from the North. I recall the sight of Elsie Col and a wicked (as in wickedly cool and steep) looking Mount Warren as we skied under Gannett Peak and up to Bonney Pass. My partner and I, scurrying out of the basin to beat an approaching lightning storm which we didn’t beat, saw the ski potential. So have others with more talent. With Turiano’s thorough and updated documentation, we see the fingerprints of modern ski-mountaineers like Fabrikant noted for FSDs: he and a partner, Colby Stetson, are credited with two FSDs on Mount Warren’s flanks. Rather than simply reboot the first edition, Turiano gives credit to a new generation writing a new history in this updated version of the book.
This is to say, the book possesses the quality of good style. There’s route information for major/classic climbs that include “ascent stats.” Consider it just enough info to get you on your way—the rest is up to you.
Turiano self-publishes his books. Many of you may be familiar with his Teton Pass Backcountry Guide or maps to the area. They are not cheap. We all know how the publishing ecosystem (both print and digital) has changed. Supporting writers like Turiano has a cost. You can purchase a “blemished” or “unblemished” copy for what appears to be a range of $60-$95. I opted for the $95 version. I’m glad I did. By supporting Turiano’s work, we support a grinder and core skier who sees the value of getting the history. Sure, it ain’t cheap. But neither are the book’s contents. The Greater Yellowstone is a fine place to get lost and adventure. Turiano’s revised and updated Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone—A Mountaineering History & Guide is worth the price of admission. This is a mighty fine work.
You can find the book for purchase here.
Living in the GYE I was thrilled to preorder this and finally receive it last year. It lives between my nightstand and coffee table. It’s so dense. Seeing some of Coombs’ FSDs locally has been exciting. Glad you highlighted it!