HI, I am looking for mountaineering guidebooks of Patagonia for a possible trip next year, and I have come up with very little. I can read English or Spanish, so books in both languages work for me. Any suggestions? Thanks!

John Biggar's The Andes: A Guide for Climbers is a valuable resource (especially the latest edition), though his descriptions are usually brief. I haven't used the book for Patagonia specifically, but have in several other parts of the Andes and have found the information adequate and valuable especially for the areas of the Andes that have few or no other guidebooks available.

His difficulty ratings, times and route drawings/diagrams are very valuable, but be aware that sometimes his difficulty rating are a bit lower than some other sources.

I don't know why the book is currently so much at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Andes-Guide-Climb ... 0953608727

Try shopping around on other outdoor websites, but make sure it's the 3rd (2005) edition.

Chessler has it for a little cheaper. The book is worth it, IMHO.

http://www.chesslerbooks.com/item/857-a ... ition-.asp

You can scroll through parts of the book below to see what it's like:

http://books.google.com/books?id=BXLsT8 ... es&f=false

The Lonley Planet book Trekking in the Patagonian Andes does have descriptions of easier climbs, especially up north, but nothing technical. The descriptions and maps are detailed, but it's obviously more geared more for trekkers that might do a few climbs up volcanoes rather than geared for mountaineers.

Patagonia is a big place.

Biggar's Andes book is fine for an overall view and general direction.

Alan Kearney's book was the climbing book for the main rock peaks, but it's now very out of date:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountaineering- ... 873&sr=1-1

Buscaini's book (the Spanish version is apparently inferior to the Italian) was the bible for the region and is a great book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Patagonia-Terra ... 8879723359

Your best bet is really the AAC online library of past journals and/or the Alpine Club (UK). As mentioned, the Biggar book is very general in nature, although it's a good primer.