SummitPost.org

Does anyone know where I can find a climbing guide book for Bolivia, or specifically the cordillera real portion of Bolivia. I am looking specifically for the book Bolivia, a Climbing Guide. Brain, Yossi, The Mountaineers, 1999 or La Cordillera Real de los Andes-Bolivia, by Alain Mesili comes in English under he title "Andes of Bolivia". Also, if anyone has these books and is interested in selling them let me know.

Thanks,

Tim

Yossi's book is good, but it's hard to get now (as I assume you have found out which is why you are posting).

Since it is out of print and hard to get and not sold anymore, it is possible that the publisher might give permission to photocopy parts of it and have me mail them to you since they aren't selling the book anymore (the author is dead).

I have used the two books below extensively in the Andes. The information is good, but not that detailed:

http://www.johnbiggar.com/andes-guidebooks.asp

http://www.amazon.com/Hikers-Climbers-Worlds-Mountains-Volcanos/dp/0944510183/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269822961&sr=8-2

The later doesn't have difficulty ratings, but has some general useful maps in it. If you are looking just for Bolivia though, both might be overkill.

Scott,

I sent an e-mail to the publisher asking either where I can obtain a copy or if they will authorize copies being made of passages. I will let you know when I hear a response.

Thanks,
Tim

Not to derail the thread, but is it true that nothing better than Brain's book has come out in the last decade? I used that one last time I was in Bolivia, and other than a few minor problems (D vs. D+, 4 hours to camp vs. 6), it was a pretty great resource. No one's replicated?

i have an idea its a little tirckiy though
if you have time (and i recommend you take it )when you get to bolivia to walk around la paz before you go into the mountains.
go to calle. santa Cruz and around it there you find many backpacker shops with plenty of old copies of travlers guidebooks including "yossis" copy its a risk plus you can look in The Spitting Llama Bookstore thay have a big selection for bolivia i cant racall the adress so you will have to look that up.
cheers and good luck

Check the South American Explorers club website. They used to carry the book and might still have it in stock. I also agree that the book is fairly accurate and valid as I used it in 2008 for several weeks of climbing. Cheers!

I bought A. Messili's book in La Paz. It's quite good, more detailed than Y. Brains book, also a lot of information on technical to very technical routes, often climbed for the first time by Messili himself, the man can be called a living legend.
Sadly my book suffered a lot on the way back to Europa all the pages became loose.

It shouldn't be a problem to purchase this one, maybe try contact via A. Messili himself, I think he still has a guiding company.

American Alpine Club library has everything.

I'm going to use the CMC/AAC library to check out books for Bolivia.
They'll mail it to me and I'll mail it back... Pretty good deal.
On another note about Bolivia, can anyone verify that you can get your visa upon arrival? The US state department web site says if you show up with cash, a passport, and a 4"x4" photo (?) you can get a tourist visa upon arrival.

CB - When I was there in 2008 you could arrive and get your visa in La Paz. If you get it before you leave you then don't have to worry about waiting in line to do that at 0600 in the morning. Cheers!

Cheeseburglar wrote:I'm going to use the CMC/AAC library to check out books for Bolivia.
They'll mail it to me and I'll mail it back... Pretty good deal.
On another note about Bolivia, can anyone verify that you can get your visa upon arrival? The US state department web site says if you show up with cash, a passport, and a 4"x4" photo (?) you can get a tourist visa upon arrival.