Just 20 minutes from Denver, Clear Creek Canyon serves up more than 400 routes, several of them testpieces authored by the likes of Peter Beal, Tommy Caldwell, Kurt Smith, and Daniel Woods. The stylish Clear Creek Canyon Rock Climbs ($28, sharpendbooks.com ) gives you the inside scoop on all of them. Check out a preview of the Primo Wall area.

This comprehensive and thorough guide is long overdue given the recent surge in route development. Local activist and route developer Darren Mabe brings his love and knowledge of the canyon to this full-color work.