Wasted $180 on a guidebook that was 4 years out of date

Picked up the 2021 edition of the Colorado Trail guide from a resale shop in Golden, figured how wrong could it be. Turns out two major trail reroutes near Tennessee Pass and a whole campsite closure around Copper Mountain just weren't in there. Spent an extra day backtracking 12 miles because I trusted the book over current maps, and my planned water cache spot was dry. Anyone else get burned by an old edition on a popular route like the CT or the JMT?

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bailey.sam26d ago

Did you check the Guthook or FarOut app while you were out there? I used to be the guy who swore by paper guides, thought apps were for people who couldnt read a map. But last year on the JMT I had a 2019 edition and it sent me to a creek crossing that had been washed out for two seasons. The water cache I planned around was gone too. That 12 mile backtrack you did sounds brutal, but honestly it convinced me the old books are just souvenirs now. I still bring one for the fire tower stories, but I check the app before I trust any mile marker.