Welcome to the official home page of guidebook author Michael R. Kelsey and Kelsey Publishing. On this site you will find information about all of Michael’s canyoneering and hiking publications. You can post and view canyon and hike updates, order books online, and contact the author.
Newest Publication (Spring 2011)
With 16 new mapped regions and an additional 32 new pages, Michael R. Kelsey has once again expanded his number-one-selling guidebook: Non-Technical Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau. In this new 6th edition, Kelsey has added many new hikes abundant with rock art and ruins that will bring the history and mystery of the Plateau alive. He has also added many new scenic and photogenic hikes whose beauty will be etched into your mind forever. New hikes can be (more ...)
Blue John Canyon and 127 Hours
It may be of interest to anyone who has followed the experiences of Aron Ralston—his long entrapment in Blue John Canyon, cutting off his lower arm to escape, and the recent movie 127 Hours documenting his ordeal—that it was Michael R. Kelsey’s 4th Edition of the Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau*, where Aron learned about Blue John Canyon. Though the book is not mentioned by name in the movie, a copy of it is used in the movie’s scene where “Aron” makes a photocopy of the map of Blue John Canyon from the book. Incidentally, the copy of Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau used in the movie was a gift from Michael to the production company—apparently Aron’s original copy was too beat up to be used in the movie.
Some small facts: As of late of 2010 Blue John Canyon has flooded several times, bringing in new debris and rearranging boulder locations. In the movie 127 Hours, the scene of Aron's misery was re-created in the Granite Furniture warehouse/factory in the Sugarhouse district of Salt Lake City.
*The complete hiking directions to Blue John Canyon can be found in three of Kelsey’s publications:
Introducing the new and updated Hiking and Exploring the Paria River 5th edition! In this full-color edition, Michael R. Kelsey has added an additional 96 pages of new hiking adventures, photographic tours, Indian ruins, and local histories. Focusing on the Paria River and its drainages, the guidebook covers the beautiful desert landscapes of Bryce Canyon all the way south to the Vermillion Cliffs. (more ...)
The newest and most comprehensive, guidebook yet on the Henry Mountains and Robbers Roost country. In Michael R. Kelsey's all new third edition of Hiking & Exploring Utah's Henry Mountains and Robbers Roost you will find over 280 color packed pages of slot canyon and canyon adventures, mountain hikes and local lore and history. (more ...)
The most comprehensive, and simply best southwest technical canyoneering book ever produced by Michael R. Kelsey--or any other author for that matter! In this all new second edition of Technical Slot Canyons of the Colorado Plateau you will find over 330 pages documenting over 110 different major technical canyons plus many, many more smaller (though no less challenging) tributary canyons. Several of the canyons in this edition have never been published before. (more ...)
Guidebooks
Introducing the new and updated Hiking and Exploring the Paria River 5th edition! In this full-color edition, Michael R. Kelsey has added an additional 96 pages of new hiking adventures, photographic tours, Indian ruins, and local histories. Focusing on the Paria River and its drainages, the guidebook covers the beautiful desert landscapes of Bryce Canyon all the way south to the Vermillion Cliffs. (
The newest and most comprehensive, guidebook yet on the Henry Mountains and Robbers Roost country. In Michael R. Kelsey's all new third edition of Hiking & Exploring Utah's Henry Mountains and Robbers Roost you will find over 280 color packed pages of slot canyon and canyon adventures, mountain hikes and local lore and history. (
The most comprehensive, and simply best southwest technical canyoneering book ever produced by Michael R. Kelsey--or any other author for that matter! In this all new second edition of Technical Slot Canyons of the Colorado Plateau you will find over 330 pages documenting over 110 different major technical canyons plus many, many more smaller (though no less challenging) tributary canyons. Several of the canyons in this edition have never been published before. (
