Best of
Climbing

2014

Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete


Steve House - 2014
    National Champions and World Cup Nordic Skiers, translate training theory into practice to allow you to coach yourself to any mountaineering goal. Applying training practices from other endurance sports, House and Johnston demonstrate that following a carefully designed regimen is as effective for alpinism as it is for any other endurance sport and leads to better performance. They deliver detailed instruction on how to plan and execute training tailored to your individual circumstances. Whether you work as a banker or a mountain guide, live in the city or the country, are an ice climber, a mountaineer heading to Denali, or a veteran of 8,000-meter peaks, your understanding of how to achieve your goals grows exponentially as you work with this book. Chapters cover endurance and strength training theory and methodology, application and planning, nutrition, altitude, mental fitness, and assessing your goals and your strengths. Chapters are augmented with inspiring essays by world-renowned climbers, including Ueli Steck, Mark Twight, Peter Habeler, Voytek Kurtyka, and Will Gadd. Filled with photos, graphs, and illustrations.

The Rock Climber's Training Manual | A Guide to Continuous Improvement


Michael L. Anderson - 2014
    

The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre


Kelly Cordes - 2014
    But controversy has swirled around this ice-capped peak since Cesare Maestri claimed first ascent in 1959. Since then a debate has raged, with world-class climbers attempting to retrace his route but finding only contradictions. This chronicle of hubris, heroism, controversies and epic journeys offers a glimpse into the human condition, and why some pursue extreme endeavors that at face value have no worth.

Drawn: The Art of Ascent


Jeremy Collins - 2014
    Shivering in a cave beneath Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia, artist and rock climber Jeremy Collins had an intense and anxious vision, "both geographic and artistic," about his life and what he was doing with it. As a result, he left Argentina and commenced on a four-year journey that took him in the four cardinal directions from his home in Kansas City, north, south, east, west, to create art in the wild, climb new routes, and "live out his own map." Drawn: The Art of Ascent shares his exploits, his art, and what he discovered about balancing wilderness adventure with peace and home.

Rock Climbing: The AMGA Single Pitch Manual


Bob Gaines - 2014
    The book builds upon Bob Gaines'  book, Toproping, to more specifically address the needs of the professional cilmbing instructor and advanced recreational climbers. It presents the most current, internationally recognized standards for technical climbing systems used in single pitch rock terrain. Included are chapters on effective teaching in the outdoor environment, risk management, professionalism, environmental awareness, and rescue

The Calling: A Life Rocked by Mountains


Barry Blanchard - 2014
    At thirteen, he learned to rappel when he joined the 1292 Lord Strathcone’s Horse Army Cadets. Soon kicked out for insubordination, he was already hooked on climbing and saw alpinism as a way to make his single mother proud and end his family’s cycle of poverty. He describes early climbs attempted with nothing to guide him but written trail descriptions and the cajones of youth. He slowly acquires the skills, equipment and partners necessary to tackle more and more difficult climbs, farther and farther afield: throughout the Canadian Rockies, into Alaska and the French Alps and on to Everest, Peru, and the challenging mountains in Pakistan. From each he learns lessons that only nature and extreme endeavor can teach. This is the story of the culture of climbing in the days of punk rock, spurred on by the rhythm of adrenaline and the arrogance of youth. It is also a portrait of the power of the mountains to lift us – physically, emotionally, intellectually,

Beyond Limits: A Life Through Climbing


Steve McClure - 2014
    From his childhood encounters with the sandstone outcrops of the North York Moors right up to his cutting-edge first ascents such as Overshadow (F9a+) at Malham and Mutation (F9a) at Raven Tor, Steve explores his deep passion for climbing and how it has dictated and shaped his life. Introduced to climbing by his parents at an early age, Steve quickly progressed as a climber, developing a fascination with movement and technical difficulty. Rapidly reaching a high standard, Steve became torn between the desire to climb increasingly bold routes and his hesitant approach to danger, with a series of close calls forcing him to seriously question his motivations. Searching for a balance between risk and reward, he struggled to find his place as a climber. Having dropped out of the scene, a chance encounter led to his discovery of sport climbing. Free from fear, Steve plunged headlong into this new style and surged through the grades. Pushing everything else aside, he allowed climbing to take over his life. He reached world-class levels of performance, but once again found himself searching for a balance between risk and reward, yet this time the risk was of losing what is truly important in life. As he searches for what really makes him tick, his climbing comes full circle and returns to where it started – climbing for the love of it. Beyond Limits is the story of a climber and his obsessive exploration of the sport, of finding a true passion, taking it to the limits and attempting to delicately balance this passion against other aspects of life to give the greatest rewards.

Higher Ground: A Mountain Guide's Life


Martin Moran - 2014
    Famously, he made the first solo ascent of the Scottish Munros in the winter months, as described in his great book, The Munros in Winter (published by Sandstone Press). For decades now he has made his living as a mountain guide based in Strathcarron, Wester Ross. The Scottish hills have by no means bound or defined him though. It was after his ascent of the North Face of the Eiger that he made his decision to take the mountain guide qualifications. Martin has climbed and guided in the Alps, Norway, and the Himalayas, experiencing life changing adventures, near death experiences, meeting and guiding many interesting people. Humour has never been far away, but neither has excitement and interest. Martin Moran has lived life in the mountains to the full and this is his story