American Rock: Region, Rock, and Culture in American Climbing - Softcover

Mellor, Don

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0881505471 ISBN 13: 9780881505474

Publisher: Countryman Press, 2003

Synopsis

The book Lynn Hill called "the first and only book to look at American climbing as a whole."

American Rock is a celebration of the diversity of American rock climbing and an authoritative history of how the sport evolved at dozens of climbing hotspots around the country. The United States offers rock climbers a greater variety of geologic environments than any other country in the world. In recent years the sport has exploded and American climbers, once isolated from each other, now cross the country in search of new rock, sharing techniques, equipment, and information. In this thoughtful history and overview, veteran climber Mellor celebrates a dazzling mosaic of American geologic regions and the distinct climbing styles they have engendered. The rock, regions, and styles he explores include: Adirondack and White Mountain granite; Shawangunk conglomerate; the fragile red sandstone in the desert Southwest; western big-wall climbing on stark white walls of Sierra granite; steep walls and overhanging sandstone in the Southeast; and high-altitude mountaineering in the Rockies, Tetons, and Cascades. Mellor also chronicles the rich history and vibrant personalities of the climbing scene, and explores the meaning behind ongoing debates over access, techniques, and equipment. 42 black & white photographs, index.

About this title

About the Author

Don Mellor has been climbing, teaching climbing, and writing about climbing since the early seventies. He has climbed many of America's famous routes, including El Capitan, Half Dome, and the Diamond at Longs Peak, and has established more than 100 first ascents in the Adirondacks. He is Dean of Students at the Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York, and a guide at Rock and River Guide Service. Don is also the author of Rock Climbing: A Trailside Guide and Climbing in the Adirondacks, and is the climbing expert on Gorp.com. He lives in Lake Placid, New York.

From Library Journal

Building on his rock-climbing guide experience and earlier books (Climbing in the Adirondacks and Rock Climbing: A Trailside Guide), Mellor has written a thorough overview of American rock climbing destinations. His belief that "a route is more than just a route it's an encounter with the physical world, and it's an association with climbers of past generations" resonates in every chapter. Dividing his text geographically (e.g., New England, Dixie, California, Colorado), Mellor introduces the natural history and rock, the original climbers and the historic routes they put up, the local climbing scene, and the regional eccentricities for each area. In the last chapter, he highlights the impact overuse can bring to climbing areas, which are often on public lands. He challenges climbers to "cherish the resource" (vertical rock) as access and regulations on use become more common. American Rock is unique for what it is not: a guidebook or a climbing memoir. This work will interest both new and experienced climbers who want to learn about America's climbing areas from a single volume. Recommended for public libraries where there is interest. Margaret Atwater-Singer, Univ. of Evansville, IN
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Countryman Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0881505471
• ISBN 13: 9780881505474
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304