Climbing: The Complete Reference

Facts On File Inc, 1997. 1st Edition . New. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 22.2 x 1.9 x 28.6 cm- Climbing: The Complete Reference is an indispensable guide for those fascinated by the image of an individual standing at the edge of the world, amateurs looking to familiarize themselves with the sport and its history, and experts searching for a one-stop source of facts and information. Compiled by Greg Child, a seasoned climber and expert in the field, this fact-filled guide features more than 1,000 extensively, cross-referenced A-to-Z entries that: -- Define the equipment unique to the sport, including pitons, parapentes, birdbeaks, bolts, and skyhooks -- Provide detailed definitions of all terms, such as anchor, belay, bailing up, dinner-plating, objective danger, and self-arrest -- Distinguish all types of climbing, from aid climbing, bouldering, and ice climbing to mountaineering, sport climbing, and solo climbing -- Explore the great peaks and mountain ranges of the world, including the Andes, the Matterhorn, K2, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Mont Blanc, as well as the major rock-climbing cliffs -- Offer biographical information on individuals who made significant contributions, including Sir Edmund Hillary (the first man to reach the summit of Mount Everest) and Stacy Allison (the first American woman to reach the top of Mount Everest) -- Identify the best places to climb in all 50 states and many other countries, including Kenya, Kashmir, and Britain -- Interpret technical jargon and foreign terminology -- Detail proper safety precautions -- Explain the international rating system that measure the comparative difficulties of climbs. Climbing also includes eighty photographs and line drawings that detail different types of equipment, techniques, andfamous peaks. Three appendices illustrate terms used to describe mountains and glaciers, identify standard climbing symbols and abbreviations, and display the international rock climbing rating systems by country. 304 pp.…