Customer Reviews (3)

THE classic book on ice climbing
Chounard's book on ice climbing is an old classic. It retains its charm inspite of its age and much subsequent development in ice climbing tools and techniques. This is so because it is more than a technical manual. Chouinard was a pioneer in the development of ice axes and tools, and presents the unique perspective of an expert climber and master craftsman. Chouinard pays attention to the history and evolution of ice climbing, but also dwells in detail on all the basic technical requirements of ice climbing. He liberally sprinkles anecdotes and stories from his vast mountain experience. Thisgives his book a sense of first person immediacy that cannot usually be conveyed vicariously by a book. One of the things that makes this book really special is its wonderful layout and beautiful black and white photographs. In every respect, this book is a great work of art -it will remain sacred to climbers for manygenerations.

wealth of knowledge
exellent book for beginners to expert. although it does not go intogreat detail and by no means is meant to be an instructional guide. YvonneChouinard is probable the most knowledgable author on the subject. i'd rate it a 10++++ Yvonne is also my cousin.

I am somehow related to Yvon Chouinard.
I remember meeting him as a boy of the age of 6. My grandmother was Thelma Chouinard up here in Maine. If you'd like, please contact me. ... Read more

Product Description
Ice climbing is exploding in popularity.Advances inequipment and technique have helped make the sport accessible to a widevariety of outdoor enthusiasts-and that's where How to Ice Climb! comesinto play.Written for beginners and experts alike, How to Ice Climb!is the most complete and up-to-date instructional manual available.Author Craig Luebben, contributing editor to Climbing magazine, startswith the basics such as equipment, safety, water ice technique, thenmoves on to thoroughly cover mixed climbing, alpine climbing, leading,and descending.Luebben had some of the best ice climbers in thecountry review the text and make contributions; sidebars and chapters byJoe Josephson, Topher Donahue, and Kennan Harvey help make this book acomplete package.Also included is an overview of popular NorthAmerican ice climbing areas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent Overview on Ice Climbing
I am an amateur rock climber interested in pursuing ice climbing. This book presents an overview of the rudimentary knowledge necessary to become involved in ice climbing. I now know the necessary equipment, tactics, hidden dangers, and mountaineering concepts which will enable me to go on a trip with an experienced climber and attempt some basic ascents.

best book for all ice climbing knowledge
Great book for info on ice climbing. The most valuable part of the book i found was the section where testing was done on protection in different ice conditions. Highly recommend this book to any climber planning to embark on the icy road, or for any ice climber wanting to learn more info.

Pure Domination
I've been wanting to ice climb for quite some time now, i got this book as a gift, and it is wonderful.a great no bull guide to getting started, from gear to techniques.if you want to get into ice climbing BUY THIS BOOK.

Everything you need toknow; clear, concise, easy to read
An excellent resource for ice climbing!Concise and clear, provides all the essential knowledge. Also provides further references for subjects notcovered.Great book. ... Read more

Product Description
From one of the most prominent names in climbing today, a full-color, comprehensive guide to a sport experiencing a renaissance.

"Mixed climbing is my favorite discipline. It’s the most fun because it has the fewest rules—sort of like professional wrestling compared to boxing." So says Will Gadd, as profiled in Fifty Favorite Climbs. Here the champion ice climber presents the same techniques and veteran wisdom he imparts to those who attend his annual clinics. These include: step-by-step instructions for the swing (ice axe), the kick (footwork), and putting it all together (tracking); how to "read" ice to select your line and follow it safely; and drytool techniques for mixed climbing. Training exercises and inspirational stories complete this seminal guide.

This is the seventh installment in The Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Master Mixed Climber - Less Than Masterful Book
Will Gadd is certainly in a class by himself as an ice/mixed climber.Unfortunately, the book doesn't perform at the highest level.The first copy I got had 16 missing pages.The seller provided a second copy at no charge.Still, the typos and occasional figure reference errors detract from the quality of the work.The section on conditioning and the personal stories are very good.There are many good tips throughout, for every aspect of ice and mixed climbs.However, some of the instructional material is not adequately covered to help a novice advance.Hopefully a 2nd edition will solve these problems.

Worth reading
I have been ice climbing for about three years now. I only get to climb on the weekends and therefore I'm only climbing at the WI 4 level. This season I was going to hire a private guide to help me refine my climbing. After reading this book I feel I have learned the few tricks I need to move into the WI 5 climbs. The drills and training tips are well worth the price and the time it takes to read the book worth it. It is an easy read (not boring) and well illustrated with color photos. Now I can buy more gear with the money I saved on a guide.

Very good look at the modern ice and mixed world
This guy knows what he's talking about.Read this if you're even mildly interested in the topic as you get it straight from one of the best in the business.Instruction, stories, personal recommendations from what he eats for breakfast to how to choose your tools and other sharp bits when the freeze sets in and the drips beckon!

great book, and even BETTER illustrations
An absolute awesome book with very meaningful test-based training and funny stories - the illustrations are even better - ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!

Good material, presentation problematic
This is one of the latest guides on ice climbing.It therefore covers the most modern techniques, is up to date with equipment, and has great color photos.Written by Will Gadd it definitely has the flair of an individual author, reads more like a pro's guide than a technical reference.The type of material covered and order is great.However, the editing of this guide is severely lacking.It suffers from incorrect captions, bad figure references, transposed terms (convex vs concave) and complex procedures described in steps that tend to get you lost in confusion rather than clarify.

If you're an already accomplished ice climber, there will be a few "take home" concepts ("tracking"/cycling vertical progression, and his personal take on mix climbing techniques for instance).A beginner will benefit more from this guide (after reading twice to work around the editing problems).

A second edition, edited properly, will be a top-notch guide on this sport. ... Read more

Product Description
The Colorado Ice Climber's Guide is the firstcomprehensive guide to ice climbing throughout Colorado.It includesclassic ice climbs in the following areas: Front Range, Summit County,Vail, Glenwood Springs, Redstone, Rifle, Grand Junction, Telluride,Ouray, Blue Mesa, Silverton, Durango, Lake City, Wolf Creek Pass, andColorado Springs.An expanded chapter on Rocky Mountain National Parkincludes easy-to-moderate alpine climbs, as well as waterfall iceroutes.Text descriptions are enhanced with hundreds of detailed mapsand photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

pretty good
I found this to be a pretty good guide.There is a lot of ice that is not covered by the book.But, what is covered is described pretty well.

Nice Job!
I have all the ice guides to colorado, and this one is about the only one I trust.Ratings are, in my experience, slightly conservative, which is better than being the other way, particularly for ice climbs where gettingin over your head can be very serious.Route information is, for all theroutes in the book I've done, very accurate.

Excellent
A great overview of the ice climbing available in Colorado. The best book on the market. ... Read more

Product Description
Climbing veteran Jeff Lowe provides a history of the sport,an overview of the world's best ice climbs, riveting personal stories, and professional insight into such matters as gear and avoiding hazards. Includes detailed instructions for tackling basic and advanced techniques. Includes some 250 b& ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Are you (ice) experienced?
Jeff Lowe's earlier book, the Ice Experience, was a companion text to Yvon Choinard's Climbing Ice, and those two formed the vast majority of the printed information on technical ice climbing for several decades. Now his new book eclipses everything else on the market for its scope, practicality, and good looks (the photos are one of the highlights of the book).
Buy this one if you have any serious or casual interest in the subject; the others pale in comparison.

All you need know about ice climbing and a little more
Jeff Lowe did a wonderfull job explaining the climbing techniques and reasons behind the technique. The knowledge in the book range from basic crampon technique to desparate overhanging dry tooling. All that is completed by excellent story of the frozen world

Excellent instruction from a world class climber
Jeff Lowe's Ice World is a must have for any ice climber.His in depth descriptions of classic techniques as well as insight into skills that helped him put up incredible mixed routes are all detailed in easy to read language.

The vivid photography really brings Lowe's instruction to life.This book is one of the best climbing reads out there.

very useful - focusses on all aspects of Ice Climbing
Read a few Ice-Climbing books, but found this to be the best of the lot in that it touches all the aspects of Ice-climbing- Equipment, Technique, Attitude, Ratings, all illustrated with good photos & tables. The order of presentation could be changed though, IMHO i.e technical stuff first ... Read more

Product Description
Yes, Virginia, there is ice climbing in Washington State!Learn where in the first guide to this undiscovered country.

· Presents more than 200 waterfall ice routes and alpine ice climbs in 28 areas in all regions of the state
· Several Washington climbing schools offer specific courses in ice climbing
· Includes information on how weather patterns affect ice routes and the best times to climb, from KING5 TV’s Jeff Renner

From established ice areas such as Alpental and Leavenworth to routes being developed (or rediscovered) around Coulee City and Wenatchee, the word is finally out: There are ample opportunities for quality ice climbing in Washington state! Arctic Grail, The Drip, and Hanging Curtain are just a few of the hottest ice routes that await you. Even more exciting, there are many routes yet to be conquered! Veteran ice climber Alex Kramarik and mountain guide Jason D. Martin have consulted with ice climbing experts around Washington to ensure the greatest accuracy and the best selection of routes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Resource!
This might be the best ice climbing guidebook I've ever seen!Let it freeze!Let it freeze!Let it freeze!

Best Winter Guide in Washington
This is clearly the definitive guide to steep winter climbing in Washington State.Martin and Krawarik have done a spectacular job researching and reporting on these routes.

This is the first book of it's kind for the area.I absolutely cannot wait for it to get cold! ... Read more

Product Description
CO NEW & BEST WILDFLOWER HIKES

Customer Reviews (2)

You need this if you ice climb in Colorado!
This guide only covers Western Colorado! It does not cover areas like Vail and RMNP, but areas like Ouray, Telluride, and Rifle. The author is an expert climber and even climbed most of the routes listed. The photos, access, history, and route descriptions are all well done. It is time for Jack Roberts to update another guide, but it will still works and new climbs are always being put up. You need this if you ice climb in Colorado!

Western CO Ice
If you are climbin in Western Colorado there is no better book than this one. In fact, I'm pretty sure that this is the best guide book that I have ever come across. My only wish is that it would have something about the front range (ie Boulder Canyon, Clear Creek). ... Read more

Product Description
Bringing together the collective experience and history of some of ice climbing's most influential pioneers, Winter Dance is a guide book that traces the development of the sport from the earliest, ground-breaking explorations through the continent's most challenging climbs by mountaineering legends like Alex Lowe, Jack Tackle, Steve House, Stan Price and many more. Featuring over 300 of the most important climbs throughout Big Sky, Bozeman, Beartooths and Cody, Winter Dance covers more vertical feet of water ice and mixed terrain than any guide in America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great Guide Book
This book is fantastic guide to all that is ice in Montana and Wyoming. The pictures provide a great asset to finding routes and ice flows off the beaten path. The wide variety of ice make the book a must for anyone who wishes to climb from beginner to advanced, there is something for everyone.

The only downside is to those who are orienting themselves to an area for the first time. Some of the routes are hard to locate if you are not familiar with the climbing areas and the way they are oriented. The maps at the beginning help some with this, but the uninitiated will find it a little bit hard to find some routes their first time out.

Winter Dance. Select Ice Climbs in Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming.
This book was awarded the 2004 Gold Medal "Book of the Year Award" in the Adventure/Recreation Category by Foreword Magazine. It was also a finalist at the prestigious Banff International Mountain Book Festival, a Silver Medal winner at the annual Publisher's Marketing Association Ben Franklin Awards, and Runner Up in the Travel Category at the Publisher's Association of the West Book Design and Production Awards. Thanks for your interest.

Beautiful, well-built book!
It's obvious that the author has perused plenty of climbing books and learned from the successes and failures of others. This is a gorgeous book, with concise route descriptions that are informative without wrecking the adventure of the climbs themselves. The photos are clear and useful and the book is well-organized. I have climbed a few of the longer routes in Cody as well as several in Montana and have yet to find any inaccuracies. 99% of the book is about routes - the obligatory stuff about local ethics and history is interesting but brief, unlike some guidebooks that fill half their pages with Leave No Trace advice.

Highly recommended for all ice climbers interested in seeing the Yellowstone ecosystem from high on an ice climb!

this pitch is unlimited
for any outdoor enthusiast, not to mention 'climber',this is a striking book. the paper quality and photos would in itself be a great addition to your library. the read is well done and in the true climber lingo, would recommend highly.

Beautiful Book
This guide book is well written, thought out, and has some reall really nice photos. All routes are photographed, making finding them alot easier. They could almost slap a hard cover on it and sell it as a coffe table book. ... Read more

Product Description

• Includes images by the world's outstanding climbers and climbing photographers, including Mark Twight, Jon Krakauer, John Cleare, and Paul Pritchard
• Features renowned climbers such as Lynn Hill, Roxanne Wells, and Stevie Haston
• Captures the adventurous spirit of the climbers and the sport

Extreme climbs-climbs in which the consequences are serious, the determination and courage of the climbers reaches far beyond the casual, and successful ascents are often preceded by frequent, unsuccessful attempts. With evocative words and heart-stopping photographs, Extreme Rock & Ice showcases 25 of the greatest extreme climbs of the past quarter-century. The climbs featured-including the most risky of rock, ice, big-wall, and high-mountain routes-are at the very cutting edge of the sport.

Portraying some of the wildest and most beautiful parts of the world-from Patagonia to the Himalaya-and providing insight into the character of the men and women who have devised new and untried climbs, this collection is sure to awe and inspire.

Involved in climbing for over thirty years, Garth Hattingh has climbed extensively throughout the world. He is the author of Top Climbs of the World and The Climber's Handbook. ... Read more

Product Description
In "Climbing Rock and Ice", Jerry Cinnamon offers introductory, how-to advice for beginners as well as technical information for sport climbers, seasoned veterans and programme leaders. The book includes up-to-date information on techniques, knots, equipment, belaying and leading, on anchor systems, steep ice, avalanches and climbing leadership. 25 years ago, rock and ice climbers were considered eccentrics, daredevils or lunatics. Now, climbing is a major growth area in outdoor sports, and the ever-increasing numbers of climbers have moved from fringe to mainstream. A recent survey of outdoor enthusiasts showed that over 4 million people in the US climbed rocks and mountains in 1991. Jerry Cinnamon is one of those "eccentrics" who began climbing in the early 1970s. He soon combined his enthusiasm for the sport and his skills as a teacher, developing courses in mountaineering, rock climbing and ice climbing that became part of a professional programme in Outdoor Recreation Leadership at Unity College, in Unity, Maine.Cinnamon's students practice the physical skills of climbing on rock and ice, learn to set up belaying and anchoring systems, and hone their ability to analyze new situations critically. Cinnamon breaks down skills into basic steps that match how people learn, and he passes along time-tested pointers gained from 20 years on cliffs and crags. He instructs newcomers as well as experienced climbers. This book contains the information he gives his students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Covers a lot of information, with poor illustrations.
This book covers virtually every aspect of climbing, from rock gear to avalanche detection and rescue. While it's all inclusive, the drawings (there are no photos) are poor, a significant drawback in a book like this.A lot of the things that he writes about snow and ice get very technical,especially when he discusses snowpack, ice formations, etc., which, if youhave the patience to read all the way through, are pretty interesting. I'dbuy John Long's book from the How to Rock Climb series first hands down,but this one is a good book to have nonetheless. ... Read more

Product Description
Climb focuses on the most exciting descriptions of thehardest climbing in the world, from the cliffs of Yosemite to thewindswept towers of Patagonia to the high peaks of Alaska and theHimalayas. Stories include Chris Bonington's classic account of theAnnapurna expedition thatintroduced technical rock climbing at high altitude; Chris Bonington's classic accountof the Annapurna expedition that introduced technical rock climbing athigh altitude; Tom Patey's hilarious profile of the great climber andeven greater misanthrope Don Whilans, describing an attempt the twomade on the Eiger North Face; John Long on a day spent climbing hardrock unroped in Joshua Tree's desert; and Rob Taylor breaking a leghigh on Africa's Mount Kenya. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Climbing/Mountaineering compilation
This is a great compilation of climbing stories. Some are inspiring while others will make you think about whether this is really something you want to be doing. Also highly recommended for those addicted to mountaineering literature is the editor's book "Epic" for more of the same...

Another installment in Willis' anthology series
Willis has a genius for searching climbing literature and coming up with gripping passages to incorporate into his anthologies. Some readers will find that they already own most of the original books, making the anthologyunnecessary. However, for those who only like the exciting bits, or whodon't want to collect dozens of volumes, Willis' works are perfect. Thelatest installment continues to incorporate writings on many differentclimbing styles and historical periods, both fiction and nonfiction.

An exciting and inspiring read
As you can see from the table of contents and the editorial reviews, this book contains writings by lots of great mountaineers and climbers.Many of the authors discuss experiences when they have had to deal with fear, loss,and the difficult question of risk; they also share some of the lessonsthat they have learned from years of being challenged by nature and otherpeople.Willis' compilation includes a selection of both fictional andtrue stories that I found to be a balanced combination of very funny,poignant, sad, and--best of all--inspiring.Reading this book really mademe want to get outside!One of the convenient things about this book isthat the stories are rather short, so it's easy to pick it up for a briefescape from the hustle and bustle of the city...There is also abibliography so one can read further about any of the stories, if onechooses.

Climb: stories of survival from everest and K2
The book was very good.It gave me a very good time reading.Itwas so good I couldn't even put it down!I recommend it to everyone who engoys climbing stories! ... Read more

Product Description
Celebrated climbers Guy and Laura Waterman trace the growth of this popular sport by focusing on the first ascents of classic routes and the climbers who made them legendary: John Case on the Adirondacks' Indian Head and Wallface; Robert Underhill and Lincoln O'Brien on Cannon; Fritz Wiessner on Breakneck Ridge. More contemporary climbers Jim McCarthy, Henry Barber, Lynn Hill, and Hugh Herr are described in full detail. Ethics and style, the evolution of ice climbing, the changing role of women in climbing, and developments in technique and equipment are explored. Available for the first time in paperback. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This is the definitive guide....
Guy, age 67 climbed his favorite mountain ridge near his home in Vermont,one last time. A forthcoming collection of their writings,some of which supplement this book, will be published soon.

The best history of climbing ever.
"Yankee Rock & Ice" is the best climbing history I have ever read for any region or era. The authors went to great lengths to get the history from primary sources. Straight from the horse's mouth as it were. They talked to dozens of old-time climbers to record their memories before they pasted-on. Sadly, many have, but their reminiscences are recorded here. This is a history in the true sense of the word. Many climbing histories give simple narratives of when, by whom, and how climbs were done. "Camp 4" by Steve Roper and "Defying Gravity" by Gary Arce are two that come to mind. The authors of "Yankee Rock & Ice" don't simply give a account of when classic climbs were done, they also scrutinize the history according to the times. They examine the past by the current customs, techniques and technology available. But, this isn't a stuffy history text you read in school, the stories are lively and extremely funny. I was laughing as loud as when I read John Long's stuff. ... Read more

Product Description
This classic guide to rock, slide, and ice routes includes over 1,000 descriptions, YDSA ratings and grades and protection ratings. Photoguides, photos, some page maps. By Don Mellor. 3rd ed. 480 pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

THE Guide to the Adirondacks!
A well written and easy to follow guide to the best climbs in the ADK's.Don gives the important information while allowing the climber to experiance the adventure of Adirondack climbing.

A well written guide
The definitive guide on the Adirondacks.While not including every cliff, this guide is critical for all Adirondack rock climbing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Informative
Not his best work, but an informative book all the same.I think I have read every book written by Greg Child and stronly recommend all of his books.This one was more of a technical manual and perhaps I had become to expect his writing style that you will find in all of his other works.Great author.

Informative and often funny
Greg Child is one of the very best writers in mountaineeringand this excellent reference book is up to his high standards and often displays Child's sly sense of humor.Child has choses his contributers well.It isvery informative and I believe that both experienced climbers and armchairmountaineers will benefit from it as he nicely defines many of the termsthat are bandied about in other mountaineering adventures and expeditionbooks.Child also discusses the issues and controvercies in mountaineeringand includes excellent summeries of many of the main events inmountaineering history.

Great Book, Bad Editing
This is a very useful book: the sport of climbing really needed an dictionary-type work. Unfortunately, the facts needed to be better checked, as in a couple of instances they are incomplete or even just plain wrong.More illustrations would also be good. I hope that a new edition may comeout which will correct the above problems and make this book theindispensable tool it deserves to be. ... Read more

Product Description
It's not for everyone, but ice climbing is an essential skill for mountaineering.Read this book before you begin lessons to better understand your instructor.Discover a sport synonymous with adventure, strength, endurance, perseverance, and daring.Read and understand ice conditions.Implement ice climbing tools such as crampons, ice axes, and pitons.Use snow, ice, and rocks as anchors while climbing and belaying.Ascend, descend and belay vertical ice faces.Gain the basic yet essential knowledge to climb vertical and overhanging ice. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes the sport of ice climbing, including its equipment, techniques, and safety information. ... Read more