- ISBN13: 9781575400754
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
The most comprehensive look at the subject yet. Advanced Rock Climbing picks up where John Long’s How to Rock Climb leaves off, describing the climbing techniques and rope tricks of the modern rock climber. The guide covers both sport and traditional climbing, and self-rescue techniques, in Long’s easy-to-read, entertaining style…. More >>
How to Climb: Advanced Rock Climbing
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I get acrophobia just from standing on a deep-pile carpet, so this isn’t something I’m ever going to do myself, but I still found it interesting to read about it. I think the people who do this are some of the bravest people I know (as well as probably being completely nuts.
). Just looking at some of the pictures showing climbers going up almost featureless, smooth, sheer walls along a little crack set my heart to pounding a little bit.
The book contains a wealth of detail and information on rock climbing and much space is devoted to climbing techniques and strategies. I didn’t know there were so many different kinds of grips and holds one could perform, and how they’d been adapted to specific situations and needs, but it was very interesting reading about that, and I discuss some of that further below.
The book is divided into seven chapters: Face Climbing, Crack Climbing, Rapelling, Sport Climbing, Adventure Climbing (this was one of the most interesting chapters), Training, and Self-Rescue.
Each outdoor sport has its own special vernacular and and special skills and techniques and rock climbing is no different. As I said, there’s so much info here it would be hard to pick and choose a topic, but I did want to mention one thing I found interesting, which was the crack climbing and crack skills. The authors say you have to become “crack fluent” and must develop at least some competence in this since they point out that historical big walls and free routes invariably follow crack systems. To become a true “crack-master” requires patience, practice, and technique. Cracks vary greatly. Some cracks are so small that all you can do is use fingers jams. Other cracks are bigger and you can get your whole hand in the crack and use a hand or a fist jam, and several of those are discussed too.
Cracks are noted for requiring “an even combination of applied technique and physical enfurance.” One of the special techniques for very narrow cracks is the “finger stack” and “butterfly jam.” In the former you put your hand into the crack and stack the index. middle, and ring fingers against one another and vigorously twist downward. The butterfly jam involves placing the thumb into the crack and stacking the fingers against it. These are just a few of the dozens of special techniques that were discussed and that I learned about in this book. All of the different finger and hand jams and other techniques are fully illustrated so you can see exactly what’s going on.
The authors also spend some time discussing the dangers of free-soloing and climbing in general. One author (C.L.) said he knows 14 climbers who had died in the last 6 years alone. This sobering statistic certainly points up the dangers of rock climbing, and yet the authors say that more and more people are being attracted into the sport. So as I said, while I doubt I’ll ever try this myself, I found it interesting to read about and learn something about what’s involved.
This is an excellent book on the subject which will be of use mainly to already experienced and skilled participants in this interesting and exciting but very risky sport.
Rating: 5 / 5
technically useful, but written in an irritative prolo-supposed-funny language, and culminates with offensive comments about “European trash” climbing sites. Must be good to promote the patriotism of the USA climbers.
Rating: 2 / 5
Long has done it again. A.R.C. goes through the more advanced maneuvers of climbing. It is a must have for climbers who want to be more than a indoor or weekend climber, and who want to be able to climb more than 5.9 TR’s.
Rating: 5 / 5
These books (how to climb series)are a must for the climber who doesn’t allways have a lot of experienced people around. Many great tips. good for referencing back to. Good explanations. And even enjoyable to read.
Rating: 5 / 5
As other reviews have mentioned, you get a little bit of everything in this book, and I think that’s what it is good for.
I picked this book up when I was moving from a beginning top rope/gym climber to a more advanced multi-pitch trad climber. This booked helped me know what concepts I had a strong grasp on, and what concepts I needed to study further.
If you are already comfortable with your climbing technique then there are many better books such as those published by “The Mountaineers Outdoor Experts Series”.
If you know you still have a few things to learn, then by all means, pick up this book and you will get a good idea of what you do and don’t know.
Rating: 3 / 5