If you want to know who is who, and who was who, of American climbing, a special issue of Rock and Ice magazine, The People of Climbing will reveal all.
Filled with beefed-out bio' lists of who matters in American climbing from The Ten Who Influenced “the games climbers play”, to the Ten Women Who Can Burn Off The Guys, it includes the best, the boldest, the youngest and a Requiem section, a tribute to 43 climbers who have levitated to that great gig in the sky.
Like a TV Guide, this special also comes with a choice of four 'limited collector's edition' covers. You can choose between this years 'it” girl Lauren Lee or more traditionally, Royal Robbins, Henry Barber or John Long.
There's a few UK mentions. Martin Atkinson makes it as number two in the worst dressed climbers list for his one-piece lycra body suite when working To Bolt or Not To Be at Smith Rock in the Eighties. The late Derek Hersey is described as “one of the greatest soloists to lace up” in Beyond Bold. Claire Murphy, courtesy of her green card and skill, makes it in to the best American Women Climbers (who burn off the guys). But the most Brits make it into the Beast masters list, “ten you want on your side in a bar fight.” Number 9 on this list is Any Expatriate Brit...”everyone knows the Brits are nutters hailing as they do from a small overpopulated, rain-swept isle in the North Sea, with more pubs than decent climbing days.” The dangerous brothers Al and Adrian Burgess get name checked.
As an added bonus there's a feature on Michael Reardon. Not heard of him? He's an ex-glam-rocker, Hollywood producer and a head-honcho at the US website rockclimbing.com who is taking over John Bachar's role as soloist supreme. Matt Samett interviewed him on a trip to the Sierra Nevada's Temple crag and, apart from being an excellent read, it's one of the first times I've laughed out loud at something I've read in a climbing magazine.
Comments