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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Mar 30, 2016 - 02:15pm PT
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Trad
Trad climber
northern CA
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Mar 30, 2016 - 03:14pm PT
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Geology Underfoot in Yosemite National Park by Allen Glazner and Greg Stock
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Mar 30, 2016 - 06:21pm PT
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Mar 30, 2016 - 06:30pm PT
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You guys are ashsoles! The only Yosemite book that matters is Yosemite Climber by George Meyers.
Tell me that book didn't resurrect or verify your tick list? The pictures of free climbing and the big walls laid the foundation for a generation of climbers.
Total style screaming at you in every picture. Outside magazine, Patagonia Clothing Company, TNF--they're all trying to do what Meyers delivered.
Any one who read it--it's like the story of the Velvet Undergrounds first album--only 2000 people heard it- But everyone of them went out and started a band.
Impossible to read without dreaming of what could be--forced me to stand on the road with a thumb out pointing west. Forced me to take the lead. Forced me to see what it was all about
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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Mar 30, 2016 - 10:49pm PT
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Clarence King: Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada has to be on any list. Agreed, but Muir, even more-so.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Mar 31, 2016 - 02:03am PT
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It hasn't been explicitly stated here so far:
The Green Roper's guides to the Valley and the High Sierra are not just climbers' guides. They are history books.
And the non-SuperTopo, non-Meyer's routes in the Roper's books are not just chossy crap. Some of the Roper's obscurities are really good. No gumby queues at the base, either.
When I saw the bongs and blocks of wood in Yosemite Climber, the only El Cap route I wanted to do was Excalibur. Those clean wide cracks did not disappoint.
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duncan
climber
London, UK
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2016 - 08:29am PT
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Tremendous suggestions everyone. This is becoming quite expensive.
Clint's brain is the obvious must-have, but which one?
This did lead me to his thoughts on Yosemite history here. He thinks the Meyers/Reid 1987 guide has "the best overall reference for free climbing history". I'm the green and yellow Meyers generation. The Meyers/Reid and the Ropers are an interesting idea, I love UK guidebooks with unfashionable text and historical sections but the regular booksellers seem unwilling to ship outside North America.
I've ordered Camp 4, Making Of... and Vertical World of... (I've read this but good to have a copy and easily found in the UK).
How did I miss The Stone Masters when it came out? Second-hand prices have inflated like mint Led Zeppelin first pressings or vintage Porches. Is it that good? Damn baby-boomers and their disposable incomes!
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duncan
climber
London, UK
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 14, 2016 - 12:33am PT
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Add Glen Denny's memoir to the list. I really enjoyed it, the various personalities come across strongly. More social and cultural history than who climbed what with whom, but we've already had plenty of the latter.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Oct 14, 2016 - 06:10am PT
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I was cruising the thread checking for that title, Duncan.
It's an old-school (MORT HEMPEL stories, MIKE BORGHOFF stories) romp that is best placed next to Roper's Camp 4.
Valley Wallsis full of writing that percolated in Glen's brain (just the one) like rainwater into the bedrock, coming out coool and cleear like the water of Fern Spring.
Refreshingly old stories but a unique point of view from a masterful observer.
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BooDawg
Social climber
Butterfly Town
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Oct 14, 2016 - 09:14am PT
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"The Discovery of Yosemite" by Lafayette Bunnell recounts the first Euro-Americans' (Mariposa Battalion's) entry into Yosemite Valley. Good for the earliest history.
"Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite." A great history book and educates us all about how to avoid accidents in Yosemite's beautiful but unforgiving landscapes.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Oct 14, 2016 - 12:06pm PT
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Shattered Air,
Bob Madgic 1985-07-27 lightning strike on Half Dome; is described in
Death in Yosemite p.205-210.
The rescue was done by helicopter from the Half Dome summit in moonlight.
Later there was a body recovery for one victim who slid off the summit.
There was also a simultaneous SAR for 4 lost people in Tenaya Canyon.
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Climberdude
Trad climber
Clovis, CA
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Oct 14, 2016 - 12:53pm PT
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I am surprised no one has mentioned "Pilgrims Of The Vertical" by Joseph Taylor III. It is more of an academically written book, but is excellent for explaining the history of climbing in the US, particularly in Yosemite. One of my favorite climbing history books.
Edit
"Shattered Air" is also excellent.
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David Plotnikoff
Mountain climber
Emerald Hills, CA
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Oct 15, 2016 - 05:54pm PT
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Galen Rowell and John Muir: The Yosemite
Daniel Duane, El Capitan
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kief
Trad climber
east side
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Oct 15, 2016 - 07:24pm PT
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Illustrations include lots of pre-dam Hetch Hetchy photos I've seen nowhere else. Long out of print. Amazon has used copies available but there may be better prices on eBay.
This used to be for sale in the Valley at the AA Gallery. A public domain pdf may be downloaded here.
Though not climbing books both are fascinating.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Sep 26, 2017 - 02:50am PT
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hey there say, ... just SAW this thread, in a seach about the book,
'shattered air' ...
thought this would be a good bump...
'essential yosemite libaray' ... good thread, here... :)
happy good eve, to all...
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Sep 26, 2017 - 05:37am PT
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Correct me if I am wrong, but I see no mention of Glen Denny's Yosemite In the Sixties, a photo essay by the Maestro.
I love this shot...my very first fifth class lead is shown here, Delectable Pinnacle, 5.7.
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