1001 Climbing Tips

Shortlisted: 2016 Banff Mountain Book Competition

'1001 Climbing Tips had me laughing out loud in places, which I never thought possible for this genre of book. A tremendous resource that should be an essential addition to every climber's loo-library' - Ian Parnell, Climb magazine

Imagine an alien came down to Earth, stuck a probe into a climber's brain - one who'd been climbing for over thirty years - and then transmogrified the contents into a big book of climbing tips. Well, 1001 Climbing Tips by Andy Kirkpatrick is just such a book.

This is no regular instruction manual - it's much more useful than that. This is a massive collection of all those little tips that make a real difference when at the crag, in the mountains, or when you're planning your next big trip. It's for anyone who hangs off stuff, or just hangs around in the mountains. These tips are based on three decades of climbing obsession, as well as nineteen ascents of El Cap, numerous Alpine north faces, trips to the polar ice caps, and many other scary climbs and expeditions.

1001 Climbing Tips covers the following areas:

BASI [1-240]: From how best to rope up and the importance of climbing partnerships, to racking your gear correctly and how to sleep in a harness. This section is designed for both novice and experienced climbers.

SAFETY [241-327]: The name of the game in climbing is staying alive and coming home in one piece. This section covers loose rock, rescue, dealing with heat and what to do if you get caught out.

BIG WALL [328-434]: Knowledge on tackling large multi-pitch climbs, with advanced topics such as pegging, jumaring, hauling and speed climbing. These tips will be an aid both to those new to multi-pitch climbing, as well as more experienced climbers.

ICE [435-481]: Tips on all aspects of ice climbing, including movement, protection, looking after your gear, mental strength and - of course - not falling off.

MIXED [482-503]: With a focus on Scottish and Alpine winter skills, these essential tips focus on how to use your tools on snowed-up rock, leading, gear and footwork on mixed ground.

MOUNTAIN [504-802]: Essential reading for mountaineers, hill walkers and rock climbers, this section has almost 300 tips on living and staying alive in the mountains, be that in the UK, Alps or Greater Ranges.

TRAINING [803-876]: A range of tips on how to overcome fear, improve strength and endurance, as well as diet and nutrition advice for climbers.

STUFF [877-1001]: A mix of esoterica, such as how to rap off a fifi hook, what books to read, how to make your own kit, how to get sponsored, photo and video advice, and how to go to the toilet in tricky spots.

Auteur

Andy Kirkpatrick is an award-winning author and climber. With a reputation for seeking out routes where the danger is real and the return questionable, he has pushed himself on some of the hardest walls and faces around the world. He was born and raised on a council estate in Hull, one of the UK's flattest cities, and suffered from severe dyslexia which went undiagnosed until he was nineteen. Thriving on this apparent adversity, Andy transformed himself into one of the world's most driven and accomplished climbers and an award-winning writer. In 2001 he undertook an eleven-day solo ascent of the Reticent Wall on El Capitan, Yosemite, one of the hardest solo climbs in the world. This climb was the central theme of his first book Psychovertical, which won the 2008 Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature. His second book, Cold Wars, won the 2012 Boardman Tasker Award. In 2014 he partnered BBC One's The One Show presenter Alex Jones as she climbed Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park in aid of Sport Relief. Unknown Pleasures: Collected Writing on Life, Death, Climbing and Everything in Between was published in 2018. Andy lives in Ireland with his wife Vanessa.

Texte du rabat

Imagine an alien came down to Earth, stuck a probe into a climber's brain - one who'd been climbing for over thirty years - and then transmogrified the contents into a big book of climbing tips. Well, 1001 Climbing Tips by Andy Kirkpatrick is just such a book.

This is no regular instruction manual - it's much more useful than that. This is a massive collection of all those little tips that make a real difference when at the crag, in the mountains, or when you're planning your next big trip. It's for anyone who hangs off stuff, or just hangs around in the mountains. These tips are based on three decades of climbing obsession, as well as nineteen ascents of El Cap, numerous Alpine north faces, trips to the polar ice caps, and many other scary climbs and expeditions.

The following areas are covered: Basics, Safety, Big Wall, Ice, Mixed, Mountain, Training, and Stuff.