Schurman Rock

Part history, part biography, part climbing guide, Schurman Rock: A History & Guide describes the design and construction of Schurman Rock, the world's first artificial climbing wall, built in 1938-39 at Camp Long in Seattle, Washington. The book includes a history of the creation of Camp Long by by William G. Long, a Superior Court judge, who seized the opportunity to turn an unused 68-acre tract of swampy forest land into a wilderness camp for youth, and a biography of Clark Schurman, a Scoutmaster and Chief Climbing Guide at Mount Rainier, who envisioned and then built his "dream rock" to provide a place to teach mountaineering skills to youth. Thousands of kids and adults, including Fred Beckey and Jim and Lou Whittaker, learned to climb on Schurman Rock over the past 80 years. In 1938, Schurman published an article describing 22 routes on the rock--"short bits" as he called them. This book expands on this with a guide to several boulder problems on the rock. Includes many historic photos and a foreword by Pacific Northwest climbing legend Jim Whittaker.

A guide to some of the greatest locations around the world as recommended by expert rock climbers, with travel tips and stunning photos included. Covering three types of climbing—trad, sport, and bouldering—and showcasing breathtaking venues from Joshua Tree to Jeju, South Korea, this guide features insights from industry insiders, including employees from rock-climbing gear companies like Petzl and Black Diamond Equipment, professional climbers like Jon Cardwell and Kevin Jorgeson (co-star of Dawn Wall), filmmaker Michael Call, and Climbing magazine editor Matt Samet. And for those who want to travel to these locales, Chris Santella provides “If You Go” suggestions to help plan your trip. This essential travel companion for climbers of all levels of expertise features such locations as: Horse Pens 40, Alabama * Cochise Stronghold, Arizona * Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado * Innsbruck, Austria * Castle Hill, New Zealand * Elephant’s Perch, Idaho * The Bugaboos, British Columbia * Arco, Italy * Red River Gorge, Kentucky * Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin * Acadia National Park, Maine * The Shawangunks, New York * Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma * Chamonix, France * Railay Beach, Thailand * and more

• 40 principal routes and their variations, with aerial photos and route overlays • Now with full-color photos and maps • All-new beta on 9 ski and snowboard routes Many of the most accomplished US alpinists have learned their skills on Mount Rainier. And many of the rest of us dream of one day standing on its majestic summit. Whether you’re one of these dreamers or an aspiring pro, you need this book, written by Mike Gauthier, the park’s former lead climbing ranger. This new, 3rd edition is a major upgrade of the bestselling guidebook, which remains a standard for other climbing guides. New features include an expanded section on glaciers, including how to understand and traverse them, as well as new information on search-and-rescue and additional historical details. Gauthier has also added beta on all major ski routes, as this sport has become a favorite on the mountain. Mount Rainier reigns as the single resource, packed with everything you need to climb the mountain, from your first time to your fifth: tips on selecting a guide service; nearby training sites to help prepare you; detailed beta on the 40 principle climbing routes; overviews of park flora and fauna; capsule histories of ascents and accidents; overviews of the major park regions; bonus routes to several other peaks inside Mount Rainier National Park; and much more.

Seattleites often play in the mountain ranges they can see from their city—but sometimes you just need a hike you can do before lunch. That’s what you get with Urban Trails: Seattle. A thriving city of more than seven hundred thousand residents within a metropolitan area of nearly four million, Seattle has become a big city, with rapid growth and an increasing number of new arrivals every year. Thanks to the foresight of early city planners, however, the city's large park system contains a wide array of trails that traverse manicured lawns, nature preserves, old-growth forest groves, historic districts, and vibrant neighborhoods—as well as trails that travel along lakeshores, cascading creeks, and stretches of Puget Sound shoreline. Within this sprawling metropolis you'll also find some of the best long-distance paved trails in the Northwest. They thread together parks and greenbelts that call out for further exploration and adventures. Whether you like to hike, run, or walk, you’ll find countless options among Seattle's urban trails, giving you many reasons to never leave the city when seeking excellent outdoor adventures. Features of this guide include: Easy to reference maps Trail distance and high point Indicates trail suitability for walkers, hikers, and runners Trailhead amenities Info for families with kids and for dog owners Sidebars on area history, nature, and sights

Fast-paced history-cum-memoir about rock climbing in the wild-and-wooly ’80s Highlights ground-breaking achievements from the era Hangdog Days vividly chronicles the era when rock climbing exploded in popularity, attracting a new generation of talented climbers eager to reach new heights via harder routes and faster ascents. This contentious, often entertaining period gave rise to sport climbing, climbing gyms, and competitive climbing--indelibly transforming the sport. Jeff Smoot was one of those brash young climbers, and here he traces the development of traditional climbing “rules,” enforced first through peer pressure, then later through intimidation and sabotage. In the late ’70s, several climbers began introducing new tactics including “hangdogging,” hanging on gear to practice moves, that the old guard considered cheating. As more climbers broke ranks with traditional style, the new gymnastic approach pushed the limits of climbing from 5.12 to 5.13. When French climber Jean-Baptiste Tribout ascended To Bolt or Not to Be, 5.14a, at Smith Rock in 1986, he cracked a barrier many people had considered impenetrable. In his lively, fast-paced history enriched with insightful firsthand experience, Smoot focuses on the climbing achievements of three of the era’s superstars: John Bachar, Todd Skinner, and Alan Watts, while not neglecting the likes of Ray Jardine, Lynn Hill, Mark Hudon, Tony Yaniro, and Peter Croft. He deftly brings to life the characters and events of this raucous, revolutionary time in rock climbing, exploring, as he says, “what happened and why it mattered, not only to me but to the people involved and those who have followed.”

In addition to the Cascade Range and Puget Sound, this authoritative guide also leads to lesser-known destinations, including high bluffs and tide pools along the Pacific, abandoned mines and railways, and stands of old-growth forest inside the city limits.

This guide to 60 of the best hikes in and around Seattle showcases the best of everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer.