Yankee Rock And Ice

- First time in paperback Celebrated climbers Guy and Laura Waterman trace the growth of this popular sport by focusing on the first ascents of classic routes and the climbers who made them legendary: John Case on the Adirondacks' Indian Head and Wallface; Robert Underhill and Lincoln O'Brien on Cannon; Fritz Wiessner on Breakneck Ridge. More contemporary climbers Jim McCarthy, Henry Barber, Lynn Hill, and Hugh Herr are described in full detail. Ethics and style, the evolution of ice climbing, the changing role of women in climbing, and developments in technique and equipment are explored.

First published in 1993 and hailed as a classic, Yankee Rock and Ice is reissued in a new edition with new chapters covering the 1990s through today. This comprehensive, entertaining history of roped rock and ice climbing in the Northeast traces the growth of this popular sport from the first trailblazers through today's events and personalities.

Introduces the sports of rock and ice climbing, describing the history, equipment, safety tips, and outstanding performers.

This magesterial and thrilling history argues that the story of American mountaineering is the story of America itself. In Continental Divide, Maurice Isserman tells the history of American mountaineering through four centuries of landmark climbs and first ascents. Mountains were originally seen as obstacles to civilization; over time they came to be viewed as places of redemption and renewal. The White Mountains stirred the transcendentalists; the Rockies and Sierras pulled explorers westward toward Manifest Destiny; Yosemite inspired the early environmental conservationists. Climbing began in North America as a pursuit for lone eccentrics but grew to become a mass-participation sport. Beginning with Darby Field in 1642, the first person to climb a mountain in North America, Isserman describes the exploration and first ascents of the major American mountain ranges, from the Appalachians to Alaska. He also profiles the most important American mountaineers, including such figures as John C. Frémont, John Muir, Annie Peck, Bradford Washburn, Charlie Houston, and Bob Bates, relating their exploits both at home and abroad. Isserman traces the evolving social, cultural, and political roles mountains played in shaping the country. He describes how American mountaineers forged a "brotherhood of the rope," modeled on America’s unique democratic self-image that characterized climbing in the years leading up to and immediately following World War II. And he underscores the impact of the postwar "rucksack revolution," including the advances in technique and style made by pioneering "dirtbag" rock climbers. A magnificent, deeply researched history, Continental Divide tells a story of adventure and aspiration in the high peaks that makes a vivid case for the importance of mountains to American national identity.

A compelling story of our ever-evolving relationship with mountains and wilderness. Thirty years after its initial publication, this beloved classic is back in print. Superbly researched and written, Forest and Crag is the definitive history of our love affair with the mountains of the Northeastern United States, from the Catskills and the Adirondacks of New York to the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the mountains of Maine. It’s all here in one comprehensive volume: the struggles of early pioneers in America’s first frontier wilderness; the first ascent of every major peak in the Northeast; the building of the trail networks, including the Appalachian Trail; the golden era of the summit resort hotels; and the unforeseen consequences of the backpacking boom of the 1970s and 80s. Laura and Guy Waterman spent a decade researching and writing Forest and Crag, and in it they draw together widely scattered sources. What emerges is a compelling story of our ever-evolving relationship with the mountains and wilderness, a story that will fascinate historians, outdoor enthusiasts, and armchair adventurers alike. Laura Waterman and Guy Waterman (1932–2000) volunteered for the United States Forest Service and for hiking and conservation organizations, maintaining the Franconia Ridge Loop for almost two decades. They were awarded the American Alpine Club’s 2012 David R. Brower Award for outstanding service in mountain conservation, and the Waterman Fund to preserve wildness and service the alpine areas across the Northeast was established in 2000. Laura and Guy wrote numerous articles and books on the outdoors, including The Green Guide to Low-Impact Hiking and Camping, Wilderness Ethics: Preserving the Spirit of Wildness, and Yankee Rock & Ice: A History of Climbing in the Northeastern United States. Laura’s memoir, Losing the Garden: The Story of a Marriage, recounts their thirty years of homesteading.

Discussed how Americans spend their free time and entertain themselves. Essays present perspectives in the fields of American and cultural studies, sociology, recreation, sports, leisure studies, auctions, bloodsports, shopping malls, and theme parks.