06/26/2023
Adventurers will value this collection of tales and photographs from climbers who have ventured out into the wilderness of the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. E.C. Joe has compiled stories from men and women who pioneered the sport—from first ascents to training others to follow their footsteps. At times poetic and at times hilarious, these immersive reminiscences stir a sense of what it feels like to be one of the first climbers in the Southern Sierra, climbing untouched rock. Joe closes with a series of touching memories of climbers who have died and an interview with Richard Leversee, a giant in the field, celebrating their glory days.
Throughout Rites of Passage, Joe brings together hard-earned wisdom and stories that legitimately will “inspire future generations to explore their limits” (as Vitaliy Musiyenko puts it in the forward). Some of the tales shared are of people doing truly bold, risky things (such as, memorably, in the “Gorge of Despair”), but the contributors also always stress the need for climbers to be careful. The photos, illustrations, and sketchy topos (guides to climbing routes) help the reader feel the reality of these stories. Joe also helpfully includes bios of all the contributors, as well as endnotes and photo credits which would help the dedicated reader chase down more information about the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains.
Rites of Passage is full of detailed and technical accounts—such as of mastering complex walls and difficult crack systems with only sketchy descriptions to work from. That is the spirit of the Sierra Nevada which Joe hopes to pass on to a future generation: enabling future generations to “climb as if the route was being done for the first time,” as one contributor puts it, and truly experience the wilderness. For those who love the outdoors, particularly members of the “small spiritual tribe” of climbers, this is a beautiful and inspiring collection of stories, reminiscences and wisdom about the southern Sierra Nevada—and what it takes to thrive there.
Takeaway: Gorgeous, inspiring stories and photos of climbing the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Comparable Titles: Clarence King’s Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada, Lauren DeLaunay Miller’s Valley of Giants.
Production grades Cover: B- Design and typography: A Illustrations: A Editing: A- Marketing copy: A
"If you climb in southern and western Sierra it will warm your heart with awesome memories. If you don't - buy it and it will psyche you up for some of the best adventures of your life." - Todd Gordon
"This is a very important book documenting the history of climbing in California and the U.S." - Jim Thomsen
"This book rekindled my passion for adventuring in the Range of Light." - Ed Hartouni
"E.C. Joe has curated a first-rate collection of adventures straight from the climbers that lived them." - Amazon Customer
2023-09-24
Joe’s collection of rock-climbing tales chronicle his and 14 other contributors’ adventures in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
West Coast readers who’ve visited a Yosemite Valley meadow have likely watched in wonder at rock climbers perched on the vast, vertical terrain of El Capitan; from the ground, these climbers appear as mere pinpricks in the distance, with their human forms becoming clear only with binoculars. Those who have pondered the experiences of these adventurers will find that this book brings their pursuits to vivid life. The author—an accomplished rock climber, climbing teacher, and guide—has gathered his and fellow climbers’ tales of mountaineering in the backcountry. Among this elite group, discovering a new route up a vertical slope is a sterling accomplishment. Readers learn the importance of community and teamwork in climbing—it’s definitely not a solo sport, and a competent partner can mean the difference between life and death. The book’s greatest strength is in the variety of voices telling its stories; brief biographies at the end introduce the various players and expand on their lives. However, for non-climbers, the plethora of technical terms brings unsettling confusion. A glossary would have been helpful to clarify what a hex is (a hexagonal nut attached to a cable that climbers insert into rock-face cracks). It would have strengthened the descriptions of moment-to-moment decisions made during an ascent, as in this passage: “The main crack bottomed out into a shallow groove at a point just about mid-way up the pitch. I used my only #8 Hex in a spot before this section….The Hex was a super good piece, but the better crack above the appeared to be #8 size for a long way. I sure would have liked two more #8 Hexes!” Overall, the book is richly illustrated with photographs. However, some are low quality or lack captions, leaving readers to guess their meaning and significance.
A wealth of rock-climbing stories that would have benefited from more detail for non-experts.
