"This book is part climbing history, part memoir, and part travelogue. Russ has personally experienced many of the pivotal moments in modern climbing - this book offers a first-hand account of where climbing came from and how it’s changed over his many decades in the sport. There’s an old saying that when you start climbing it’s all about what you climb. Then it becomes more about where you climb, and eventually it’s about who you climb with. Russ’ many decades as a climber travel this same arc, from seeking out the hardest routes to exploring interesting new areas to savoring certain climbing partnerships. I was moved and I laughed out loud. "
—Alex Honnold
Renown Climber, author and star of the academy award winning movie Free Solo
"Reading Russ’s stories from the golden era of rock climbing is incredibly inspiring, featuring snapshots of some of the most relevant climbers and areas and routes of our sport. Not only is it a great personal account of finding one’s way in the world of climbing but also brings to life some of the incredible characters, climbing areas, and routes that ushered in modern day climbing."
—Chris Sharma
Renown Climber and star of the new Apple Series The Climb with Jason Mamoa
"THE LIFER is a riveting tale for those who climb and those who don’t. Russ takes us up the world’s most harrowing ascents, introducing us to the pantheon of rock-climbing greats along the way, but his most compelling journey is the one he takes within, building faith in himself, one move at a time, dangling high above where most mortals fear to tread."
—Author O. Sulzberger, Jr.
Chairman, The New York Times
"Having been the first American to travel abroad to many of the most historic climbing areas throughout the world, Russ’s colorful and hilarious stories depict the essence of climbing culture as it evolved from the dirtbag days of death defying first ascents, to the development of climbing areas across the globe, to the current status as a mainstream Olympic sport."—Lynn Hill
First female rock climber free assent of El Cap
"THE LIFER illustrates how exciting a climbing life can be. Russ’s stories take us rock climbing around the US, to Australia and back; through the evolution of the sport from Germany to South Korea, encompassing adventure climbing ethics with its spicy risks to modern redpoint sport climbing and the pursuit of pure difficulty. It’s about making new friendships and cherishing old ones, while taking a trip through climbing history and Russ’s own evolution from dirtbag climber to a business man who brought his spirit and love of climbing to help build an iconic brand in the outdoor industry."
—Babsi Zangerl
Professional Rock Climber
"If you’re a climber, you’ll love this memoir. Russ Clune has been everywhere, climbed everything, with a tremendous cast of partners and friends, and he has the natural storyteller’s ability to keep you with him every step of the way. There is a close-grained history of modern climbing here as well as his own pilgrim’s progress. If you’re not a climber, welcome to a full-blown obsession. Feel the burn, the fear, the joy, the horror, and learn a new language without risking life and limb."
—William Finnegan
Author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book: Barbarian Days
"Having been the first American to travel abroad to many of the most historic climbing areas throughout the world, Russ’s colorful and hilarious stories depict the essence of climbing culture as it evolved from the dirtbag days of death defying first ascents, to the development of climbing areas across the globe, to the current status as a mainstream Olympic sport."
-Lynn Hill
First female rock climber free assent of El Cap
"This book is part climbing history, part memoir, and part travelogue. Russ has personally experienced many of the pivotal moments in modern climbing - this book offers a first-hand account of where climbing came from and how it’s changed over his many decades in the sport. There’s an old saying that when you start climbing it’s all about what you climb. Then it becomes more about where you climb, and eventually it’s about who you climb with. Russ’ many decades as a climber travel this same arc, from seeking out the hardest routes to exploring interesting new areas to savoring certain climbing partnerships. I was moved and I laughed out loud. "
—Alex Honnold
Renown Climber, author and star of the academy award winning movie Free Solo
"THE LIFER illustrates how exciting a climbing life can be. Russ’s stories take us rock climbing around the US, to Australia and back; through the evolution of the sport from Germany to South Korea, encompassing adventure climbing ethics with its spicy risks to modern redpoint sport climbing and the pursuit of pure difficulty. It’s about making new friendships and cherishing old ones, while taking a trip through climbing history and Russ’s own evolution from dirtbag climber to a business man who brought his spirit and love of climbing to help build an iconic brand in the outdoor industry."
- Emily Harrington
Professional Rock Climber
"Reading Russ’s stories from the golden era of rock climbing is incredibly inspiring, featuring snapshots of some of the most relevant climbers and areas and routes of our sport. Not only is it a great personal account of finding one’s way in the world of climbing but also brings to life some of the incredible characters, climbing areas, and routes that ushered in modern day climbing."
- Chris Sharma
Renown Climber and star of the new Apple Series The Climb with Jason Mamoa
"If you’re a climber, you’ll love this memoir. Russ Clune has been everywhere, climbed everything, with a tremendous cast of partners and friends, and he has the natural storyteller’s ability to keep you with him every step of the way. There is a close-grained history of modern climbing here as well as his own pilgrim’s progress. If you’re not a climber, welcome to a full-blown obsession. Feel the burn, the fear, the joy, the horror, and learn a new language without risking life and limb."
- William Finnegan
Author of the pulitzer prize winning book: Barbarian Days
"THE LIFER is a riveting tale for those who climb and those who don’t. Russ takes us up the world’s most harrowing ascents, introducing us to the pantheon of rock-climbing greats along the way, but his most compelling journey is the one he takes within, building faith in himself, one move at a time, dangling high above where most mortals fear to tread."
- Author O. Sulzberger, Jr.
Chairman, The New York Times
The Lifer” illustrates how exciting a climbing life can be. Russ’s stories take us rock climbing around the US, to Australia and back; through the evolution of the sport from Germany to South Korea, encompassing adventure climbing ethics with its spicy risks to modern redpoint sport climbing and the pursuit of pure difficulty. It’s about making new friendships and cherishing old ones, while taking a trip through climbing history and Russ’s own evolution from dirtbag climber to a business man who brought his spirit and love of climbing to help build an iconic brand in the outdoor industry.
