Climbing books - TOP 5 Books that every climber should know

Rock climbing is a very young sport compared to other mainstream sports. Due to the fact that germs began to appear in popular culture from around the 1950s, we have a relatively large number of recorded memories and life stories of many climbers (as opposed to climbing films, where the work is a bit younger). From all available books, we have selected five that are among the best mountaineering books. The works on this list are all from the new millennium (although their stories are older), by authors who are still alive. If you are interested in books by Czech authors, we recommend the article by Emontana, with which we agree.

Je důležité zmínit, že v našem seznamu „nejlepší horolezecké knihy“ jsou pouze díla, která se týkají lezení na skalách. Opomenuli jsme autory, které píší o alpinismu či velehorách, jelikož nespadají do naší tématiky a expertízy.

International Mountaineering Books

1. The Push

In The Push, climber Tommy Caldwell recounts his life lived around. He mainly focuses on his climbing career, which he started very accidentally at the age of 16 at the SnowBird competition, where he defeated the then world champions. The next part is devoted to his capture in Kyrgyzstan by Islamist radicals and the subsequent loss of his index finger. The entire book culminates in the grand finale, which is Tommy's long-term project - Dawn Wall - on the El Capitan rock massif in Yosemite. There is also a movie of the same name (partly following the book) about Tommy and his fight with Dawn Wall.

2. Alone on the Wall

The list of books would not be complete without Alex Honold and his climbing escapades. In the book Alone on the Wall, Alex talks about his life and his passion for the climbing style - Free Solo. He writes about his greatest feats (e.g. solo ascent of Moonlight Buttress or Half Dome) that made him famous. Apart from that, he also confides in what his life was like as a child and what influence climbing has on his current life.

3. On the Nose

Hans Florine is one of the best rock speed climbers, holder of many records and world champion titles. Co-written with climber Jayme Moye, his book is a window into the life of speed climbing in Yosemite. Hans is dedicated to his training, the camaraderie between climbers and the friendly competition that exists in this world. The book ends with his last speed climb of El Capitan and the re-acquisition of the record.

4. Climbing Free

The book Climbing Free, written by legendary climbers Lynn Hill and Greg Child, is definitely one of the best climbing books. In it, Lynn talks about her life on the wall and in climbing circles (mainly in Yosemite around El Capitan). If you are interested in how Lynn conquered the first free ascent of the nose of El Cap and thus started a new era of climbing, this is the book for you.

5. The Climbing Bible

The Climbing Bible is the latest on the list of these international books. It's not a riveting story about life on a rock and it doesn't end with some amazing performance like the previous four. The climbing bible is more of a manual for the modern climber. This book covers climbing techniques - such as holds - and everything related to climbing. These things include strength and mental toughness training, instructions on how to do finger exercises, and much more. It is undoubtedly an excellent book for the modern climber.