Climbing ice in style

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 17

Climbing ice in style

Climbing Ice. By Yvon Chouinard. Originally published by Sierra Club Books, San Francisco. Now by Hodder and Stoughton, London. 192 pp., 155 photographs, 16 colour plates. $18.15. (Reviewed by Colin Monteath) Whatever the Californian Yvon Chouinard has touched over the years has generally been regarded by contemporary mountain folk as something worth sitting up for out of their armchairs, and taking note of — something tackled with energy and graced with finesse and style. “Climbing Ice” is no exception.Chouinard, a noted rockclimber turned alpinist, founder and inspiration behind The Great Pacific Iron Works — a revolutionary climbing equipment company — avid surfer and mountain writer, has been working on this book for more than 10 years now. The art of ascending steep and even overhanging ice has been evolving with amazing speed in the last decade as mountaineers tackle more and more audacious armour-clad gullies and frozen waterfalls. Techniques, and the specialised tools to implement them, have forged ahead with this aggression so that this book, which was ready for publication in 1972, 1973 and again in 1975. needed constant revision through to 1978 before the author was satisfied that the details were etched to near perfection. The product was worth waiting for. “Climbing Ice” is not a pretty picture book for general readers; it is essentially an instruction manual for the dedicated climber. It traces the history of the little tricks and the

evolution of twisted dragon-like too’s conceived by climbers on both sides of the Atlantic to “grimp" their way up outrageously slippers slopes. Concise, vivid instructional passages interspersed with delightful anecdotes and needle-sharp photographs are cleverly blended to inspire the apprentice mountaineer Most chapters, in fact, took me to the edge of tny dreams like few other manuals or stodgy expedition tomes have ever done.

Ncrvice and expert alike must command a vast number of techniques to be able to ascend safely the route of their chosen difficulty. Each technique demands perfect control yet versatility and skill in the application of the rope, ice axe or razor-sharp crampon. The acquisition and development of these skills is described and illustrated with precision and reason. Style is not over emphasised so as to become an end in itself; but to be the gateway to a freedom which can create true spiritual adventure. While chapters on the use of ice axe and crampons dominate, there are also more traditional sections on belaying, protection, crevasse rescue, and on various mountain hazards such as avalanches.

Scottish. European and American alpinists have a great deal to teach the New Zealander about adaptability and speed on difficult ice routes. This hook goes a long way to broadening our approach to the hills. The black and white and colour plates collected from the author’s friends from all over the world will open readers’ eyes, leaving them longing for ebony snow laden clouds to engulf the South Island.