Table of Contents

Introduction. 1 - The Thimble. 2 - A Face in a Photograph. 3 - A Profiled Position. 4 - The Poetry of Mountaineering. 5 - The Juggernaut . 6 - Deliberating Poses. 7 - Whispers of a Legend. 8 - A Pair of Long Legs by Dave Rearic. 9 - That Morning by Paul Mayrose. 10 - Zen and the Art of Rock Climbing by Yvon Chouinard. 11 - A Visit to Red Cross Rock by Jim Erickson. 12 - Credence by Steve Wunsch. 13 - Miscellaneous Interchange.  14 - A Chat with John Gill .

About the Author

American rock climber and author Pat Ament is known for his creative writing, having published a range of impactful pieces such as his Mountain article 'The Black Canyon With Kor', his imagistic masterpiece 'Swaramandal', and his bestselling biographies John Gill: Master of Rock and Royal Robbins: Spirit of the Age. Much of his work has been praised for showing how humour and philosophy might fit into what is often particularly technical writing. In addition to this, dozens of his articles have appeared in anthologies of the best climbing and mountaineering writings due to their high quality. A keen gymnast whilst at university, Ament set free-climbing standards and partnered with masters including Layton Kor, Dave Rearick, Royal Robbins, Tom Higgins and Chuck Pratt. Ament became a bouldering inspiration and teamed with John Gill, achieving numerous first ascents both as a free-climber and a boulderer, throughout the 1960s and 1970s. His route Supremacy Crack in Colorado, in 1965, was one of the hardest short free climbs in the country, whilst his freeing of Centre Route on the Slack in 1967 was the first 5.11 in Yosemite. In September 2013 he was inducted into the Boulder Sports Hall of Fame, which celebrates and preserves the legacy of the city's greats who have excelled in their respective fields. Alongside these climbing successes, Ament has enjoyed recognition for his award-winning filmmaking, photography and art. Pat has won the Best Spirit Award at Telluride's Mountain film festival and, internationally, several outstanding achievement awards for film. Dubbed a 'Renaissance Man', Pat is a chess master, award-winning artist, pianist, songwriter, poet, photographer, and karate black belt. His humour, imagery, and gentle spirit have endeared him to a wide following.