Product Description

Despite being one of the most male-dominated of sports, Lynn Hill never let being a woman keep her from the hardest routes and competitions in free climbing, making up in focus, determination and grace what she lacked in brawn and testosterone. In this book, Lynn describes the sensations, determination and skill needed in the sport. Lynn's career has developed alongside the growth of the very sport she practices. She first learned to climb in the 1970s, when the sport was practically unknown, but her extraordinary gift for rock climbing became widely recognized as the sport became more popular. She stunned the international climbing community when she became the first person to free-climb Yosemite's famous 3000ft Nose, and topped this feat the following year by climbing the same route in 23 hours, half the time in pitch darkness, something it took 6264 hours for the next male climber to accomplish. This outstanding achievement, as well as her strong belief, has ensured that both sexes now compete on routes of equal difficulty in competitions and that Lynn is respected both as a rock climber and as a role model for all women in sports.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #450111 in Books
• Published on: 2002-05-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Review
The inspiring autobiography of Lynn Hill, a Californian girl who has been hailed as the world's foremost female rock climber - and indeed as one of the greatest climbers of either sex that the sport has ever known. She captures the thrills of the climb and demonstrates the physical and mental courage needed to make a safe path up a cliff so that the climber can enjoy the gymnastic play between the human body and steep stone. All armchair adventurers will enjoy reading about her extraordinary exploits which include becoming the first person to free-climb Yosemite's famous 3,000-feet Nose. Even those of us who only tackle steep hills behind a wheel will appreciate the spiritual satisfaction gained by those who risk life and limb in search of raw excitement.

About the Author
Lynn Hill has been interviewed, profiled, photgraphed and otherwise featured in numerous magazines over the years, as well as many tv appearances, and is currently featured in the new IMAX film EXTREME. She has contributed to a series of books on rock climbing, such as Why I Climb and Beyond Risk and for years Lynn has been lecturing and giving film and slide shows around the globe.

Customer Reviews

Climbing Free
Lynn Hill paints a picture of life surrounded and created by the wonders to be found through climbing. The book is both informative and addictive. A great book for women climbers out there, but thoroughly enjoyable for the men also. Well worth having on the bookshelf!

Kerouac goes climbing
For a non-climber like myself I was unsure what to expect - I need not have been in doubt, it was a book that anyone who is interested in travelling the route less travelled would enjoy. Lynn Hill is free, both in her approach to life, and in her climbing. She conveys a sense of awe over the natural wonders she aims to conquer, or more realistically only tame, that sits in the spiritual. As any athlete who is tune with his or her environment, she see opportunities rather than limitations and makes best use of them. Her respect for her sport and her environment can be felt with every turn of the page.