Climbing Self Rescue: Improvising Solutions for Serious Situations (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) Review

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(More customer reviews)I concur with the previous review. Excellent detail and a plethora of photographs to illustrate each point. This book includes a section on ascending out of a glacier crevasse as well. Andy Tyson and Molly Loomis have done a lot of research and work to put this book together to include such detail as a flow chart for you to methodically determine which rescue scenario to persue. Not only do they give qualitative data, but they included quantitative data compiled from various sources to help you understand the strengths of knots and their weaknesses as well. 29 rescue scenarios are explored for your better understanding of rescue techniques. If you have Fasulo's book, this will be a great addition to your rescue book collection. If you are just getting into rock climbing, I strongly advise seeking a mentor and purchasing this book to complement the side of climbing that many people overlook, self-rescue. Practice, practice, practice, then have someone critique your rescue skills.

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When your climbing team is in trouble on the mountain—how to get yourself out of a jam without calling 911. •Self-rescue procedures for teams of two—the most common climbing party size •Techniques equally effective on rock, snow, and ice •Utilizes gear climbers already carry in their rack •Includes 40 one-page rescue scenarios and solutions for analysis The rope is stuck—or too short. A crucial piece of gear is MIA. YouÂ've wandered off route into dicey terrain. An injury leaves you or your partner in need of help. Climb long enough and finding yourself in a jam far from help is inevitable. In Climbing: Self Rescue, two longtime climbing instructors and guides teach how to improvise your own solutions, calling for outside help only when necessary. Because few climbers carry fancy (and expensive) search and rescue gear, all skills taught in this book use the items typically found on a climbing rack: rope, carabiners, slings, and cord. Text, illustrations, and photos explain knots, belaying and hauling systems, rappelling, ascension, passing knots, how to safely assist and rig an injured climber, and more. Roughly half of the book is devoted to real-life climbing scenarios and solutions ranging from moderate to severe. Because real-life situations rarely unfold as they do in practice, Climbing Self-Rescue teaches how to analyze and improvise your way out of a crisis.ANDY TYSON is a guide for Alpine Ascents, Exum and Antarctic-logistics and Expeditions. MOLLY LOOMIS is an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Alpine Ascents and Prescott College. Tyson is the author of Glacier Mountaineering; Loomis has written for Rock & Ice, Climbing, She Sends, and other publications.

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The Complete Climber's Handbook Review

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(More customer reviews)I found the material to be broad in scope, well covered, and nicely presented. I still refer to this text from time to time as a refresher reference even after climbing for two years.

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"Essential insights from a master of the sport."­­Outside Magazine

This outdoor classic, praised by major climbing magazines, is one of the leading guides to a sport that at least 7 million Americans enjoyed last year. The Complete Climber's Handbook is now fully revised to ride the crest of climbing's surging wave of popularity.

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Rock Climbing Anchors: A Comprehensive Guide (The Mountaineers Outdoor Experts Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)Wow!!! That was literally the first word that popped into my head as I started reading this book. The number and quality of photos BLOWS away any other comparable book. It looks like there are about 3X as many photos as others on the market, making it THE BEST visual source of information on individual placements as well as overall anchor configurations. As we all know, "a picture is worth a thousand words." And, in this case, a picture could be worth your life as well. I could go on and on about how/why this book is so much stronger than others out there. Some highlights are below:
-Luebben's mechanical engineering background is very apparent when you read this book. Being an engineer myself, I really appreciate having a book written by someone who truly understands the mechanics involved with anchor rigging.
-He explains the v-angle and pulley effect (which others only elude to), and there is an appropriate distinction between body weight -- top roping, seconding, rappelling forces -- versus leader fall forces.
-There is a whole chapter explaining climbing physics, and there is a lot more information about cam and nut design and placement considerations.
-Many more anchor rigging options are discussed and pictured, including some minimalistic ones just using slings.
-Luebben does a much better job explaining how to make judgment-based decisions as opposed to following a standard set of rules for all situations.
-All of the above factors make Luebben's book a better source for more experienced climbers (in addition to beginners) than others on the market.
-According to the back cover, Lynn Hill has even recognized Luebben's experience and knowledge, as she selected Craig to be the main anchor and self rescue trainer for her climbing camps - that's pretty cool!
Bottom line...even if you have other books (new or old) it is well worth your money to invest in buying this book. So much has changed in anchor theory in recent years and this book brings together the latest and greatest options.


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This is a rock climbing instructional book. Climbing anchors allow climbers to safely defy gravity. Solid anchors and proper rope techniques can prevent a fall from turning into a catastrophe, while bad anchors are an accident waiting to happen, says certified guide Craig Luebben, who invented his own type of climbing protection, the Big Bro. Since then, he has taught rock climbing to hundreds of clients and has conducted self-rescue clinics across the United States. He distills more than twenty-five years of experience into "Rock Climbing Anchors". This 2007 entry in the "Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series", for intermediate-to-advanced climbers, presents modern anchoring ideas and techniques for top-roping, rappelling, sport climbing, traditional rock climbing, and mountaineering-all in one comprehensive guide. Luebben covers the finer points of all types of commonly used anchors: removable anchors including hexes, wired nuts, tri-cams, expanding wedges, expandable tubes, and cams; natural anchors such as trees and boulders; and fixed anchors like bolts and pitons. Photos show a variety of gear placements, accompanied by discussion of the pros and cons of each.

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