Norman Clyde: Legendary Mountaineer of California's Sierra Nevada »

This riveting account of one of the most notable personalities of the mountain climbing world reconstructs the life of legendary mountaineer Norman Clyde (1885-1972). He made his mark on history with more than one hundred and thirty first ascents throughout western North America, and many believe he knew the High Sierra better than anyone else, including John Muir.

Part of his mystique comes from participating in high-profile mountain rescues and recoveries, in which he is credited with saving a number of lives. Those who had the good fortune to meet him-often with a ninety-pound pack on his back that included an anvil for boot repair, fishing rods, cooking pots, and books in Greek and Latin-never forgot the experience.

Biographer Robert C. Pavlik uses Clyde's own words, along with recollections of his family, friends, fellow climbers, and acquaintances, to capture the experiences of a remarkable man and a bygone time "between the pioneers and the rock climbers."

Foreword   Steve Roper     vii
Introduction     xi
Maps     xiv-xv
Seeking Out the Wild Places     1
The Pack that Walked like a Man     11
A Hell of a Thing to Do     17
A Prodigious Climber of Mountains     23
Desolate Grandeur     45
A Candidate for a Padded Cell     53
Mountain Tragedies     65
The Occasional Hilarious Indulgence     81
On Top of the World     91
Between the Pioneers and the Rock Climbers     105
Timeline     115
End Notes     121
Bibliography     141
Index     151
Acknowledgments     153
About the Author     155