The Calling: A Life Rocked by Mountains

“I Hurt, Therefore I Am” “An extraordinarily well-written mountaineering memoir. -- Foreword Reviews “I laughed. I cried. I thought about life. I couldn’t put down [this] long-awaited memoir.” -- Rocky Mountain Outlook “A memoir that reads like a conversation over beers around the campfire, deep into the night.” -- Thecampsiteblog.com With heart-pounding descriptions of avalanches and treacherous ascents, Barry Blanchard chronicles his transformation from a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks to one of the most respected alpinists in the world. At thirteen, he learned to rappel when he joined the 1292 Lord Strathcone’s Horse Army Cadets. Soon kicked out for insubordination, he was already hooked on climbing and saw alpinism as a way to make his single mother proud and end his family’s cycle of poverty. He describes early climbs attempted with nothing to guide him but written trail descriptions and the cajones of youth. He slowly acquires the skills, equipment and partners necessary to tackle more and more difficult climbs, farther and farther afield: throughout the Canadian Rockies, into Alaska and the French Alps and on to Everest, Peru, and the challenging mountains in Pakistan. From each he learns lessons that only nature and extreme endeavor can teach. This is the story of the culture of climbing in the days of punk rock, spurred on by the rhythm of adrenaline and the arrogance of youth. It is also a portrait of the power of the mountains to lift us – physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually – and the depths of relationships based on total trust in the person at the other end of a rope. With an accompanying playlist of classic punk and rock ’n’ roll, includes climbs with renowned alpinists such as Kevin Doyle, Mark Twight, David Cheesmond, and Ward Robinson.
ASIN: 1938340310
VSKU: BVV.1938340310.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Blanchard, Barry
Binding: Hardcover
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.