Basic Rockcraft

by Royal Robbins, Sheridan Anderson (Illustrator)

Royal Robbins' accomplishments as rock climber and adventurer are legendary. An early advocate of boltless, pitonless clean climbing, he did much to transform the climbing culture to minimize the human impact on the vertical wilderness and protect its natural features. As a rock-climbing pioneer, he broke through existing standards to create wholly new skill and difficulty levels. In the 50's, 60's and into the 70's, Robbins established one daring new climb after another, among them many revered classics on Yosemite's Half Dome and El Capitan.

Genres: Climbing, Nonfiction

71 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Robbins was a pioneer of American rock climbing who completed an impressive list of first ascents throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s. Many of these were in Yosemite Valley, and included major classics such as the Northwest Face of Half Dome (1957), the Salathé Wall on El Capitan (1961), the North America Wall on El Capitan (1964) and Tis-sa-ack on Half Dome (1969).

Robbins' climbing ethics were also pioneering, as he championed the cause of "clean" (i.e. hammerless) climbing in an era when the use of pitons and bolts was regarded as standard practice.

Reviews

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful read for any climber. Much of Robbins' advice on climbing technique is timeless and would be helpful to new climbers, but this is definitely not a book to get if you want to learn to climb. The climber with a lot of experience who knows about Royal Robbins will get a lot more value out of this little book. From his description of "artificial chalkstones" as a new technology from Britain, to his advice on the sound a well-placed piton will make when struck, there's just a lot of great anachronistic stuff in here. There's also a lot of genuinely good and/or interesting advice, including these gems:

On climbing:

"Keep your mind open to any ways, strange and unorthodox though they may seem, which will contribute to the central purpose--overcoming the pull toward the center of the earth."

"The amount of strength one is able to conserve is far more important than the amount of strength one has."

On the importance of falling while trying:

"If it gets difficult, don't give up. You will never know how much you can do until you extend yourself to your limit, and you don't know that until you fall trying. That's the key word. Most people fall off a practice climb only after they have given up, and they never approach their real limits. Give it all you've got! You are now in the thick of the game. For novices to so push themselves, even when perfectly safeguarded, is usually difficult. If it goes too much against your nature, perhaps climbing isn't your game. Self-confrontation and inner conflict, though only part of the sport, are nevertheless an inevitable part.
If the pitch is too hard, and you fall and are lowered, don't despair; now you have a concrete goal. You have an idea of why you failed, whether it be strength, agility, technique, etc., and can work to improve that aspect of your climbing so you can return and solve the problem."

On climbing shoe selection:

"Ultimately, the shoe makes little difference. With a bit of practice, one can adapt to the characteristics of just about any type of footwear, though of course certain shoes will have advantages in certain types of climbing. Far more important than the efficiency of the shoe is its psychology. If you think you have the best shoe you can get for the job at hand, and if you have faith in its performance, then that is the shoe for you regardless of theoretical considerations."

On grades:

"although such systems are helpful in avoiding trouble, they require caution in use. First, there are different types of difficulty in free climbing. Rarely, for example, will an individual be as apt in slab climbing as in crack climbing. And ones ability will vary from day to day, according to mood and other variables. That one has, by virtue of a maximum effort on a good day, managed a difficult route, does not necessarily mean that all climbs of that grade are within ones grasp. In other words, take the classification of climbs with a certain amount of salt, and avoid a bad aftertaste."

4 stars

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

A work fascinating as both a piece of climbing intrigue written by a climbing master of old, and now a relic of history.


Climbing as a sport has evolved significantly from when this book was first released, and though it no longer provides the answers a modern novice will seek, it does remain a stimulating and useful text.


Robbins has a particular flair for literature and the diagrams of Sheridan ensure maximum ease of understanding. Couple this with Robbins' position as one of climbing's godfathers, this book is a must read for any individual who loves climbing for more than the sport, that is to say, for its art.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at how climbing use to be done with some good advice on technique.

[Eugene Miya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The techniques in the book are a little dated, otherwise I'd give it 4 stars (the little bits would be overlooked by most one-time beginners). What's great about this basic book is that it's truly minimal. It doesn't cover details, and is about the right size. It's still mostly a fine book for beginning technique, but as you can't learn to climb from a book (most people can't anyway), it can prepare a beginner for a climb. Get the time consuming details like knots out of the way. Your instructor will be thankful for that. So long as you pick the idea adequately.

Royal is now living a good life in retirement. He also took a punishing ribbing from his friends. Nice cartoons by the former Sheridan Anderson.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of the concepts presented in Basic Rockcraft have changed so much since Yosemite hardman Royal Robbins wrote it that beginners can expect to be a bit confused by it all. However, it's still a good read with plenty of worthwhile material.