The immense scale of geologic time is difficult to comprehend. Our lives-- and the entirety of human history-- are mere nanoseconds on this timescale. Yet we hugely influenced by the land we live on. From shales and fossil fuels, from lake beds to soil composition, from elevation to fault lines, what could be more relevant that the history of the ground beneath our feet? For most of modern history, geologists could say little more about why mountains...

Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite North American Climbs is the culmination of a 70-year career of first ascents and features compelling writing about the mountains and mountain life. Includes route tips, natural history, and climbing lore. Filled with hand-drawn climbing topos, photos, narrative description, side notes and 40 extra climbs of note in each of the eight geographical regions.