Book Review: Climbing Fitz Roy, 1968
As a self-confessed bibliophile, adding beautiful and inspiring books to my library always pleases me. Climbing Fitz Roy, 1968, by Yvon Chouinard et al., is one of those books that seemed destined for a spot on my shelf. How can you not be intrigued by the story of a group of adventurers packing up a van, travelling from San Francisco to Patagonia, surfing and skiing along the way, and eventually encountering, and mastering, the dominating peak known as Fitz Roy?
Part photo-essay, part collection of short-essays, Climbing Fitz Roy is a fascinating look into an adventure that most of us could only dream about, never quite having the courage to make it happen. The pictures, largely the work of Chris Jones, tell the story of the mountain, of the time spent on and around Fitz Roy. For a much smaller scale adventurer like myself, I look at the intimidating walls of rock and wonder how someone can force themselves to master it. Monstrous slabs of rock, blowing snow, fantastic skylines; even on paper it is both challenging and breathtaking. The pictures tell the story of the climb, and bring the written words to life. Seeing Dick Dorworth emerge from one of the snow caves, through a hole no wider than his body, actually made me shiver, knowing that my claustrophobia could not handle that.
While pictures do an amazing job of bringing a story to life, for me, the written word is even more powerful. Each member of the group, known as the Funhogs, remembers the adventure in a different way. Such is the magic of the human mind, that even while experiencing the same set of circumstances, we all experience and interpret them in a unique way. While much of the writing focuses more on the climb – the windy conditions that prevented them from making the final push to the summit again and again, the weeks spent in ice caves, the need to re-stock their provisions, and the exhilaration of finally reaching the peak – there are also memories of how the adventure came to be, of how the Funhogs met each other, and some of the memories from the trip down to Patagonia. Imagine having to rebuild a van’s engine in the street, or waking up with a gun pointed to your head.
I have twice read this book cover-to-cover. Each time I am left with feeling of excitement and wonder. The excitement comes from being allowed to share a small part of the adventure. While two films came out of this trip, the written word holds more meaning for me, and this book allows the reader to re-create the trip in their mind. The wonder comes from these men take a rather large amount of time out of their daily lives to have an adventure. I could not imagine leaving everything behind for six months (Interesting factoid – the founders of Patagonia, The North Face, and Esprit were on this journey).
Although I take more out of the book each time I read through it, I am left wishing there was even more detail about the entire trip. Some of the occurrences mentioned in passing are things that I would love to know more about. I suppose, however, that we must let the authors keep some of these memories to themselves. It is part of what makes an adventure like that so fulfilling.
For me, Chris Jones best summed up the adventure to climb Fitz Roy:
Looking back, helped by these long-lost photos, I am reminded of walking the final steps to the summit. The crunch of snow underfoot, the bantering with cinematographer Lito to get a move on, the menacing weather, and our sheer excitement and relief. No summit before or since has ever meant so much to me.
Climbing Fitz Roy, 1968 is published by Patagonia Books and available at their website. The beautifully bound hardcover version sell for $35, and the e-book version sells for $14.95.
This book would make an excellent gift for any adventure enthusiast, as well as being an excellent coffee table book for those who enjoy outdoor photography.
While you are visiting Patagonia Books, I would suggest having a look at the other titles as well. I reviewed the excellent book, Closer To The Ground, last year. As well, I have not yet written a review, but The Wolverine Way by Douglas H. Chadwick has become one of my all-time favorite books. I bought the e-book version and had a hard time leaving the service center when my car’s oil change was done because I was so enthralled by the book. I’ll have to add a hard copy version to my library.
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Disclaimer – This review is my opinion and I received this book for free in exchange for giving said opinion. I have no association with Patagonia Books and was not reimbursed or paid for this review.
argosgirl
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An excellent review, Rebecca, one that makes me seek out a copy of the book. Especially like your appreciation of the written word here, the narrative of the story. Thanks.
That you would seek out the book because of my review is the greatest compliment I have received in a long time. Thanks Walt!