Aid Basics

by Andy Kirkpatrick

Want to know how to carry out aid or artificial climbing? This book sets out the basics, including gear, setup and the basic technique that will work on most climbs.

This book, like most of my instructional books, tries to cut down the information to just what you need to know, and is not padded out with stuff you don't. If you judge a book by its word count then I'm afraid this book will disappoint. This is not an essay of all aspects of big wall or aid climbing, but simply the best way to get from A to B for the leader. This book does not cover belays, jumaring or hauling (these are covered in other books) - just getting from A to B.

42 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 6, 2013

About the author

Andrew Kirkpatrick is a British mountaineer, author, motivational speaker and monologist. He is best known as a big wall climber, having scaled Yosemite's El Capitan 30+ times, including five solo ascents, and two one day ascents, as well as climbing in Patagonia, Alaska, Antarctica and the Alps. He has also crossed Greenland by ski. In 2014 he guided Alex Jones up Moonlight Buttress, Zion National Park, raising £1.9 million for Sport Relief.

Kirkpatrick has worked in film and TV as a safety advisor and stunt rigger, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as in programs for CBBC, ITN, BBC and BBC Scotland.