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The Bold and Cold: A History of 25 Classic Climbs in the Canadian Rockies
Shortlisted for the 2016 Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival award for Mountain Wilderness Literature. Winner of a Special Jury Mention.
Over the past 100 years, climbers have been pushing standards in the Canadian Rockies. From long alpine ridges to steep north faces, the Rockies are synonymous with cutting-edge ascents. Peaks such as Robson, Chephren, Kitchener, the Twins and Alberta elude the many and reward the few. Many of the big faces were climbed between the 1960s and 1990, the golden age of alpinism in the Rockies. The men and women who first were part of that set high standards.
Future alpinists read old journals and guidebooks, hoping to experience what the alpine “pioneers” did. For most, the Rockies require a certain edge that comes with age, humiliation and failure. Perhaps the ones who drink the most whisky, dream of the biggest peaks and sleep with snowballs in their hands are the ones rewarded with the momentary triumph of coming to a draw with one of these mountains.
This is not a guidebook. Rather, it is a narrative history by the people who risked life and limb to establish these long, difficult and sometimes scary climbs.
Over the past 100 years, climbers have been pushing standards in the Canadian Rockies. From long alpine ridges to steep north faces, the Rockies are synonymous with cutting-edge ascents. Peaks such as Robson, Chephren, Kitchener, the Twins and Alberta elude the many and reward the few. Many of the big faces were climbed between the 1960s and 1990, the golden age of alpinism in the Rockies. The men and women who first were part of that set high standards.
Future alpinists read old journals and guidebooks, hoping to experience what the alpine “pioneers” did. For most, the Rockies require a certain edge that comes with age, humiliation and failure. Perhaps the ones who drink the most whisky, dream of the biggest peaks and sleep with snowballs in their hands are the ones rewarded with the momentary triumph of coming to a draw with one of these mountains.
This is not a guidebook. Rather, it is a narrative history by the people who risked life and limb to establish these long, difficult and sometimes scary climbs.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 2015
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112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 27, 2018
I skimmed this book. It a wonder that any body who was climbing in the 60s to 80s is still alive. Spectacular photographs and some interesting stories.
September 28, 2019
The pictures are excellent. the writing is okay. the mountains and climbs for me become a jumble but this may be due to me being completely wrapped up in the drama of the climbs.
If you are into adventure, climbing and brutal, pushing oneself to the limits stories this is a good. read
If you are into adventure, climbing and brutal, pushing oneself to the limits stories this is a good. read
June 7, 2021
Riveting; prose unpoetic, however, here stands a true love letter to Canadian heritage alpine culture. Great addition to homestead library
May 6, 2025
Interesting and informative stories, great pictures and enough vague intel about some of the biggest and most notorious faces of the Rockies. Must-Read for any ambitious mixed climber!
September 16, 2016
At first glance, this book appears to be what the subtitle states: a history of 25 classic climbs in the Canadian Rockies. But it's so much more. Yes, it's a history of the climbs, and to have this history all in one book and written about with such passion by both the author and contributors (some of the climbers who did the first climbs), is a feat in itself. To include such a great selection of historical photos is another feat. But the most unique quality of The Bold and Cold is how it's presented and why.
The book and it's title were imagined in the '80's, while the author acquired some of the original notes in 2005. He subsequently climbed about half the climbs over the following 5 years.
The author - and his guide Urs Kallen - have presented the climbs in order of difficulty as test pieces for those to come, and as inspiration for climbers to 'climb boldly and have adventures'. Throughout the book, there are comments of routes yet to be completed and how all 25 climbs have yet to be completed by one person.
With the tick-list nature of the book, and so much climbing left to do, this book will undoubtedly (and deservedly) inspire more than one generation of Canadian Rockies climbers. And it just might receive the highest possible praise from readers: becoming a Canadian climbing cult classic.
Congrats on completing such a huge undertaking. A strong 5 stars.
My only negative comments are for the publisher: the text font is a bit small; the font on the flaps and back cover is rather large and the neon green pages are distracting. I hope that a second edition fixes these distractions.
The book and it's title were imagined in the '80's, while the author acquired some of the original notes in 2005. He subsequently climbed about half the climbs over the following 5 years.
The author - and his guide Urs Kallen - have presented the climbs in order of difficulty as test pieces for those to come, and as inspiration for climbers to 'climb boldly and have adventures'. Throughout the book, there are comments of routes yet to be completed and how all 25 climbs have yet to be completed by one person.
With the tick-list nature of the book, and so much climbing left to do, this book will undoubtedly (and deservedly) inspire more than one generation of Canadian Rockies climbers. And it just might receive the highest possible praise from readers: becoming a Canadian climbing cult classic.
Congrats on completing such a huge undertaking. A strong 5 stars.
My only negative comments are for the publisher: the text font is a bit small; the font on the flaps and back cover is rather large and the neon green pages are distracting. I hope that a second edition fixes these distractions.
September 4, 2016
A pretty amazing book reviewing the history of extreme mixed alpine climbing in the Canadian Rockies. The routes described are among the most difficult mountaineering objectives in the world.
The book covers 25 mountains, arranging them roughly in order of difficulty, and focuses on the most extreme aspect: usually the north or east face. The climbing history is reviewed, with many excerpts from accounts of the climbers, making for gripping reading. Good photos of the mountains and from the actual climbs are included. Great profiles of the climbers and their mountaineering accomplishments.
The only downside of the book is that it is sometimes hard to figure out exactly where the routes lie from the narrative. Sources, such as David Jones' "Rockies Central", that show the routes add much to the story.
The book covers 25 mountains, arranging them roughly in order of difficulty, and focuses on the most extreme aspect: usually the north or east face. The climbing history is reviewed, with many excerpts from accounts of the climbers, making for gripping reading. Good photos of the mountains and from the actual climbs are included. Great profiles of the climbers and their mountaineering accomplishments.
The only downside of the book is that it is sometimes hard to figure out exactly where the routes lie from the narrative. Sources, such as David Jones' "Rockies Central", that show the routes add much to the story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews