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Continental Divide: A History of American Mountaineering
In Continental Divide, Maurice Isserman tells the history of American mountaineering through four centuries of landmark climbs and first ascents. Mountains were originally seen as obstacles to civilization; over time they came to be viewed as places of redemption and renewal. The White Mountains stirred the transcendentalists; the Rockies and Sierras pulled explorers westward toward Manifest Destiny; Yosemite inspired the early environmental conservationists.
Climbing began in North America as a pursuit for lone eccentrics but grew to become a mass-participation sport. Beginning with Darby Field in 1642, the first person to climb a mountain in North America, Isserman describes the exploration and first ascents of the major American mountain ranges, from the Appalachians to Alaska. He also profiles the most important American mountaineers, including such figures as John C. Frémont, John Muir, Annie Peck, Bradford Washburn, Charlie Houston, and Bob Bates, relating their exploits both at home and abroad.
Isserman traces the evolving social, cultural, and political roles mountains played in shaping the country. He describes how American mountaineers forged a "brotherhood of the rope," modeled on America’s unique democratic self-image that characterized climbing in the years leading up to and immediately following World War II. And he underscores the impact of the postwar "rucksack revolution," including the advances in technique and style made by pioneering "dirtbag" rock climbers.
A magnificent, deeply researched history, Continental Divide tells a story of adventure and aspiration in the high peaks that makes a vivid case for the importance of mountains to American national identity.
Climbing began in North America as a pursuit for lone eccentrics but grew to become a mass-participation sport. Beginning with Darby Field in 1642, the first person to climb a mountain in North America, Isserman describes the exploration and first ascents of the major American mountain ranges, from the Appalachians to Alaska. He also profiles the most important American mountaineers, including such figures as John C. Frémont, John Muir, Annie Peck, Bradford Washburn, Charlie Houston, and Bob Bates, relating their exploits both at home and abroad.
Isserman traces the evolving social, cultural, and political roles mountains played in shaping the country. He describes how American mountaineers forged a "brotherhood of the rope," modeled on America’s unique democratic self-image that characterized climbing in the years leading up to and immediately following World War II. And he underscores the impact of the postwar "rucksack revolution," including the advances in technique and style made by pioneering "dirtbag" rock climbers.
A magnificent, deeply researched history, Continental Divide tells a story of adventure and aspiration in the high peaks that makes a vivid case for the importance of mountains to American national identity.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2016
36 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
About the author
Maurice Isserman
53 books12 followersMaurice Isserman received a B.A. in history from Reed College in 1973 and his Ph.D. in American history from the University of Rochester in 1979. He is Publius Virgilius Rogers Professor of American History at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 30, 2020
I read books of the outdoor adventure genre regularly, maybe three of four a year. Some read like a good or decent novel and others are a dry recitation of names, dates, and other facts. This book fits between the two ends. It focuses on American climbers though it does, of necessity, include climbers from Europe because both sides of the Atlantic often climbed together.
In my view, it started out rather dry and uninteresting. I considered not reading on but I did. Part of this was because there was, naturally, a lot about the mountains of the NE USA and, frankly, not my cup of tea. I live in the Pacific Northwest and am surely a snob about the lower peaks in the east. About 1/4 of the way in the reading became more interesting to me. The ranges in the Rockies, including into Canada, then the Sierras, the Cascades, and the ranges in Alaska made for good reading. There were also accounts of climbs in South America and in the Himalayas. Very informative and "in a nutshell" reading.
Two fun bits are that in 1911 two American women held the world’s altitude record for climbers of both genders. The altitudes were over 19,000’. One climbed in skirts.
The first ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite took 47 days over 18 months, broken up like that for various reasons. A few years ago, Alex Honnold climbed El Capitan free solo (alone, no climbing gear at all) in under 4 hours. That's not to demean the first climbers but to point out an exceptional person and feat.
In my view, it started out rather dry and uninteresting. I considered not reading on but I did. Part of this was because there was, naturally, a lot about the mountains of the NE USA and, frankly, not my cup of tea. I live in the Pacific Northwest and am surely a snob about the lower peaks in the east. About 1/4 of the way in the reading became more interesting to me. The ranges in the Rockies, including into Canada, then the Sierras, the Cascades, and the ranges in Alaska made for good reading. There were also accounts of climbs in South America and in the Himalayas. Very informative and "in a nutshell" reading.
Two fun bits are that in 1911 two American women held the world’s altitude record for climbers of both genders. The altitudes were over 19,000’. One climbed in skirts.
The first ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite took 47 days over 18 months, broken up like that for various reasons. A few years ago, Alex Honnold climbed El Capitan free solo (alone, no climbing gear at all) in under 4 hours. That's not to demean the first climbers but to point out an exceptional person and feat.
May 17, 2017
After reading a lukewarm review in the Times, I was just mildly interested in reading this one. But then I actually read it, and - granted, after sorta slogging through the first 100-some pages - had trouble putting it down. Yes, the story basically ends in 1964, which of course leaves out a good bit of mountaineering. But there's little here that doesn't need to be here, so perhaps someone else might write a book about the last 50 years of U.S. mountaineering. I found Isserman's history inspirational: I'm inspired to read more books on the subject, and I'm inspired to climb more mountains.
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March 4, 2020Given my Everest obsession, I thought a book about how American mountains were conquered would be right up my alley. Alas, this book was not quite what I expected it to be.
There was history of humanity's very early relationships with mountains (they almost didn't acknowledge their existence, other than as obstacles - much the way people didn't really acknowledge the color blue until the last couple millennia - they just didn't have a framework to understand these things - fascinating!). There was exploration and early efforts made by a few very forgotten souls to climb mountains in the early days of American settlement, mostly so they could see what was on the other side and how hard it would be to get there. I found all of this quite fascinating. Good start!
Then there was the recounting of how the philosophy of climbing mountains started to change as American settlement pushed westward, including a very (exhaustively) thorough survey of every human being who climbed every mountain pre-1900. I loved the bits with Emerson and Thoreau - I really should read them - but did a LOT of skimming through the rest. This middle section felt so much more like a reference manual than a narrative (like reading the books of Leviticus and Numbers! NO ONE reads that for fun).
I paused to read in slightly more detail about early female climbers and the challenges they faced. I gave the sections on Denali a solid read-through, because apparently Denali occupies the same kind of monster-fascination that I have with Everest. The history of those climbs was interesting, but still, much more dry and informational than I would have wished. Human interest is given little page-space, beyond recounting how climbs affected so-and-so's status in society, and the drama of these magnificent climbs is given no space at all. Even recounting tragic deaths, Isserman acknowledges only that they occurred, and perhaps gives a bit of context and an overview of any impact the accident had on the world of mountain-climbing as a whole.
By the time the reference manual switched from men conquering mountains to men conquering particular slabs of rock, my attention span was just about shot. I really don't care about who developed what climbing techniques on which mountain, or about international rivalries over how to use pitons or whether to wear a shirt.
This is not a failing of the book. The book is what its subtitle claims it to be: a history of mountaineering in America (or at least, by Americans - we take plenty of trips abroad). That I was hoping for something a little bit... more? different? ... is not the book's fault. I think I wanted more philosophy about the ways we relate to and interact with our mountains, why we want to climb them, and how doing so changes us. More Thoreau, less Houston. I think I wanted more romance about what it costs to climb that mountain for the sake of climbing that mountain, a few moments of racing heartbeat wondering if they would make it.
This is not that book, but having read this book, I am considerably more knowledgeable about the context in which my philosophically, historically, romantically satisfying reads about Everest and K2 and Eiger and Denali take place.
No rating, then, since this book and I weren't the right fit for each other, though I will note that it was at least interesting enough that I stuck with it (skimming and otherwise) all the way to page 344/436, WHERE THE FOOTNOTES START. (That's 92 pages of footnotes and bibliography, if you don't want to do the math yourself. This book ain't nothin' if not well-researched.)
There was history of humanity's very early relationships with mountains (they almost didn't acknowledge their existence, other than as obstacles - much the way people didn't really acknowledge the color blue until the last couple millennia - they just didn't have a framework to understand these things - fascinating!). There was exploration and early efforts made by a few very forgotten souls to climb mountains in the early days of American settlement, mostly so they could see what was on the other side and how hard it would be to get there. I found all of this quite fascinating. Good start!
Then there was the recounting of how the philosophy of climbing mountains started to change as American settlement pushed westward, including a very (exhaustively) thorough survey of every human being who climbed every mountain pre-1900. I loved the bits with Emerson and Thoreau - I really should read them - but did a LOT of skimming through the rest. This middle section felt so much more like a reference manual than a narrative (like reading the books of Leviticus and Numbers! NO ONE reads that for fun).
I paused to read in slightly more detail about early female climbers and the challenges they faced. I gave the sections on Denali a solid read-through, because apparently Denali occupies the same kind of monster-fascination that I have with Everest. The history of those climbs was interesting, but still, much more dry and informational than I would have wished. Human interest is given little page-space, beyond recounting how climbs affected so-and-so's status in society, and the drama of these magnificent climbs is given no space at all. Even recounting tragic deaths, Isserman acknowledges only that they occurred, and perhaps gives a bit of context and an overview of any impact the accident had on the world of mountain-climbing as a whole.
By the time the reference manual switched from men conquering mountains to men conquering particular slabs of rock, my attention span was just about shot. I really don't care about who developed what climbing techniques on which mountain, or about international rivalries over how to use pitons or whether to wear a shirt.
This is not a failing of the book. The book is what its subtitle claims it to be: a history of mountaineering in America (or at least, by Americans - we take plenty of trips abroad). That I was hoping for something a little bit... more? different? ... is not the book's fault. I think I wanted more philosophy about the ways we relate to and interact with our mountains, why we want to climb them, and how doing so changes us. More Thoreau, less Houston. I think I wanted more romance about what it costs to climb that mountain for the sake of climbing that mountain, a few moments of racing heartbeat wondering if they would make it.
This is not that book, but having read this book, I am considerably more knowledgeable about the context in which my philosophically, historically, romantically satisfying reads about Everest and K2 and Eiger and Denali take place.
No rating, then, since this book and I weren't the right fit for each other, though I will note that it was at least interesting enough that I stuck with it (skimming and otherwise) all the way to page 344/436, WHERE THE FOOTNOTES START. (That's 92 pages of footnotes and bibliography, if you don't want to do the math yourself. This book ain't nothin' if not well-researched.)
July 30, 2020
I chose to read "A History of American Mountaineering" for a couple of reasons. I have an innate love for mountains. As a flatlander in Kansas, I venture to the mountains, usually in Colorado, every chance I get. Secondly, I have always been fascinated by technical climbing, and those intrepid souls who are drawn to the sport. Although I have never been a technical climber, I have managed to summit a few mountains in my life and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
I suspected when I chose this book that I would be entertained by reading it. The author did not disappoint. I enjoy history, so reading Isserman deftly combine the history of climbing with the history of our nation was fun. But in so many ways climbing did go hand in hand with the history of exploration and conquest that was so prevalent in the story of America.
Isserman was very good at giving just enough of the technical jargon so as to help us understand it, but not feel overwhelmed by it. The way he brought us chronologically from the earliest climbers all the way to the American Everest expedition really made this a comprehensive story. It was also interesting to learn about the personalities of these people. I was struck by the various idiosyncrasies that many of them had. By the end of the book, I felt both informed and entertained about the mountain climbing and rock climbing. I felt the book was worthwhile. Isserman's skill in telling this story made it very enjoyable.
I suspected when I chose this book that I would be entertained by reading it. The author did not disappoint. I enjoy history, so reading Isserman deftly combine the history of climbing with the history of our nation was fun. But in so many ways climbing did go hand in hand with the history of exploration and conquest that was so prevalent in the story of America.
Isserman was very good at giving just enough of the technical jargon so as to help us understand it, but not feel overwhelmed by it. The way he brought us chronologically from the earliest climbers all the way to the American Everest expedition really made this a comprehensive story. It was also interesting to learn about the personalities of these people. I was struck by the various idiosyncrasies that many of them had. By the end of the book, I felt both informed and entertained about the mountain climbing and rock climbing. I felt the book was worthwhile. Isserman's skill in telling this story made it very enjoyable.
May 4, 2017
I was unimpressed with this book. In part, because I've read so much about mountaineering and the memoirs of mountaineers, that this book didn't tell me much I didn't already know. And also because I've read Isserman's book (written w/Stewart Weaver) "Fallen Giants: The History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes," and that liberally covered American moutaineers' expeditions in the Himalayas, some of which were repeated here. What was new to me was the history of the mountaineering clubs in America (like the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Sierra Club, among others), the distinct exclusionary class system of Eastern versus Western climbers, and related topics. Those were new to me. The other issue I had with this book is the (to me) randomness of how the content was presented. You could have a chapter on Western climbers, then one on Eastern climbers abroad, then one on equipment, then one on minorities and climbing. Overall, simply disappointed.
February 12, 2021
Outstanding! Maurice Isserman has done American mountaineering a great service in writing this book.
A comprehensive survey of climbing in the United States, from the pre-revolution days to 1965, Continental Divide recounts the evolution of the sport through long, well written chapters about different eras of our relationship with the mountains.
Just to mention a few: early pilgrim wanderings to the white mountains, the onset of Alaskan mountaineering, route development on the Rockies and the Cascades, the Yosemite big wall rebels, and America’s significant contributions to Himalayan climbing.
My only complaint is that he stopped at 1965...I would have loved to hear Isserman’s thoughts on free big wall climbing, free-soloing, etc.
Still, a totally wonderful read!
A comprehensive survey of climbing in the United States, from the pre-revolution days to 1965, Continental Divide recounts the evolution of the sport through long, well written chapters about different eras of our relationship with the mountains.
Just to mention a few: early pilgrim wanderings to the white mountains, the onset of Alaskan mountaineering, route development on the Rockies and the Cascades, the Yosemite big wall rebels, and America’s significant contributions to Himalayan climbing.
My only complaint is that he stopped at 1965...I would have loved to hear Isserman’s thoughts on free big wall climbing, free-soloing, etc.
Still, a totally wonderful read!
March 26, 2020
A great read! Isserman does a wonderful job at pulling his reader in with endless stories of adventure, challenge and death. What I think is great about this book is that he focuses on the major shifts in climbing he keeps his stories tied to the fact that these climbers were all making history one climb at a time. Man’s desire for mountains is all encompassing he seeks them for solitude, for hope, for freedom, for salvation. Yet in the end all one will find is a cold rock resisting the attempt to tame it.
November 17, 2024
At almost 350 pages this book could be approached as a slog but it's very readable. Isserman writes clearly and with detail about this sport, once approached as the passion of a few problem-solvers, people who challenged themselves to discover, or "put up" routes to the summits of peaks still being discovered. Isserman takes us through the decades to arrive at present day (as of 2015) in this entertaining historical accounting. Mountaineering isn't just Everest--as this book proves. A great read. Adult.
May 13, 2020
⭐⭐⭐/5 "In the first centuries of American national existence, the wilderness had been a problem to be solved by civilization; in the last decade of the nineteenth century and the start of the twentieth century, it began to seem to many Americans that civilization was a problem to be solved by wilderness."
January 29, 2023
This is a well-researched history of mountaineering in North America. I found myself skimming and skipping, reading chapters in their entirety or rapidly passing over them.
It's a feat to pack so many people and stories into one volume.
It's a feat to pack so many people and stories into one volume.
March 19, 2020
A must for anyone who loves the mountains.
January 2, 2021
Interesting to learn the history of some mountains I have climbed but not enough plot to move through the book
September 8, 2023
Wonderfully written history of American Mountaineering and Climbing. Each short story was gripping and held valuable information. Would recommend to anyone loving the mountains
August 30, 2025
Fascinating!! Not only a thorough history of mountaineering, but a weird glimpse into the past when mountains were obstacles rather than objects of reverence. We have come so far.
January 3, 2026
Incredible book with a lot of great stories from American Hiking and mountaineering history.
October 14, 2016
In sixteen hundred and forty-two,
American made first mountain feat.
In nineteen hundred and sixty-three,
Americans peaked Everest too.
American made first mountain feat.
In nineteen hundred and sixty-three,
Americans peaked Everest too.
February 3, 2017
An enjoyable and interesting work that brought to light several of the developments toward American mountaineering, going from the early summits in the White Mountains, to the founding of climbing clubs, and then the rise of Yosemite rock climbing. The author includes the expeditions into Alaska and Himalayas, along with their impact on the climbing clubs and community. The history trails off as the last golden age (60s) passes into history leaving out my favorite climber (and other contemporary climbers), Ed Viesturs, who is a modern climber and one of the ones culminating this history.
February 8, 2017
A history of Americans in the mountains since 1642! An excellent, wide ranging, overview that includes America's changing relationship with wilderness and the individuals that framed that relationship from Thoreau to Chounard, from the Pilgrims to REI. Very well written, thoroughly enjoyed.
August 30, 2016
It was good, if a little dry in places. The author framed mountain climbing in cultural and social ways that were mostly successful. There were many, many interesting individuals and movements. It ranged from wacky individualists to self-promoters to big organizations of mountain climbers. There are a lot of interesting anecdotes. It somehow just didn't all come together like it could have.
I love hiking to the tops of mountains, and this book has furthered my resolve of continuing with that rather than climbing them.
I love hiking to the tops of mountains, and this book has furthered my resolve of continuing with that rather than climbing them.
June 6, 2017
Another beautifully written, impecably researched book about mountains. Just a tad short - as are most of the 70 - 80 mountaineering books in my library - of Isserman's (with Stewart Weaver), "Fallen Giants", the most informative, important book ever written about Himalayan mountaineering. I've read most of it twice now, and still consult it often as I finish my second novel, based on women climbers conquering all fourteen of the 8,000 meter mountains. I consider "Fallen Giants" one of my best friends.
GF
GF
May 24, 2016
A very detailed book about the history of climbers originating from the U.S. You have to be into this topic and crave the detail of mountain climbing to enjoy the book. For me personally, it was a bit too detailed.
July 9, 2016
The book does a good job of walking the line between being a readable armchair history of mountaineering and a thoughtful scholarly work.
December 18, 2016
Very interesting historical background on mountaineering.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews