Rock Jocks, Wall Rats and Hang Dogs: Rock Climbing on the Edge of Reality
by John Long
Rock Jocks is, at its heart, the autobiography of John Long. It tells the
story of how he learned how to climb and, ultimately, how he (with Jim
Bridwell) undertook some of the
defining rock climbs of his era at Yosemite. Rock Jocks is also a book on
the philosophy of climbing. While Long's specialty as a 'rock jock' is
described in detail and the first 3/4 of the book is mostly about his
learning experiences, the last 1/4 of the book also discusses the two other primary types of rock
climbers: 'wall rats' who make multi-day climbs and haul hundreds of pounds
of gear up vertical cliffs; and 'hang dogs' who, in a way, have transformed
the sport of rock climbing into competitions. Admirably, even though the
wall rats and hang dogs have a style that he doesn't naturally gravitate
towards, Long does not
really become judgmental; rather, he acknowledges that each new generation
of climbers establishes themselves in their own way and that change is the
nature of evolution in the sport. Overall, this book is not as funny as
Gorilla Monsoon
but it is still a good read from one of the premier rock climbers of the
1970s. |
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