Yosemite has always been the holy grail of big wall rock climbing in North America, a story finally done justice in Vertical Frontier: A History of the Art, Sport and Philosophy of Rock Climbing in Yosemite.
The video has justly won wide acclaim and numerous awards. Its timing is fortuitous: the interviews with climbing giants are frequently accompanied by the date of their deaths in recent years. Living legends are there as well, from Royal Robbins and Yvon Chouinard to Lynn Hill and John Long.
It is a first-class production, marred in only minor ways by a few "dramatizations" and the odd choice of Tom Brokaw as narrator. You'll quickly forget about these as you lose yourself in the lush scenes of awe-inspiring BIG FREAKING WALLS OF ROCK! A definite "10" on the sweaty palm scale and a true service to the history of climbing.
Comments