Freedom of the Hills

Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills is a book so frequently mentioned by climbers that it is worthy of a thread of its own. As is the case with much climbing advice, Freedom of the Hills has been orally recommended by dozens of climbers well before the onset of this project. A quick Google search for "Best Climbing Books" yields Freedom of the Hills as the first non-fiction result, Amazon lists it as the best-selling in the category "Rock Climbing", and Alex Honnold, famous for his 2017 free solo ascent of Freerider on the nose of El Capitan, credits Freedom of the Hills as an inspiring influence on his younger self. 

Why is Freedom of the Hills so popular? At the same time, why do only some climbers cite it as an important resource? 

For starters, Freedom of the Hills is a hearty book that covers everything from "leave no trace" principles to crack climbing techniques. It diagrams the techniques and gear it describes, and even more thoroughly explains the situational purposes of most circumstances. Page 9 of the preface states, "This book is not intended, however, to be exhaustive. Some climbing disciplines are not comprehensively addressed in these pages," and yet, the book is still covers most technical skills a climber might wonder about. Its popularity likely stems from its extensive properties: it is a one-stop shop for most climbing needs, a reference book for the average climber. With nine editions, it has become well-established as a reputable source, unlike the internet which requires verification and double-checking. But, the book has it's pitfalls: bouldering, gym-climbing, and sport-climbing are majorly lacking in the book, precisely due to their accessibility to the average person. Climbers who prefer these types of climbing may not find the book relevant, and are thus less likely to sing its praises. In choosing to "fill in the gaps" of outdoor climbing, per say, Freedom of the Hills has created a user gap of its own between the outdoor-inclined and the indoor-inclined.



Fig 1: a diagram from a page of Freedom of the Hills demonstrating two belay techniques.


So where does Freedom of the Hills fit in as a form of media in climbing?

As has been explained above, it's highly popular among adventurers, mountaineers, and outdoor climbers.  Testimonials in the front of the book, as well as the preface itself, offer clues on the opinions of its authors. Lynn Hill, often described as one of the best female climbers, cites it as "a notorious reference for climbers and outdoor enthusiasts."  Page 9 of the preface suggests it can be used for "informing the novice" and as a method for experience climbers to "review and improve their skills."  The major gist is that it is best supplemented by other forms of learning.  The diagram above in Figure 1, while extensive, does not replace the need for physical practice, and the book - and its reviewers - are conscious of this fact.