Steve Roper

The writer and stonemaster John Long dives into the lore (and his own experiences) on his favorite 5.10: The East Buttress of El Cap

As good as Roper was at writing and editing, he was also one heck of a climber whose résumé during the Golden Age of Yosemite put him amongst the best of his generation.

Guidebooks have changed. It’s not so much the slick paper and color photos. Those are nice. It’s the stories creeping in among the routes that I really like.

The author was tired of cold bivies, long approaches and big racks. For a break, he ventured to the sheer sandstone walls outside Dresden, Germany. He didn't get quite the break he'd imagined.

All 50 classics, for your climbing pleasure