Literature—Recommended Reading

Knowledge of Adirondack writers and their literary output was as important to early climbers as their knowledge of trails, mountain history and the origin of a peak’s name. Before the days of television, when radio was still in its infancy, and the internet fanciful and imaginative science fiction, people read books and amassed libraries for their entertainment. The library of climbing literature has grown significantly and many of the earliest works are antiques, costly and long out of print. The Bibliography produced by ADK was last updated through 1992 - leaving a gap spanning 30 years!

In furtherance of the Trust’s public education and outreach missions, examples of some of the more significant literature relating to climbing the high peaks from the early 20th century will be highlighted with sketches that will help readers identify works of interest. Specific important works will be updated and republished over the course of the next 10 years, starting with Bob Marshall’s High Peaks of the Adirondacks, which will be available later this summer. By republishing these formative works, the Trust hopes to offer the public better insight into and understanding of the cultural heritage unique to climbing the Adirondack high peaks.