Royal Robbins' name is iconic, like, who names their kid, Royal? If you were that kid, how do you live up to a name like that? David Smart has authored a comprehensive history of the iconic climber, author, businessman, husband, and father - illustrating how Royal did, indeed, "live up."
Robbins entered climbing at a time of cultural and mechanical change, journeying from the street to the mountains. His Church was Yosemite, and his parish were climbers.
Robbins entered climbing at a time of cultural and mechanical change, journeying from the street to the mountains. His Church was Yosemite, and his parish were climbers.
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David Smart dives into Royal's beginnings; born into a broken home, raised by a loving mother, and shadowed by absent and abusive fathers, dodging the law, and being forced to become his own man out of necessity. Many climbers, me included, have experienced a similar gravitational pull towards the mountains to escape the chaos. I found the beginnings of Royal’s story compelling, including the way he went about his life - the choices he made, gave him merit.
Writing biographies of great people is no simple task. The climbing community had a love/hate relationship with Royal in his time. The dark side may have come from a "tall-poppy" syndrome, Royal’s my way or the highway approach to climbing ethics - Royal had a staunch belief in climbing ethics that aligned with a realisation that the cliffs we climb need more care and less hardware. Royal also had an aloofness to others. But, David finds a man who welcomed the stranger and strived to be a better man and father than his broken father and stepfather. This extended into Royal's belief that women, including his wife Liz, could climb well - back in a day when misogyny was the standard. David explores the full arch of his subject’s character and has used extensive research and quotes from many of Royals friends and acquaintances to give us as complete picture as possible of the man behind the myth. Royal Robbins' kingdom was Yosemite Valley in its Golden Age of climbing - a time where those swathes of big wall granite were still an open canvas. David documents Royal’s pivotal place in the development of techniques, as well as, his completion of cutting-edge routes in this era. Just as importantly, you will read about the many faces with whom Royal Robbins shared these glory days. Some history is debunked, such as the love/hate relationship between Warren Harding and Royal. In David’s work there is a theme of deep respect that each of these climbers had in one another’s climbing skill, not just the force of egos battling it out for ascendancy. |
Royal Robbins on the Salathe, Yosemite, California (Photo Credit: Tom Frost)
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David Smart makes the leap out of the Golden Age to the New Wave of climbers in the 1970’s. He gives an honest appraisal of how Royal found his Kingship being eroded by the passage of time, amidst new climbing styles (some of which Royal introduced) and of emerging personalities. John Long is one of these and wrote the forward to David’s book. I would have liked to have seen this further explored, as many of those climbers are still here to tell the story.
Royal didn’t mind telling stories. In fact, he enjoyed filming climbing better than talking (he looked poorly on his speaking skills, but he always liked the goods for the camera.) Royal was an original rock star of the screen and the way he engaged media to garner interest in climbing is significant. Through the book you can witness Royal gradually surrendering to change and embracing his age with new insights and activity.
Royal didn’t mind telling stories. In fact, he enjoyed filming climbing better than talking (he looked poorly on his speaking skills, but he always liked the goods for the camera.) Royal was an original rock star of the screen and the way he engaged media to garner interest in climbing is significant. Through the book you can witness Royal gradually surrendering to change and embracing his age with new insights and activity.
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Another part of Royal (that heralded the time to come) was that climbing was a universal game with a life outside of the Valley. Royal travelled widely, lectured, and guided, throughout Europe. He brought equipment, techniques, and climbers of the Old World back to the New World. This gave climbers a greater choice of gear to open up the walls across the United States and opened the curtain to the majesty of Yosemite to the world.
Royal was a visionary. He saw climbing’s future and wanted to equip climbers to explore that with confidence. The story where Royal and Liz climb and name the Nutcracker in Yosemite - ushering in new gear he had brought across the ditch - is significant, and something many climbers who have completed the route, can appreciate. David has not written a hagiography, it’s an honest appraisal of a climber who was one of North America’s original Influencers. In it he gives us the light and the darkness Royal traversed to reach the enlightenment of twilight's summit. |
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If you are a climbing tragic; If you are a person who wants to know the origins of many Yosemite classic climbs and those who first ascended them; If you want to learn of the man behind the myth, then this is a book to reference as you go about making your own history. We all stand on the shoulders of giants. Royal Robbins is one of them and David Smart has done climbers the world over a great service in gathering the history and accomplishments of this legend in his book – Royal Robbins - The American Climber.
Royal Robbins passed away in 2017 aged 82.
Royal Robbins passed away in 2017 aged 82.
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