"On the Ridge Between Life and Death", is a story that takes an
inside look at the obstacles the author David Roberts goes through, while trying to succeed in mountaineering as we as everyday
life. A sense of power and strength is given to the reader throughout many of the "hang off the edge of your seat" chapters.
The author is a passionate rock climber who over comes many downfalls. After many near fatal accidents Roberts feels he's
meant to succeed no matter what, especially after the accidents more then ever. The story was dramatically, exciting
and allowed the reader to enter a world they never new existed. Being a mountaineer seemed self explanitory, however "On the
Ridge Between Life and Death" proved different. Each chapter takes a look at the people and events that changed the authors
life in positive and negative ways. The physical as well as the mental challanges the athletes go through. Ultimatly proving
the benefits as well as the disadvantages of living life on the "wild side".
Roberts exemplified his passion when he explained risking his own life
to save his best friend and partner. When Robert's best friend died in a rock climbing accident his passion only grew.
He felt it was his duty to strive and do what him and his partner had dreamed of. Robert's dreamed of beating the inevidable,
conquering what has never been conquered. Growing up in Climax Colorado Robert's spent his childhood growing up in the highest
town in the United States. His parents spent their days skiing and hiking up 13,000+ feet mountains. It was then that Roberts
found a new love for the sport of climbing, and new what he wanted to do. As the reader at this point, I felt I
understood the authors reasoning for this hobby, soon to be life goal. As Roberts grew up he ventured off to different mountain
cimbing adventures with some of his close climbing buddies. After four near fatal accidents that killed two of the authors
friends, the reader was left in awe. The idea that this man was risking his own as well as his friends
lives now became unclear to me at this point. I thought I understood why Robert's was devoting so much time and money
into this passion, but after reading of all these accidents the reasoning became blurry again.
It was not until a few chapters later that the angle as to why the risk
became clear. As the author explained his move cross-country to Massachusetts as a teacher making a decent salary at
the time, of $12,000 a year, the reader could tell something was missing. Robert's declared his true passion was still
climbing. Leading a Sunday climbing and hiking class was just a small step towards what was going to be his high-risk future. Robert's
knew he could not live without the thrill and adreniline rush of climbing. The simple glow that jumped from the pages
as Robert's found untouched cliffs to climb while teaching, allowed the reader to see the reasoning behind his dangerous
lifestyle. As the story took us through him meeting his most competitive climbing buddy Ed, the risks grew more intense. Ed
was explained in an earlier chapter when Robert's mentioned the death of his other friend Gabe a snow clmb.
As the reader, I personally enjoy when an author explains a previous event later in the story. That tactic keeps the
reader guessing for more. Ed and Robert's tackled many record breaking climbs throughout the 1970's, which will never
be forgotten
"At the time the hardest alpine route in North America" _ Climbing
Magazine. Roberts and the other climbers, including Ed, were noted in the 50 classic climbs of North America after conquering
a first grade 6 climb in Alaska. That route was not repeated for another twenty-nine years. This showed the true dedication
and the physical capabilities of Robert's and his fellow climbers. The joy in the writting allowed me to capture the
gratitude Robert's felt after that award. The following chapters took the reader into a few more climbs, including "Devils
Thumb'' and the "Elk Ranges." Just adding to the many victories of the climbers.
The final chapters in the story clarified the reasoning for ending the
halftime of climbing. Robert's explained how no cimber just quits over night. It's a sport that wears you intesivly out
and is so high-risk that utimatly must be ended completely at somepoint. I myself as the reader compared this theory
to baseball, to truely understand. Although the athletes are not in the major leagues anymore they could still go outside
and throw the ball around, where as with climbing it's so intense and high-maintnence once it's done it's done.
This idea only clarified the passion of the climbers even more intensly. Overall the story portrayed an even amount
of impertive statistics and interesting personal goals. Which I enjoyed. The story did not over-do the names of mountains,
climbers or heights but more importantly introduced the reader to the sport of mountain cimbing as well as the personal goals,
and passion of one of the worlds finest. Life and death seemed so important when I first began this story, I could not
understand the morals of a person that would simpy risk it all, but as I finished the story I relized the irony
in the idea that unless you truely live to the fullest and do everything your heart desires, there is no real depth between
"life and death".
