David Roberts

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WishIWasInTheMts
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Re: David Roberts

Post by WishIWasInTheMts »

David Roberts was one of my favorite writers, outdoors or otherwise. Everything he wrote was excellent. Really loved his memoir, especially growing up in the Boulder area. He will be missed. RIP
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justiner
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Re: David Roberts

Post by justiner »

Oh wow - he wrote Alone on the Ice too? I know I've read that one as well - perhaps I saw him twice? I was a big fan of this guy without even knowing it! The trip described in that book was punk AF.
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justiner
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Re: David Roberts

Post by justiner »

And cowrote No Shortcuts to the Top - It seems everytime I went to Tattered Cover to see an author, David Roberts had a hand in it (except when Ian MacKaye came - not sure if they have a connection!)
MaxmimumMills4
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Re: David Roberts

Post by MaxmimumMills4 »

Asking the group- if I was to read David for the first time, which book would you recommend?
jerseybrian
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Re: David Roberts

Post by jerseybrian »

MaxmimumMills4 wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:08 pm Asking the group- if I was to read David for the first time, which book would you recommend?
"Mountain of my Fear"!
When I get out I feel more alive - Doug Coombs
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Scott P
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Re: David Roberts

Post by Scott P »

MaxmimumMills4 wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 10:08 pm Asking the group- if I was to read David for the first time, which book would you recommend?
I have read all (I think) of his books, but I like In Search of Old Ones the best. Perhaps it is because I have been to most of the places in the book and can figure out which locations he is talking about from his descriptions. Great Exploration Hoaxes would probably be my second favorite.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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Bale
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Re: David Roberts

Post by Bale »

Roberts was the dean of my favorite genre. I love Krakauer‘s work, but like SurfnTurf said, we wouldn’t know his name were it not for DR. Also, Idk if anyone has mentioned the ground breaking ascents in his early days with the Harvard Mountaineering Club like Wickersham Wall on Denali and west face of Mt Huntington.
RIP.
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Jim Davies
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Re: David Roberts

Post by Jim Davies »

justiner wrote: Fri Aug 27, 2021 9:59 pm And cowrote No Shortcuts to the Top
Also "Alone on the Wall" with Alex Honnold. Roberts was both an excellent writer and a great collaborator.

One of my favorites is his little-known book "Four Against the Arctic", in which he sleuths out the story of four 18th-century Russian whalers who get stranded on a barren Arctic island for six years. Reviewers hated it, but I found it fascinating how he dug out info about such an obscure event, centuries later.

I've also enjoyed his books on the Four Corners region, like "Sandstone Spine". He lived the life, and shared it with us, including his decline in recent years due to cancer, and his regrets that it kept him from doing what he loved.
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I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go home now. -- Forrest Gump
gore galore
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Re: David Roberts

Post by gore galore »

Many years ago I had David Roberts sign some of my books of his at a sidewalk cafe book signing in Telluride. As part of the book signing I asked him if he remembered writing an article in "Trail and Timberline" magazine about his Harvard Mountaineering Club's winter climbing trip of eleven days to the Needle Mountains over the Christmas holidays of 1963. The article "The Grenadiers in Winter" writes of the tribulations of six members whom the Silverton locals told them that they were "all going to die in avalanches" but ended in seven first winter ascents.

When I asked him the question he quickly acknowledged and his surprised look suggested that probably nobody had ever asked him that question before or knew about that article. But in my Colorado mountaineering history world it was most gratifying to know that he remembered writing that article. When all the memorials are written none of them will probably mention his Colorado climbing because that was before David Roberts became known as a climber from his Alaskan expeditions, explorer of the southwest and writer in the adventure world.

When he returned my book of his, "On the Ridge Between Life and Death," I opened it and saw inscribed, "For me - Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy my memoir. All the best, David Roberts, Telluride, May 2006." So in return to David Roberts I have to say, "Thanks for writing! I very much enjoyed reading your memoir. Peace, Me."
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