Pat Ament

Pat Ament (born 1946) is known for his Renaissance approach to life. At a young age, in the early 1960's, he became one of the best rock climbers in America. A climber who has achieved distinction not only with his countless first ascents, he has authored many books. Ament began his climbing career in 1958, and by the mid 1960s had established the first 5.11 climbs in Colorado (Supremacy Crack) and Yosemite (Center Slack). A former college gymnast, he was also a dedicated boulderer, and put up many challenging problems on Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder, Colorado, and at various other Colorado locations and in Yosemite. His climbing and bouldering companions over the years have included (to name just a few) Royal Robbins, Bob Kamps, Tom Higgins, John Gill, and Layton Kor. Pat has been a significant mentor through several generations. In addition to his rock acrobatics, Ament is a black belt in Karate. He is also a chess expert and master chess problemist published in grandmaster columns.

As an author, Ament's best known works include the artful philosophies, Swaramandal and How To Be A Master Climber in Six Easy Lessons, along with his biographies of the legendary Royal Robbins and John Gill. He produced a remarkable, inclusive compendium of ascents and climbers in his 2002 historical work, "Wizards of Rock: A History of Free Climbing in America," and his whimsical "Climbing Everest" is a rambling and humorous philosophical essay, adorned with cartoons by the author. Ament is a poet and an artist and has composed extensively in these realms. He won the "Artist Award" from the Art Department of the University of Colorado in 1967. He is a well-published photographer and has won several awards for films he has made, including from Austria and Switzerland and the "Best Spirit Award" at the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival in 1984.

For many years Pat has been a dedicated songwriter, singer, and pianist.

Pat Ament not only won the first place prize for poetry but at the same time received a 2008 Cassar Jewelers ClimbFest Award for Lifetime Achievement as a climber and author at a ceremony in Ogden, Utah during April 2008.

Publications

• Ament, Pat (1967). "High Over Boulder" (first of 5 revisions). D&K Printing, Pruett Press, Two Lights, etc.
• Ament, Pat (1973). "Swaramandal." Vitaar Publishing. Boulder.
• Ament, Pat (1977). "Master of Rock (the Biography of John Gill)." Alpine House.
• Ament, Pat (1978). "Rock Wise, reflections, safety, and technique in rock climbing." March Press, Boulder.
• Ament, Pat (1980). "Eldorado -- a rock climber's guide." March Press, Boulder.
• Ament, Pat (1980). "A Climber's Playground, a guide to the boulders of Flagstaff Mountain." March Press.
• Ament, Pat (1984). "Direct Lines." Two Lights, Boulder.
• Ament, Pat (1992). Royal Robbins: Spirit of the Age. Boulder, Colorado, USA.: Two Lights. ISBN 1-881663-02-7.
• Ament, Pat (1989). "Care And Consciousness in Climbing." Two Lights Publishing.
• Ament, Pat (1991). "High Endeavors." Mountain N' Air Books
• Ament, Pat (1996). Stories of a Young Climber. Two Lights, Boulder.
• Ament, Pat (1997). How To Be A Master Climber In Six Easy Lessons. Boulder, Colorado, USA.: Two Lights. ISBN 0-9648606-4-3.
• Ament, Pat (1998). Royal Robbins: Spirit of the Age. Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania.
• Ament, Pat (1998). John Gill: Master of Rock. Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania.
• Ament, Pat (1999). "Reflections on Being the Best Climber in the World." Two Lights Publishing.
• Ament, Pat (1999). Climbing Everest. Ragged Mountain Press/McGraw-Hill.
• Ament, Pat (2002). "Climber's Choice (best climbing writers, their work)." Ragged Mountain/McGraw-Hill.
• Ament, Pat (2002). Wizards of Rock: A History of Free Climbing in America. Wilderness Press, Berkeley.
• Ament, Pat (2003). "Too High, misadventures on Everest (a book of cartoons)." Two Lights.
• Ament, Pat (2005). "Everything That Matters, (Remembering Rock Climbing)." Two Lights.

Master of Rock and Spirit of the Age have been translated and published in Japanese, Italian, and Spanish. As of Spring 2009, he is recording music in and around a new book with the working title, "the Gift of Climbing."

References

• John Gill's Website
• Tom Higgin's Website

• See ChesslerBooks.com

External links

• Books by Ament on Amazon.com

See also ChesslerBooks.com