Higher Education: A Big Wall Manual (Cragmanship)

This book was instrumental in helping me prepare for my first big wall on South Face of Washington Column in August 2019.I can't stress enough how much this book has helped me prepare...from my mental game to all the technical know-hows there's no other book on the market right now that has the level of detail and depth of coverage for aspiring big wall climbers like me. I'm going to make a quick comparison to Chris McNamara "How to Big Wall" manual, which is short and leave much to be desired - it's a good quick visual guide but I wanted something much more comprehensive on the subject so I started looking for another book and stumbled upon this one.All of Andy's tips and suggestions are from his first-hand experience and he's able to distill complex topics into easy and understandable bites, it's like having the grand master of big wall climbing right there by your side walking you through everything you need to know. For example, I never would have thought to use a swivel as the connection point to the daisy chains, instead of girth hitching as per tradition, to reduce the inevitable tangle when aiding. Thanks Andy, having tested it on Washington Column, I can say it's ingenious!I also kept hearing Andy's voice (in my own interpretation as I've never actually heard him speak) in my head telling me to not bail and keep pushing when my partner and I starting running low on water a few pitches from the top and I'm glad we did because we finished in a 24 hour push on day 2 from dinner ledge.The contents are incredibly comprehensive and can seem textbook at times - this is by design as it's first and foremost a "manual" to reference and learn from many times over. However, Andy's writing makes the reading easy, interspersed throughout the book are the stories of his many near-death experience that have made this reading an an incredibly memorable one.Aside from the text itself, there are many clear illustrations that visually showcase the concepts being taught, I find myself consistently referring back to them and "seeing" them in my mind when I'm on the wall trying to recall how to do perform certain actions. The pictures in this book are also amazing - I think he could have compiled all the photos in this book and published that by itself as coffee table reading, it's that good.My final take: I would highly encourage any aspiring big wall climber to get this and read it twice over, then go out and conquer the walls!

As an aspiring big wall theorist, I was excited when Higher Education showed up on my stoop.Like all books of technical nature, my first instinct is to quickly peruse the work from cover to cover. What am I getting into? Is this really going to be an improvement over the relatively petite works that proceeded this one?And with most printed material in this digital age, the most convenient place to do a quick perusal is on the throne while I complete my morning paperwork. Quickly it became apparent that this particular work by Andy is indeed the definition of comprehensive. The layout is well organized, the content current, and the writing good enough. But the depth is truly impressive, I can’t imagine what is missing here. Within minutes, I’d learned a thing or two. There is even a chapter on para issues.IT IS THAT THOUROUGH!At this point in my first pass, I realized that a significant time had passed. Standing turned into a desperate act. My feet, completely useless, legs numb as if I’d been hanging in a harness belaying a marathon pitch. The realization I was facing a factor 1 fall onto the bathroom floor due to unresponsive legs was terrifying. What would Andy do? (besides not getting into this position to begin with) Inaction was not an option, I quickly closed the lid and positioned myself back on the throne to regain my composure. I read about getting the team to coordinate these activities as an efficiency tip as the blood flow returned to my lower extremities.So, what was the point of all that? None really, other than find a comfy spot when you open the book. The book is destined to have the staying power of the Freedom of Hills. It will be THE reference manual for years to come. Well done Andy. And thanks for sharing this incredible amount of knowledge.

This book is the definitive how-to manual for big wall climbing.Everything is current and includes cutting edge technologies. He does a great job of establishing new terms for internationally different tools that make it accessible for all climbers, i.e. not brand specific terms like GriGri.My only point of contention is in his forward, where he says you should be able to climb 5.9 anywhere before you head up something like El Capitan; it is the rare bird that can sail up a 5.9 Yosemite wide crack. Perhaps I'm just weak, old and fat.I think that for decades, this will be the study guide for aspiring big wall climbers as there isn't much more that can be invented that is imaginable.Andy Kirkpatrick has a rather grim tone in his personal stories, usually in a darker text box, but that is certainly appropriate for a man who has climbed solo up the most serious and terrifying routes on El Capitan.This is the only big wall book you need to own.

Absolutely the best big wall manual out there. Very pleasantly surprised by this masterpiece. Covers all big-wall topics down to the microscopic level you need when first starting out. You will not be disappointed.

I bought this book to show me all the mistakes I did when when climbing wall routes a generation ago. I found out that I was a regular caveman. Maybe I'll get in better shape and climb one or two more after I retire :)

Seems to cover all key aspects of big wall climbing, while still being entertaining to read. Illustrations are very clear. There are only a few places where an extra illustration might make the text more clear.

Exceptional detail and fantastic illustrations.

Great book. Covers everything from the basics to really advanced and everything bigwall inbetween.Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book, very informative and funny. So much knowledge in one book!

Higher education updates the techniques from every big wall manual written in the past 30 years. Andy combines his deep knowledge of climbing literature with his decades of successful ascents to create the epitome of big wall climbing manuals. Higher education is such a concentrated collection of techniques and experience that it is worth twice the price.

Amazing book, full of details and very well explained.

The only real criticism of this utterly authoritative and detailed manual is that it is an utterly detailed and authoritative manual. If you’re trying to learn about big wall or aid *in general* then another book (eg Chris McNamarra’s) will help orient are you to big picture and overall sense of technique allowing this to provide the encyclopedic detail, information and experience it has in spades to fill in all the blanks.Andy is a great writer and very funny too - the grading basic guide is geek climbing stand up.

Loads of information in here, all shared with the dry Kirkpatrick wit.. Just loads of systems for hauling scenarios, potential problems, best solutions, efficient climbing, rigging options; there's a lot to study. More a compendium of knowledge than a how to book, this is where you look when you wonder about something. Of course just going through bit by bit and absorbing the material is very rewarding too; when you want to dive deep into wall techniques both practical or closer to the cutting edge the volume will keep the information and experience coming.. Higher Education indeed!