Recipient of the Banff Mountain Book Festival's Canadian Rockies Award

The great wall of stone rising so prominently above the Trans-Canada Highway between Calgary and Banff, is the birthplace of modern rockclimbing in the Canadian Rockies. It was 50 years ago in 1952 that Hans Gmoser and Leo Grillmair first took up the challenge.

Since then Yam has been the scene of both triumph and tragedy, events meticulously documented by Scott and Dornian. Gadd gives us the background; the geology and human history and ends with a walk up the backside, detailing the flora and fauna.

Dave Dornian is a journalist and writer who regularly contributes to outdoor magazines across Canada and in the USA. He was Chair of the Alpine Club of Canada`s Competition Committee and a director of the North American Council for Competition Climbing.

Dave Dornian's profile page

Ben is a recognized authority on the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Educated as a geologist, he has pursued a career in natural history, working in the summer as a freelance interpretive guide-a job he describes as "rent-a-naturalist"-and in the winter as a writer and lecturer on Rockies topics. The author of Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, which has sold over 50,000 copies, Ben has written or co-authored eight other books and contributed to several more. His first novel, Raven`s End, has become an award-winning Canadian best-seller.

Ben Gadd's profile page

Chic Scott's profile page