Rappelling [Hardcover]

Tom Martin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1991

This book is a photo documentary of extraordinary phenomenon which few people have been privileged to see - phenomenon which may never be seen again. It pictures towers of ice, over one hundred feet high, standing alone in the forest like silent gendarmes; snow, rolled by the wind into giant doughnuts; delicate needles of ice, taller than a man, growing from the floors of caves; and waterfalls frozen solid. With the aid of forty large color pictures, this book describes how such beautiful creations came to exist, and tells about the unique places where they were found.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tom Martin is an entrepreneur, writer, inventor, and outdoorsman. Much of his adult life has been spent in electronic research, and in the development of products ranging from burglar alarm systems to equipment for rappelling and rescue. He has also been instrumental in the startup of several sales and manufacturing companies.

A great love of the out-of-doors has led him to countless places in search of beauty and adventure. For many years, through hikes, campouts, and slide presentations, he has been sharing the joy of these adventures with boy scouts, girl scouts, and many school and adult audiences. His expertise in the art of rappelling has enabled him to train many firemen, police officers, and rescue squads in this lifesaving skill. His volunteer efforts have introduced a huge number of people to rock climbing, cave exploring, rappelling, and to a greater appreciation of the natural world in which they live.

Other books by Tom Martin include: Observations, and Rappelling.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Welcome to a world of adventure and beauty - a world which now exists only in pictures and in memories. By means of this book I will guide you down the paths of my memories, and we will share a gentle adventure, and see things that few people even dreamed existed. Welcome to my world.

Never had I seen anything like this before; nor have I seen anything like it since. In every county I visited that day I found these snow "doughnuts" - thousands upon thousands of them. They existed in many sizes, but most, as the one shown here, were about six inches in diameter.

For us to reach the bottom, we had to descend those stairs - at that time covered by a solid sheet of ice. The only way to accomplish this was to grip the handrail for dear life, and carefully inch down the stairway. Any mistake and one would plummet to his untimely death - or at least his severe hurt. It was awesomely fun!

As the water which fed the falls began to flow, the great pillar melted from the inside out. A large fissure developed in its side, and one day I climbed in. I was unable to record the adventure on film, however. The water flow inside was so great that spray would instantly cover the camera lens, making photography impossible. It was a marvelous experience.

Nitroglycerin, being very sensitive to impact, was produced locally, so as to avoid having to transport it too far. The plant at Fincastle closed when there was no longer need of it. One near Torrent was not so lucky. History records that it blew up. In those days, making nitroglycerin was a dangerous business.

Transporting it, however, may have been more dangerous. It was hauled in specially equipped wagons, usually pulled by mules. Reportedly, many drivers, in order to obtain courage for the drive, would consume large amounts of alcohol before heading out. One day, as a couple of men were hauling nitro in this area, their wagon was involved in an accident. A piece of their mule was supposedly found a mile away!

That year there were thousands of them, and many were higher than a man's head. There are no words to describe this place. My photographs do nothing to convey its mystery and beauty. This cave has a name, but I decided that it deserved a better one. I called it C.O.H. - Cave Of Heaven - because I assumed that this side of Heaven I would never again see anything like it.

As one enters this frozen world, it is like being transported to another planet. It is so foreign to the senses. The delicate columns of ice seem like crystal buildings in a crystal city, in a place found only in one's dreams.

Except for the quiet dripping of water, this garden of ice was silent. To be there alone, in the midst of so much beauty, could be an overwhelming experience. I remember once being moved to tears by the beauty of the place.

We are the custodians of this place, and it is our responsibility to insure that future generations have the opportunity to survive and to experience the beauty of the forests and flowers and waterfalls - and all the lovely ice.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Search (June 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930871022
• ISBN-13: 978-0930871024
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,858,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How Useful is the book titled "Rappelling?", December 8, 1999

By 

Frank Lenihan "Marine Warrior" (Montana USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rappelling, Edition II (Hardcover)

There are a few things I like about this book. First of all, it comes in a sturdy hardcover. This makes it easy to take to the field without worrying about getting it damaged. Second, the author takes the "beginner" from beginning to end and does not assume technical expertise. Third, there are a number of excellent photos that show technical information close up. Fourth, there is information on new equipment as well as tried and tested older rescue equipment and proceedures. Finally, it is "user-friendly" and builds an interest in the art of rappelling.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good discussion of equiptment, methods and techniques, June 2, 1998

By 

Jesse H. Coleman (Tuscumbia, AL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rappelling, Edition II (Hardcover)

The revised second edition of this book is now 10 years old (1988) and into its 9th printing. Only a very good book lasts that long and Martin's "Rappelling" has passed this test of time.

This book has good chapters on body rappels, anchors, getting over, special methods and more. The chapter of harnesses should have included more types of self tied harnesses. The chapter on descenders included 2.7 gazillion different types and I guess more have been invented in the past 10 years. The chapter on psychology was useful.

Most people into rappelling these days are probably in it for recreation - weekend amateurs, summer camps, church groups, Scouts, etc. I suppose that most deaths and injuries occur in these groups. A section on crowd control, group dynamics, what to do in case of an accident, etc. would be helpful. Some accident statistics and some true stories of what went wrong with actual groups would have been a good addition. More of a slant toward recreational rappelling would be nice.

Glad I got the book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for any Rescuer!, October 1, 2000

By 

Thomas W P Slatin "TomSlatin.com" (Schoharie, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rappelling, Edition II (Hardcover)

Being both a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician, I have read several books on rescue and rappelling as they are part of my almost daily life. This book is a must-read for anyone who works in public safety or who enjoys the outdoors. From beginner to expert, this book will tell you everything you need to know, and a lot of interesting facts. It covers everything!