In this fascinating biography, author Lisa Baile provides a detailed portrait of John Clarke, the man who became British Columbia's most renowned mountaineer by doing it his way. Mountaineer John Clarke had no interest in "trophy climbs" and neverdid ascend many of BC's highest peaks. On the other hand, he exploredmore virgin territory and racked up more first ascents than any otherclimber--perhaps more than any climber who ever lived. Although he came to be honoured far and wide and is one of thefew mountaineers to be awarded the Order of Canada, Clarke was a modestman who pursued his passion without fanfare, frequently embarking ongruelling expeditions into unknown territory by himself. His reputationspread and grew to legendary proportions, not just owing to the prodigiousscale of his achievements, but because of the way he carried them out--hetravelled light and scorned technology, wearing cotton long johns andeating homemade granola. Clarke dedicated his life to exploring the numberless, namelesspeaks of the Coast Range and worked at odd jobs just long enough to payfor the next season's climbing. Always a popular lecturer, in his later yearshe devoted his considerable energies to the cause of environmentaleducation. After he succumbed to cancer in 2003, the BC governmentnamed Mount John Clarke in his honour--fitting recognition for the manwho had himself named many BC mountains.

John Clarke: Explorer of the Coast Mountains covers thisremarkable life from beginning to end, examining Clarke through his ownwords and pictures as well as through the words of his many friends. Allagree it was an honour to have known him, and readers will find it equallyinspiring to meet him through these pages.