Editorial Reviews

CSLI Publications and Stanford University Libraries have just published a large format photographic history, printed by one of the Bay Areas finest printers, of the Stanford Alpine Club (SAC), covering its almost forty year history. In the fifties the new club became one of Americas prominent college mountaineering clubs. Its identity was forged in the crucible of Yosemite Valleys steep, smooth granite spires and cliffs. Members made important contributions to the development of Yosemite rockclimbing technique and helped carry the lessons learned to the worlds great ranges.

Even more important for most students was the clubs contribution to their personal growth and their social and recreational opportunities at Stanford. Coeducational membership was a key factor distinguishing the SAC from the longer-established and better known eastern college clubs, and a tradition of "manless climbing" dated from its 1946 inaugural year. Bea Vogel, 53, a legend among SAC coeds, recalled, "It was a revelation for both boys and girls that they could interact on the kind of footing that occurred in the club. . . . In the dorm there was some pressure to dress up, date, make an impression, play a role. In the club we were comfortable being ourselves."

The SAC was the kind of experience that eventually developed into Outward Bound-type programs. Students were encouraged by other members to try things that often seemed beyond their limits and capabilities. Vogel remembered that you werent told that there were limits on your ability or "you cant do such-and-such," because "you arent strong enough," or "because youre a woman." Members learned climbing skills even if they started off timidly, and were encouraged to do all kinds of physical things that also required mental strength. It struck Vogel and others how different all this was from normal expectations where the "guys would do their physical activities and there would be all this male-bonding rigamarole." To the contrary, what there was in the alpine club was group bondingshared experiences of perhaps a dangerous nature, and there was a fair share of tragedy, injury, and death.