A dizzyingly beautiful presentation of the people and places that make up the world of climbing.

Once hanging on the fringes of unusual pastimes, Climbing has undergone a generational transformation—turning the sport into a cultural phenomenon. From bouldering to sport climbing, Cliffhanger explores the most notable aspects of this fascinating activity. Julie Ellison delves into a journey around the globe sharing climbing anecdotes of the Alps and Patagonia or following the flourishing bouldering scene in Virgin Gorda.

Using breathtaking imagery and in-depth stories, this book will give you a complete look at the world of this outdoor pursuit—both as a sport and a lifestyle—by highlighting the people, places, history, and culture that make climbing so unique. Whether you’ve been doing it for a long time or have never climbed in your life, this book will make your palms sweat and your heart race.

Julie Ellison has been writing, shooting, and editing stories about climbing and the outdoors for more than a decade. She was Climbing magazine’s first female Editor in Chief, and now works as a freelance writer, photographer, and filmmaker. With a genuine documentary style, she uses adventure as a way to experience the world and help the people in it.

Through the lens of climbing, she’s documented the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, a climbing camp for cancer survivors, a transgender climber’s ground-breaking journey, and seeing death firsthand in Mexico. For four years, Julie lived in a van named Betsy, chasing interesting stories, dry rock, and good climbing conditions across the U.S., all with her pit bull Lizzie by her side. In fall 2016, she and two colleagues formed Never Not Collective, a women’s production company that seeks to tell the stories of everyday people doing great things.

Julie lives now in the mountains of southeastern Idaho, where she plays in the Tetons half the year and travels for climbing and work the other half.