High Drama: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of American Competition Climbing

One Afternoon In 1987, Two Renegade Climbers In Berkeley, California, Hatched An Ambitious Plan: Under The Cover Of Darkness, They Would Rappel Down From A Carefully Scouted Highway On-ramp, Gluing Artificial Handholds Onto The Load-bearing Concrete Pillars Underneath. Equipped With Ingenuity, Strong Adhesive, And An Urban Guerilla Attitude, Jim Thornburg And Scott Frye Created A Serviceable Climbing Wall. But What They Were Part Of Was A Greater Development: The Expansion And Reimagining Of A Sport Now Slated For A Highly Anticipated Olympic Debut In 2020. High Drama Explores Rock Climbing's Transformation From A Pursuit Of Select Anti-establishment Vagabonds To A Sport Embraced By Competitors Of All Ages, Social Classes, And Backgrounds. Climbing Magazine's John Burgman Weaves A Multi-layered Story Of Traditionalists And Opportunists, Grassroots Organizers And Business-minded Developers, Free-spirited Rebels And Rigorously Coached Athletes.