Left Out in the Rain: New Poems 1947-1985

North Point Pr, 1986. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Association copy, inscribed on the title page: "For Nick Clinch, mountain men together, Gary Snyder." Clinch was an important alpinist and conservationist, serving as president of the American Alpine Club (1968-70) and as the longtime executive director of the Sierra Club Foundation (1970-1981). He is the only American to have led (in 1958) a first ascent of an 8,000 meter peak, Hidden Peak in Northeast Pakistan, the world's 11th tallest mountain; and among many other accomplishments he also led the expedition that made first ascent of the highest peak in Antartica, Mount Vinson. Clinch Peak in Antartica was named after him in 2006. After leaving his role with the Sierra Club, he went on to direct the Environmental Law Institute, and he was one of the earliest board members of REI. He was a bibliophile and author, notably writing A Walk in the Sky (1982) about the Hidden Peak expedition. A scarce signed copy of A Walk in the Sky is included with this purchase. There are three letters from Nick Clinch among Snyder's papers at Davis, and they were truly "mountain men together" insofar as Snyder's work is greatly inspired by mountains and mountains served as an early proving ground for him. One thinks, for instance, of Danger on Peaks about Mt. St. Helens, and of Matterhorn Peak in the Eastern Sierra as glorified in Dharma Bums. A fine book in a fine jacket. A Walk in the Sky is a fine book in a very near fine jacket with just a few creases to top edge. // Wood (+) River (=) Books specializes in place-based and environmental literature, with a special passion for association copies and notable inscriptions.