PAT AMENT
"Pat continues to amaze me with the power of his mind, and the depth of his insights. I am also amazed by the breadth of his mastery of disparate disciplines." -- Royal Robbins
"Every galaxy should have a Pat Ament."
-- Reg Saner, distinguished poet A message from Pat Ament:
I am a musician, songwriter, filmmaker and artist who, many years ago, in my youth, was a serious rock climber. I don't climb much anymore, but I keep getting better at my music and songwriting. Through the years I have pursued poetry, karate, line drawing, chess, and photography. An extension of photography has been filmmaking. On the three pages of this website you can learn a little about me but also find available some of my music and films. As of December 2011 I have a new album and also a new film which you can order here through Paypal. The album is called Railroad Arietta, and the film is John Gill Across Time (part two of my earlier The Disciples of Gill film, which is also available). |  This is a photo of me, Pat Ament, about two thousand feet vertically above the forest and still a thousand vertical feet to go, on the 10th ascent of Yosemite's El Capitan, the second week of June, 1967 |
SOME BIO STUFF
I've been called "a Renaissance man." I prefer "Renaissance madman," as I have filled my life with artistic pursuits and often juggle three or four at a time. In 1967, a university gymnast and just out of my teens, I won the "Artist Award" at the University of Colorado for my line drawings. I valued this little award because it was given by actual artists at the university art department. In 1984 I won the "Best Spirit" award at the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival. That same year I was honored as the guest speaker for the National British Mountaineering Conference in England. That was a wonderful culmination of countless shows I had given throughout Colorado and around the country (United States). In England they invited me to return as guest speaker the very next conference, at which time I performed (played piano and sang) my own original songs on the stage of the Old Hall Opera House in Buxton. My co-speaker, the great Italian mountaineer, Walter Bonatti, became my friend over the four days of that British conference. Hour upon hour, he and I spoke. I later received letters from Walter which said he admired me and that I changed his dark view of the world of modern climbers. He said he found me to be a wonderful ambassador of American climbing. I have developed many friendships in the world. Books of mine have been translated into Japanese, Spanish, and Italian. I was even asked by a Czechoslovakian editor to publish one of my articles in an anthology of best writings. In the later 1970's I won a $2000 award for outstanding achievement in film from the University of Geneva. My film work was given a similar outstanding achievement award at Austria's Anthon Film Festival in 2007. I was a climbing instructor for many years. Quite a number of top climbers will say they served an apprenticeship with me. Not long ago, in the company of John Bachar and Lynn Hill, I was given a lifetime achievement award (which came with $4000). At that same festival, I won first place in their poetry competition. My book "Master of Rock" was honored at that time (38 books of mine have been published and some 150 magazine articles, all mostly in the literary mountaineering genre). I was involved in another multi-dimensional situation one year when, at Utah's Weber University, in an interesting day I taught their film class, headed a climbing seminar for their recreation department, and gave a poetry reading for the English department. One of my favorite honors was to be asked by the President of the University of Colorado to write the poetic inscription for the University's Christmas card. I wish I had not wasted so many hours becoming a chess master, while in contrast I am grateful for the 40 or so years I have practiced and/or taught karate. Of great importance to me remain the shelves and notebooks of poetry I have written, which include several hundred songs. I have recorded more than twenty full length albums of original music. I am very proud of my newest album of songs.... I hope you will take a chance and get and hear it. It's easy to order below....
I've been called "a Renaissance man." I prefer "Renaissance madman," as I have filled my life with artistic pursuits and often juggle three or four at a time. In 1967, a university gymnast and just out of my teens, I won the "Artist Award" at the University of Colorado for my line drawings. I valued this little award because it was given by actual artists at the university art department. In 1984 I won the "Best Spirit" award at the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival. That same year I was honored as the guest speaker for the National British Mountaineering Conference in England. That was a wonderful culmination of countless shows I had given throughout Colorado and around the country (United States). In England they invited me to return as guest speaker the very next conference, at which time I performed (played piano and sang) my own original songs on the stage of the Old Hall Opera House in Buxton. My co-speaker, the great Italian mountaineer, Walter Bonatti, became my friend over the four days of that British conference. Hour upon hour, he and I spoke. I later received letters from Walter which said he admired me and that I changed his dark view of the world of modern climbers. He said he found me to be a wonderful ambassador of American climbing. I have developed many friendships in the world. Books of mine have been translated into Japanese, Spanish, and Italian. I was even asked by a Czechoslovakian editor to publish one of my articles in an anthology of best writings. In the later 1970's I won a $2000 award for outstanding achievement in film from the University of Geneva. My film work was given a similar outstanding achievement award at Austria's Anthon Film Festival in 2007. I was a climbing instructor for many years. Quite a number of top climbers will say they served an apprenticeship with me. Not long ago, in the company of John Bachar and Lynn Hill, I was given a lifetime achievement award (which came with $4000). At that same festival, I won first place in their poetry competition. My book "Master of Rock" was honored at that time (38 books of mine have been published and some 150 magazine articles, all mostly in the literary mountaineering genre). I was involved in another multi-dimensional situation one year when, at Utah's Weber University, in an interesting day I taught their film class, headed a climbing seminar for their recreation department, and gave a poetry reading for the English department. One of my favorite honors was to be asked by the President of the University of Colorado to write the poetic inscription for the University's Christmas card. I wish I had not wasted so many hours becoming a chess master, while in contrast I am grateful for the 40 or so years I have practiced and/or taught karate. Of great importance to me remain the shelves and notebooks of poetry I have written, which include several hundred songs. I have recorded more than twenty full length albums of original music. I am very proud of my newest album of songs.... I hope you will take a chance and get and hear it. It's easy to order below....
"One of American climbing's great literary stylists, Ament's output as climber, musician, filmmaker, writer, and poet has been distinguished and prodigious over four decades. At his best, Ament seems to me one of the most delicately gifted of all writers on climbing."
--Dr. Jim Perrin, award-winning author and poet
--Dr. Jim Perrin, award-winning author and poet
"I love Pat Ament. He is a kind, gentle, engaging, intelligent, and unique human being -- a truly fine spirit. I would also like to mention that Pat Ament was a truly bad-ass rock climber, highly influential. Pete Steres, when he was alive, told me in no uncertain terms that he felt, at one point, Pat was the best rock climber (free climber) in the world. Period. Whatever. Pat kicks ass. We are very fortunate for his contributions on the stone, with the pen, and music."
-- Ray Olsen, Imperial Beach, California | According to distinguished poet Mark Irwin:
"Pat Ament is a splendid writer whose work falls into a rare interdisciplinary category. He is poet, naturalist, historian, and philosopher. The art of climbing becomes a metaphor for the ideals by which he lives: the precision of each step and the total abandon of the heart." |
My film "The Disciples of Gill" is available for sale. It was released February 22, 2011, to very favorable reviews. Well known climber Eric Horst calls it "One of the best climbing films of all time." Order through
the Paypal button below. You may also simply send a check for $18., which will include shipping. Mailing address: Pat Ament, 213 N. Mulberry St., #7, Fruita, CO 81521
the Paypal button below. You may also simply send a check for $18., which will include shipping. Mailing address: Pat Ament, 213 N. Mulberry St., #7, Fruita, CO 81521
 Gill floats up 'the Scab' in the Needles of South Dakota Update:
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JOHN GILL ACROSS TIME
RAILROAD ARIETTA (Pat's New Album)
RAILROAD ARIETTA (Pat's New Album)
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 Pat Ament in Yosemite in 1967 ponders the next boulder problem. Barry Bates, legendary Yosemite climber, calls Pat Ament, "My greatest inspiration, in bouldering." |
Click the button above to order THE DISCIPLES OF GILL
A walk through Eldorado, in the 1980's
Purchase the new double album (CD), just out the first week of December, 2011,
called "Railroad Arietta" / $12 (covers shipping). Hit the paypal above. Or
if you wish to order the McDougal Street album hit the Paypal button to the right: