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
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"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). |
 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 juggled three or four at a time. As a climber, I did the first 5.11 routes in Colorado, in 1965 and '66, and did the first 5.11 route in Yosemite in 1967. I was a climbing instructor for many years. Quite a number of top climbers will say they served an apprenticeship with me. In 1967, a university gymnast and just out of my teens, I won a modest little "Artist Award" from the University of Colorado bookstore and art department for some line drawings. During the later 1970's I won a $2000 award for achievement in film from the University of Geneva. 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. I viewed such an invitation as a wonderful culmination of countless shows I have given throughout Colorado and around the country. 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. That first trip to England, my co-speaker, the great Italian mountaineer, Walter Bonatti, became my friend over the four days of the 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 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. My "infamous" portrait of Layton Kor was published in a Czechoslovakian anthology of best writings. In 2007 I was given an outstanding achievement award for film at Austria's Anthon Film Festival. 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, and my book "Master of Rock" was honored. Some 38 books of mine have been published and approximately 150 magazine articles, all mostly in the mountaineering genre. I was involved in a somewhat typical multi-dimensional situation one year when, at Utah's Weber University, 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 Christmas card, sent to all alums and state dignitaries. I wish I had not consumed so much time at the goal of becoming a chess master, while in contrast I am grateful for each of the 40 or so years I practiced and/or taught karate. Of great importance to me remain the shelves and notebooks of poetry I have written, which include hundreds of songs. I have recorded more than twenty full length albums of original music. I am very proud of my newest albums.... I hope you will hear it and be the measure of the art. Some of my music is 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 juggled three or four at a time. As a climber, I did the first 5.11 routes in Colorado, in 1965 and '66, and did the first 5.11 route in Yosemite in 1967. I was a climbing instructor for many years. Quite a number of top climbers will say they served an apprenticeship with me. In 1967, a university gymnast and just out of my teens, I won a modest little "Artist Award" from the University of Colorado bookstore and art department for some line drawings. During the later 1970's I won a $2000 award for achievement in film from the University of Geneva. 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. I viewed such an invitation as a wonderful culmination of countless shows I have given throughout Colorado and around the country. 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. That first trip to England, my co-speaker, the great Italian mountaineer, Walter Bonatti, became my friend over the four days of the 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 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. My "infamous" portrait of Layton Kor was published in a Czechoslovakian anthology of best writings. In 2007 I was given an outstanding achievement award for film at Austria's Anthon Film Festival. 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, and my book "Master of Rock" was honored. Some 38 books of mine have been published and approximately 150 magazine articles, all mostly in the mountaineering genre. I was involved in a somewhat typical multi-dimensional situation one year when, at Utah's Weber University, 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 Christmas card, sent to all alums and state dignitaries. I wish I had not consumed so much time at the goal of becoming a chess master, while in contrast I am grateful for each of the 40 or so years I practiced and/or taught karate. Of great importance to me remain the shelves and notebooks of poetry I have written, which include hundreds of songs. I have recorded more than twenty full length albums of original music. I am very proud of my newest albums.... I hope you will hear it and be the measure of the art. Some of my music is 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
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"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 a distinguished poet:
"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." --Mark Irwin, University of Southern California |
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 $12., which will include shipping. Mailing address: Pat Ament, 213 N. Mulberry St., #7, Fruita, CO 81521. All FOREIGN ORDERS, please add $5.00 for shipping.
the Paypal button below. You may also simply send a check for $12., which will include shipping. Mailing address: Pat Ament, 213 N. Mulberry St., #7, Fruita, CO 81521. All FOREIGN ORDERS, please add $5.00 for shipping.
 Gill floats up 'the Scab' in the Needles of South Dakota |
JOHN GILL ACROSS TIME
RAILROAD ARIETTA (Pat's New Album)
RAILROAD ARIETTA (Pat's New Album)
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JOHN GILL ACROSS TIME
Make your order now,
by simply hitting the Paypal tab above and right.
John Gill enjoys some "down" time....
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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: