Hubert A. Allen, Jr. was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1958. His younger brother, George, was just 15 months younger and became an important climbing partner. His younger sister, Lisa, was always supportive but a non-climber. The family moved to the Chicago area in the mid 1960s. The first taste of climbing came on vacations in Scottsdale, Arizona, scrambling up Camelback Mountain. During the summers of 1969-1972 he learned outdoor skills at Camp Nebagamon in Wisconsin. The author attended New Trier High School West between 1972-1976. The summer of 1973 he toured the American West with a group called Man and His Land - and discovered rock-climbing in the Tetons of Wyoming and mountaineering on Mt. Rainier.

On the Rocks, 1978

Lubrication, 1979

Into The Alps

Raisisng the Bar Nash

Encampment

Argentiere Way

Great North Faces

Joe

Solo Dreams

Teamed

On the Ridge

Short-Cut Descent

Separate But Equal

A Crazy Ride

Reviews of Peter Boardman's Books, 1983

Risky Business, 1985

Close Call on Chambe Peak, 1986

Rock-Climbing Injuries in Yosemite NP, 1988

This is an autobiography of an amature American climber and his misadventures. Early misadventures in the 1970s occur in Illinois where the author accidentally causes the closing of buildering on a water plant, and slow motion details of his first leader fall Colorado. The Simpson Incident is the center piece of this book. Each of these chapters is headed by a quote from one of Joe Simpson's books, including one quote from a complete chapter Simpson wrote about the author and the same incident in his book, "This Game of Ghosts (1993)." Ultimately, the author becomes the first American to climb the 5,500 foot high West face of Chambe Peak in Malawi, Africa.