Dr. James Maples releases his book on the Red River Gorge climbing community

Dr. Maples' new book on the history of the Red River Gorge climbing community is now available. Rock Climbing in Kentucky's Red River Gorge: An Oral History of Community, Resources, and Tourism recounts five decades of climbing in the Red amid the context of the people and resources right here in EKU's service region. 

The book examines how climbers have changed (and been changed) by the history happening around them right here in the Red, including a proposed dam in the 1960s, a bolting ban in the 90s, and the complications of recreating alongside endangered plant species and Indigenous sites. 

Dr. Maples plans to offer a sociology special topics course (Soc 350) in Spring 2022 discussing the book and his ideas on sustainable tourism in transitional economies. 

For the full story visit:
https://stories.eku.edu/people/eku-professor-debuts-new-book

Published on September 07, 2021