Sport: Old Man of the Sierra

By now he must be close to 80, but he will not admit it. Only his blue eyes tip off his age: occasionally they betray him by watering. But Norman Clyde still has a face that is unlined and a handclasp that can crumple knuckles. Square and solid, he still can carry a 120-lb pack by the hour with his bent-knee shuffle. And he still knows more than any other man alive about the wilds and wonders of the Sierra Nevada, the giant wall of granite that links Nevada and California with some of the most rugged peaks on the continent.

As...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!