Uplifted - by Sonnie Trotter (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Join Sonnie around the campfire for stories of climbing and the climbing life. In 2025, Sonnie Trotter celebrated his 30th year climbing. He's long been at the forefront of the sport, specializing in first ascents of rock faces most people cannot imagine scaling. In Uplifted, Sonnie recounts dozens of memorable moments, highlighting the physical and mental challenges, sense of freedom, and rich personal relationships that feed his passion. His enthusiasm is contagious; it is easy to see why climbing becomes a lifestyle for so many."--

Book Synopsis

"A refreshing memoir, fast, fun, and joyous." -- Alex Honnold, climber featured in Free Solo and author of Alone on the Wall

How is a person changed by commitment to their passion, and how does their commitment change over time? These are questions that esteemed climber Sonnie Trotter asks as he reflects on the most thrilling adventures of his sport and his life.

2025 is Sonnie Trotter's 30th year climbing. He's been at the forefront of the sport for most of that time, specializing in first ascents on rock faces most people cannot imagine scaling. In Uplifted, Sonnie recounts the most memorable moments of his career, also describing the rich relationships that are the spine of the sport. In addition, he investigates the psyche that draws one to and then evolves during years of engaging with this uniquely challenging endeavor.

From learning to climb in an ancient grain silo in southern Ontario, to mastering some of the hardest, tallest rock climbs on Earth, Sonnie shares entertaining but candid tales about life on the road, living in the dirt, overcoming obstacles, and changing within his sport. He writes as if he is sharing stories around the campfire at the end of a great day, evoking that feeling of being bone-tired but loving the camaraderie so much so that you don't want to retire to your tent. He embodies a "humble masculinity" in what is perceived as a high-adrenaline, hard-charging sport, but reveals that climbing is very much about careful consideration, insightful reflection, and balancing challenge and risk.

Sonnie speaks openly about how his attitude towards the risks climbing demands has shifted as he has aged and his life's circumstances have altered. Now married with two young children, he describes how he has reconciled these parts of his life and his identity. This is a crossroads that many - whether from commitment to a sport or through other circumstances of life - have faced and will relate to.

Review Quotes

"So many mountain adventure memoirs are written by hardcore athletes who seem to be driven by some sort of darkness - an often anger-fueled desire to push beyond the edge to prove something either to themselves or their naysayers. In the world of rock climbing, Sonnie Trotter is about as hardcore as one can be - yet he's driven by gratitude, adventure for adventure's sake, and, dare I say, fun. I get a kick out of stories of brooding souls as much as the next guy, but it was so refreshing to read about a world-class athlete who's driven by curiosity and optimism. As a bonus, the book is written in a refreshingly user-friendly style- it's accessible to everyone, from veteran climbers to people like me, whose climbing career equals chaperoning their seven-year-old daughter at the climbing gym. You don't have to zoom out much to see that, at its core, Uplifted is a book about turning your passion into a vocation - a universal theme that most thoughtful people will connect with." - Ed Roberson, host of the "Mountain & Prairie" podcast

"Sonnie Trotter has long been known for pushing boundaries in rock climbing. In Uplifted, he reveals how those boundaries have shifted with time--and with fatherhood... - The Squamish Chief

"With its boundless imagination, evolution endowed humans with high-level performance features to keep us alive: big brains, opposable thumbs, and then, for a very few of us like today's guest, freakin' fearlessness. Show Sonnie Trotter a sheer granite wall stretching thousands of feet up a mountain and he'll crack his knuckles a couple times and start climbing--ropes be damned--while the rest of us cover our eyes." - Foreword Reviews

"Sonnie Trotter would never admit to being Canada's best rock climber, but his multi-decade career of cutting-edge trad climbs and nails-hard sport routes certainly puts him in that conversation. In his new book, Sonnie looks back to the people, experiences and community that defined his path into professional climbing." -"Climbing Gold" podcast

"Does Uplifted make me want to send a 5.13? Not really. I know what I'm capable of and I don't need that level of stress. But the book does make me want to dust off the climbing shoes and feel the freedom of rock climbing again. Well done, Sonnie." - Vince Shuley, Pique Newsmagazine

"Could Uplifted be a classic one day? I think it has the potential to be timeless. It's not about a milestone in climbing events, but it is a memoir or some sort, about climbing in our time and about a milestone climber. I am giving it a five out of five because I enjoyed it thoroughly and plan to reread portions if not all of it again." - Andrew Szalay, Suburban Mountaineer

About the Author

Born and raised in the flatlands of southern Ontario, Sonnie Trotter discovered climbing at age 15 at an indoor gym called Of Rock and Chalk. For his 16th birthday, his parents gifted him a three-month climbing pass--a gift that would shape the rest of his life. At 17, Trotter traveled to Rifle, Colorado, where he climbed his first 5.14 and fell in love with both the mountains and the vagabond lifestyle. Over the years, he has lived out of six different vehicles, chasing his passion for climbing. A national champion in his early 20s, Trotter left competitions behind to focus on outdoor climbing, developing new routes, and pushing the limits of the sport. His hard repeats and bold first ascents soon caught the attention of the climbing world, leading to partnerships with brands like Patagonia and Five Ten. His accomplishments

span nearly every climbing discipline, from deep-water soloing to big wall free climbs. Today, Trotter lives in Canada with his wife, Lydia, and their two children. He makes a living through writing, photography, product development, and guiding, and is a co-founder of the Canmore Climbing Gym, located near Banff National Park.