On Friday, Sept. 25, Washington State University’s Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) will open an exhibit on one of its newest collections, rare mountaineering books donated in June 2025 by WSU alums and renowned mountain climbers John Roskelley and Chris Kopczynski.
Both men will discuss the collection and mountaineering, their WSU connection, and more at a reception and open program titled “The Mountaineering Life” from 5–7 p.m. in the MASC lobby of the ground-floor Terrell Library atrium. Roskelley and Kopczynski will also sign copies of their own books. The exhibit-kickoff event is sponsored by Washington State Magazine and the WSU Libraries.
Titled “Peak to Page: Exploring the World of Mountaineering through Rare Books,” the exhibit will feature several of the collection’s 350 important works on mountaineering published between 1892 and 2012, first gathered by Roskelley and Kopczynski’s mentor and celebrated mountaineer, Joe Collins. MASC will also showcase newsletters from WSU’s Alpine Club, a student rock-climbing organization, from the 1970s.
For more about the exhibit, Roskelley, and Kopczynski, see the Aug. 18 WSU Insider story.
