Mountaineering Books - Page 2

Dark Summit: The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season

Nick Heil

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"A dramatic story, ably and convincingly told . . . A chilling look at the precarious line between success and tragedy."—Kirkus Reviews

On May 15, 2006, a young British climber named David Sharp lay dying near the top of Mount Everest while forty other climbers walked past him on their way to the summit. A week later, Lincoln Hall, a seasoned Australian climber, was left for dead near the same spot. Hall’s death was reported around the world, but the next day he was found alive after spending the night on the upper mountain with no food and no shelter.

If David Sharp’s death was shocking, it was hardly singular: ten others died attempting to reach the summit that year. In this meticulous inquiry into what went wrong, Nick Heil tells the full story of the deadliest year on Everest since the infamous season of 1996. As more climbers attempt the summit each year, Heil shows how increasingly risky expeditions and unscrupulous outfitters threaten to turn Everest into a deadly circus.

Written by an experienced climber, Dark Summit is both a riveting account of a notorious climbing season and a troubling investigation into whether the pursuit of the ultimate mountaineering prize has spiraled out of control.

Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home

Nando Parrado, Vince Rause

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Three Rivers Press Amazon Marketplace: 96 new & used starting at $2.59

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 102 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the first hours there was nothing, no fear or sadness, just a black and perfect silence.

Nando Parrado was unconscious for three days before he woke to discover that the plane carrying his rugby team, as well as their family members and supporters, to an exhibition game in Chile had crashed somewhere deep in the Andes. He soon learned that many were dead or dying—among them his own mother and sister. Those who remained were stranded on a lifeless glacier at nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, with no supplies and no means of summoning help. They struggled to endure freezing temperatures, deadly avalanches, and then the devastating news that the search for them had been called off.

As time passed and Nando’s thoughts turned increasingly to his father, who he knew must be consumed with grief, Nando resolved that he must get home or die trying. He would challenge the Andes, even though he was certain the effort would kill him, telling himself that even if he failed he would die that much closer to his father. It was a desperate decision, but it was also his only chance. So Nando, an ordinary young man with no disposition for leadership or heroism, led an expedition up the treacherous slopes of a snow-capped mountain and across forty-five miles of frozen wilderness in an attempt to find help.

Thirty years after the disaster Nando tells his story with remarkable candor and depth of feeling. Miracle in the Andes—a first person account of the crash and its aftermath—is more than a riveting tale of true-life adventure: it is a revealing look at life at the edge of death and a meditation on the limitless redemptive power of love.


From the Hardcover edition.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Aron Ralston

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 111 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

One of the most extraordinary survival stories ever told -- Aron Ralston's searing account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home.

It started out as a simple hike in the Utah canyonlands on a warm Saturday afternoon. For Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven-year-old mountaineer and outdoorsman, a walk into the remote Blue John Canyon was a chance to get a break from a winter of solo climbing Colorado's highest and toughest peaks. He'd earned this weekend vacation, and though he met two charming women along the way, by early afternoon he finally found himself in his element: alone, with just the beauty of the natural world all around him.

It was 2:41 P.M. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, Aron was climbing down off a wedged boulder when the rock suddenly, and terrifyingly, came loose. Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall.

And so began six days of hell for Aron Ralston. With scant water and little food, no jacket for the painfully cold nights, and the terrible knowledge that he'd told no one where he was headed, he found himself facing a lingering death -- trapped by an 800-pound boulder 100 feet down in the bottom of a canyon. As he eliminated his escape options one by one through the days, Aron faced the full horror of his predicament: By the time any possible search and rescue effort would begin, he'd most probably have died of dehydration, if a flash flood didn't drown him before that.

What does one do in the face of almost certain death? Using the video camera from his pack, Aron began recording his grateful good-byes to his family and friends all over the country, thinking back over a life filled with adventure, and documenting a last will and testament with the hope that someone would find it. (For their part, his family and friends had instigated a major search for Aron, the amazing details of which are also documented here for the first time.) The knowledge of their love kept Aron Ralston alive, until a divine inspiration on Thursday morning solved the riddle of the boulder. Aron then committed the most extreme act imaginable to save himself.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place -- a brilliantly written, funny, honest, inspiring, and downright astonishing report from the line where death meets life -- will surely take its place in the annals of classic adventure stories.

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain

Bruce Tremper

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The best of my avalanche books 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 18 people found this review helpful.

I own 6 of the most popular books on avalanche safety; this is by far the best. The core information needed to assess avalanche risk is given in some detail but the explanations are presented in "everyday" terms and are quite easy to understand. None-the-less,Tremper never talks down to his readers and the full level of complexity inherent in the subject matter is maintained. This is simply a very well written book by an author who appearantly is able to write well naturally. He would probably do very well writing about any subject.

Editorial Review:

Winter recreation in the backcountry has increased steadily over the years and so has the number of deaths and injuries caused by avalanches. As search and rescue teams are increasingly strapped for funding, self-education has become a larger necessity for snow-sport enthusiasts. The new edition of Bruce Tremper's seminal book is organized according to the structure of American Avalanche Association classes and all chapters have been updated and reviewed by peer experts.

Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert)

Craig Luebben

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Craig Luebben Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $12.00

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Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

New in the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert series: instruction for the beginning to intermediate rock climber by an internationally known guide.

*Author is an American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) certified rock guide and instructor
*Learning exercises reinforce key skills
*Step-by-step technique illustrated in over 150 photos

Craig Luebben has taught rock climbing basics to hundreds of clients and has conducted self-rescue clinics across the U.S. Here he presents the most common foot positions, hand grips, and body positions and how to use them precisely, from the smear to the crimp to the twistlock. Going beyond static moves, he emphasizes a dynamic style of movement for the greatest climbing efficiency--a style that makes the most of your strength and your time on the rock.

With an emphasis on safety and how to stay within your abilities, Luebben teaches how to evaluate potential hazards and then avoid them. Topics addressed include: risk management, face climbing, crack climbing, gear, knots, anchors, belaying, toproping, sport climbing, trad climbing, multi-pitch free climbs, rappelling, aid climbing, bouldering, training, and self-rescue.

The Kid Who Climbed Everest: The Incredible Story of a 23-Year-Old's Summit of Mt. Everest

Bear Grylls

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Outstanding Tale by an Outstanding Human Being. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have just finished TKWCE and I am totally blown away. I have been a fan of Bear Grylls ever since I saw my first episode of Man vs. Wild and this book has elevated him greatly in my eyes. He is a man to be admired.

Bear's storytelling style made the entire book sound as though it was his interior monologue from Man vs. Wild which made for a quick and entertaining read. As a military man myself as well as an amateur mountaineer, I had no trouble identifying with Bear and his team as he described the pain, fear, exhaustion, and sense of adventure intrinsic to an assault on Mt. Everest. I enjoyed the humor, humility, and introspection throughout the book.

Obviously since Bear wrote this at age 23, it is not Into Thin Air as many previous reviewers have mentioned. However, I enjoyed it a great deal more than ITA as Krakauer had a MUCH different climb and was surrounded by a great deal more controversy than Bear Grylls. Additionally, I think that the editor should be roundly thrashed for merely spellchecking and submitting the manuscript to the publisher!

For somebody new to mountaineering or in the lower age bracket, this is a great book to start you off into Mountain Literature. It is not the flowing epic of Into Thin Air by Krakauer, nor is it the intensity driven, nihilistic assault of Kiss or Kill by Twight. This book is very simply about "A Kid" with a young man's perspective and worldview talking about scaling Everest. Bear makes no secret of the fact that he is a church going man, true, so if that turns you off, this might not be the book for you. However, all would do well to remember that there are no atheists on battlefields,...or in deserts,...or across oceans,...and certainly not on mountaintops!

Editorial Review:

 

 

Author featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show

 

 

See the author's interview with Oprah:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200701/tows_past_20070131.jhtml

 

THE KID WHO CLIMBED EVEREST is a tale of courage and determination. Bear's quest for funding for his expedition, his seventy days on Everest's southeast face, and a narrow brush with death after a fall into a crevasse at nineteen thousand feet, make the story an essential read for anyone who's ever had a dream and made it come true.

Dead Lucky: Life After Death on Mount Everest

Lincoln Hall

Amazon Price: $10.85 List Price: $15.95 Not yet published By: Tarcher

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The amazing story of Australian mountain climber Lincoln Hall’s rescue following a night spent near the summit of Mount Everest, where he had been left for dead by the other members of his expedition.

Lincoln Hall likes to say that on the evening of May 25, 2006, he died on Everest. Indeed, he attempted to climb the mountain during a deadly season in which eleven people perished. And Hall, in fact, was pronounced dead, after collapsing from altitude sickness. Two Sherpas spent hours trying to revive him, but, as darkness fell, word came via radio from the exhibition’s leader that the Sherpas should descend the mountain in order to save themselves.

The news of Lincoln Hall’s death traveled rapidly from mountaineering websites to news media around the world, and ultimately to his family back in Australia. Early the next morning, however, an American guide, climbing with two clients and a Sherpa, was startled to find Hall, sitting cross-legged on the summit ridge, just staring at them.

As featured in the Emmy-nominated Dateline NBC documentary “Miracle on Mount Everest,” Dead Lucky is Lincoln Hall’s account of this miraculous night atop Everest and the days and nights that led up to and followed this fascinating expedition. Hall had been part of Australia’s first attempt to climb to the top of the mountain in 1984, but, he had not done any serious climbing for many years, having set aside his passion in order to support his family. Hall was forced to turn back due to illness in 1984 so his triumph in reaching the summit at the age of fifty is a story unto itself. Not since Into Thin Air has there been such a thrilling Everest story. Dead Lucky is a page-turner from beginning to end.

Forget Me Not: A Memoir

Jennifer Lowe-anker

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This is a personal account of one of the greatest losses in the climbing world. It is an elegant and gripping story of tragedy, as well as unexpected joy. It is an entree into the emotional world of climbers and their families. The benefits are given to the Nepal-based Khumbu Climbing School.In 1999 Jennifer Lowe's husband Alex Lowe died tragically in an avalanche on the Himalayan mountain Shishapangma, leaving her alone to raise three sons. Alex was widely considered one of the greatest modern climbers and the world mourned his loss - Tom Brokaw did a one-hour special for Dateline, and Sting narrated and composed music for a tribute film.While Jenni and her sons faced the absence of the most important man in their lives, Alex's best friend and longtime climbing partner, Conrad Anker, was dealing with the terrible loss, as well as feelings of survivor's guilt. Jenni and Conrad gradually, and unexpectedly, found solace in one another and married in 2001 - Conrad is now the adoptive father of the three Lowe children.Through letters and expedition notes from Alex, "Forget Me Not" spans continents and tells the story of three people whose lives intertwine to a degree they could never have imagined. Jenni's account takes readers inside a woman's heart and mind as she navigates her shattered life and survives, ultimately finding transformative love through her great loss. From the valleys of Montana to the peaks of the Himalayas, this never-before told story exposes the controversial yet ultimately redemptive power of love.The foreword is by Jon Krakauer.

How to Shit in the Woods: An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art

Kathleen Meyer

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Yawn - don't bother 1 out of 5 stars.
7 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This is a serious subject, and I hoped the book would contain some good info and be a useful and light-hearted read for the inexperienced campers I often escort into the country. Sadly, the useful info in this book would barely fill a magazine article - which is where it should have been. The bulk of it is a painfully inept attempt at humour, over-complicated and pompous storytelling and self-apology. There is simply too much tedious waffle diluting the interesting stuff to make the book useful to anyone as a quick reference, and it simply isn't funny enough to warrant it's size (which, given its smallness, is saying something). At best it is mildly amusing in parts - and at worst it is a painfully protracted waste of paper. Perhaps it is intended to be used for wiping yourself after practising some of the poorly described techniques within?

Editorial Review:

An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art

Our once-pristine wildlands are threatened by ever increasing problems of pollution. Since its first publication in 1989, How to Shit in the Woods has been adopted by outdoor enthusiasts everywhere as part of the solution. In this updated edition, outdoorswoman Kathleen Meyer reviews the newly available portable potties, with special attention to individual trekkers in an all-new chapter, "Plight of the Solo Poop Packer." Other topics include: the growing array of travelers' field water-disinfecting systems, Giardia contamination and the now infamous critter Cryptosporidium, crotch-accessible clothing for women, and a fresh batch of "worst experience" stories, all peppered with irreverent musings. For the purist, there are more wise t.p.-less techniques from the Old World. Written with an effervescent sense of humor, this is a book for anyone who wants to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.

High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed

Michael Kodas

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the years following the publication of Into Thin Air, much has changed on Mount Everest. Among all the books documenting the glorious adventures in mountains around the world, and the unique perils and challenges of Mount Everest, none details how the recent infusion of wealth into the mountains is reacting with the age-old lust for glory to draw crime to the highest places on the planet, how a mountain's ability to reduce climbers to their essential selves is revealing villains as well as heroes, greed as well as selflessness. The change is caused both by a tremendous boom in traffic to the world's mountains and a new class of parasitic and predatory adventurer. Some of the stories included in the book are the tragic story of Nils Antezana, a climber who died on Everest after he was abandoned by his guide, and the author's own summit story, as he participated in the Connecticut Everest Expedition, which would never have followed George Dijjmarescu and Lhakpa Sherpa to the Himalaya had news of the couple's climb with the Romanian team the previous year made it to the United States. But as they neared the frigid peril of Everest, the charming couple turned increasingly hostile. Women on the team held little power and were instead threatened, stalked, and harassed before a final assault. Those that tried to stand against the violence, theft and intimidation found the worst of the peril they encountered on Everest had followed them home to Connecticut. Beatings, thefts, drugs, prostitution, coercion, threats, and abandonment on the highest slopes of Everest and other mountains have become the rule rather than the exception, and Kodas describes many of these experiences and explores the larger issues these stories raise with thriller-like intensity.