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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Active outdoor pursuits > Climbing & mountaineering
A Passion for Mountains presents a compilation of stories written
by members of the British Mountain Guides. Documenting both
personal climbing and mountaineering adventures as well as those
shared with clients, the stories in this book represent the
diversity of the mountain activities these professionals thrive on:
from first ascents on British winter cliffs to thought-provoking
ascents of north faces in the European Alps, and from the big walls
of Yosemite and Patagonia to endurance when facing the challenges
of the high Himalaya. This fascinating account of mountaineering
gives an insight into the climbing adventures that contribute to
every Guide's experience, and explores the difficulties that even
some of the world's most experienced mountaineers encounter when
making decisions in the mountains. It gives us a unique perspective
into what motivates and drives climbers; where they find fulfilment
and reward and at the same time how they deal with failure.
Set to a backdrop of several rock climbing and mountaineering
venues, this book commences in the Todhra Gorge of Morocco, and
includes slate climbing in North Wales, winter on Ben Nevis,
climbing walls and competitions, Fontainebleau, the Alps and
Himalaya, and vignettes of the gay scene in London and Paris.
Chamonix is the most famous climbing area in Europe. Nowhere else
has as much quality rock, spectacular peaks and varied
mountaineering history. For most climbers a trip to Chamonix is an
integral part of their climbing and mountaineering career. This new
edition of the incredibly successful 2016 Rockfax book covers
everything you need - perfect granite rock routes, magnificent long
ridges, intimidating north faces and some valley sport climbing for
the 'rest days'. All the information has been checked and improved
with many new crags and action photos. The crucial text information
has been updated and amended to fit with the current glacier
conditions maps and with excellent detailed descriptions
Four Years In the Rockies tells the story of Isaac P. Rose, who
went from greenhorn to legendary trapper at the height of the
fur-trade in the 1830s. His narrative features a who's who of early
American West figures like Jim Bridger, Kit Carson and Nathaniel
Wyeth, and features many memorable sequences such as the trader's
rendezvous, fights with Native Americans and countless details not
in mainstream history books - for example, how Kit Carson found his
wife.
On May 6, 2014 Ryan Waters accomplished something that has not been
replicated since. He and fellow explorer Eric Larsen stood atop the
geographic North Pole, after 53 grueling days battling their way
over an ever-melting sheet of ice that fought against them the
entire way. By reaching the pole the two adventurers became the
last persons to date to complete an unsupported trip to the North
Pole from land. The ice sheet that used to link the Pole to land in
Canada, once so thick and sturdy, has so degraded over the last few
decades that explorers have had to abandon any attempts to cross
it. While reaching the North Pole was monumental for Waters it also
was the final piece needed to complete a project that he had been
persistently working on for over a decade, the True Adventurers
Grand Slam-standing atop the Seven Summits and skiing full length,
unsupported and unassisted, expeditions to both the North and South
Poles. His accomplishment that day made him just the 9th person and
first American to gain entry into this exclusive club. Never one to
embrace the easy path, Waters seemed to thrive in battling through
whatever the fates threw at him, sometimes even deliberately
seeking out struggles. Despite having little experience
cross-country skiing, he decided to go to the South Pole. Eschewing
the more typical route, he and partner Cecilie Skog completed the
first traverse of Antarctica without the use of resupplies or
kites. Skiing from Berkner Island in the Weddell Sea, via the South
Pole, to the Ross Ice Shelf, the pair skied for 70 days and covered
1200 miles, 9 years prior to the much publicized 2019 "race" across
Antarctica. To this day the two hold the record for the longest
unsupported crossing of the continent without the use of kites. How
Waters ended up standing atop the North Pole on that fateful day is
a story of hope, perseverance, faith, and a fair share of dumb
luck. From his youth traipsing around the Georgia hills to his time
leading expeditions around the Himalayas, including five summits of
Everest, Waters has always seemed to stumble into the next
fortuitous step of his journey, often ending up in the most
unlikely places. This is tempered by the fact that early in Waters'
outdoor career, he learned to live by a simple credo: "you have to
make things happen for yourself." At the beginning of his climbing
career, he was consumed by passion for the mountains, every
decision was leading to the next mountaineering challenge.
Eventually giving up a stable career as a geologist, he had a
self-described "mid 20's crisis," left his 401K and comfortable
salary for living out of his truck and 40 dollars a day as a
part-time climbing instructor. Following his dream of a life of
adventure in exchange for a life of obeying societal norms, he set
out to build a mountain resume that would enable him to circle the
Earth and work as a mountain guide in the Himalayas and beyond.
After almost two decades of hard expeditions around the planet, his
experiences include being on a hijacked airplane in Russia, rescue
of injured climbers in the Karakoram Himalaya of Pakistan, the
Everest Base Camp earthquake disaster, narrowly missing out on the
K2 2008 tragedy, near misses with avalanches, the deaths of close
climbing partners, close encounters with Polar Bears on the Arctic
Ocean, relationships with fellow adventurers, and much more.
Peak Limestone covers the best of the sport and trad routes in a
single volume, updating the previous edition from 2012 with the
latest developments. The book is beautifully illustrated with some
stunning action photographs from top photographers like Mike Hutton
and Nick Brown. The crag photography has been re-taken using the
latest technology creating the best ever photo-topos. The book
features new even clearer maps and enhanced descriptions. It is
likely to be the main source of information for the area for many
years to come.
Borrowdale is probably the most beautiful valley in the Lake
District and offers the rock climber a huge variety of climbing
styles often in stunning panoramic settings. The valley is
well-known for accessible roadside climbing on crags such as
Reecastle, the ever popular Shepherd's Crag, Quayfoot Buttress and
the Bowderstone area, with most crags enjoying sun in the
afternoon. There are also a number of classic mountain venues like
Gillercomb and Raven Crag, Combe Gill where solitude and far
reaching vistas over the Lakeland fells can be savoured.This 2016
Borrowdale guide from the FRCC is fully revised. The valley is
divided into six logical areas presented with specially
commissioned showcase action images and clear OS based mapping. The
popular A5 format provides greater clarity and there is full
photodiagram coverage. The less well-trodden places such as the
Seathwaite buttresses, Combe Gill and Langstrath are given clear
photoplan coverage which clarifies these complex areas of small
immaculate outcrops. Exciting action images and the usual
supplementary essential information such as parking and camping are
included together with a comprehensive crag selector.The Fell &
Rock Climbing Club is the premier rock climbing and mountaineering
club in the English Lake District. The Club was founded in 1906-07
and has been publishing a definitive series of climbing guidebooks
to the Lakes since 1922.
In Wild Winter, John D. Burns, bestselling author of The Last
Hillwalker and Bothy Tales, sets out to rediscover Scotland's
mountains, remote places and wildlife in the darkest and stormiest
months. He traverses the country from the mouth of the River Ness
to the Isle of Mull, from remote Sutherland to the Cairngorms, in
search of rutting red deer, pupping seals, minke whales, beavers,
pine martens, mountain hares and otters. In the midst of the fierce
weather, John's travels reveal a habitat in crisis, and many of
these wild creatures prove elusive as they cling on to life in the
challenging Highland landscape. As John heads deeper into the
winter, he notices the land fighting back with signs of
regeneration. He finds lost bothies, old friendships and innovative
rewilding projects, and - as Covid locks down the nation - reflects
on what the outdoors means to hillwalkers, naturalists and the folk
who make their home in the Highlands. Wild Winter is a reminder of
the wonder of nature and the importance of caring for our
environment. In his winter journey through the mountains and
bothies of the Highlands, John finds adventure, humour and a deep
sense of connection with this wild land.
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