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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Active outdoor pursuits > Climbing & mountaineering
This selection of the very best writing on Everest begins with the first attempts and continues, via Mallory's failed bid and Hillary and Tenzing's triumph, to the disasters of recent years. It features 35 white-knuckle accounts of climbing on the world's highest mountain, with all the tragedy and triumph of humankind's striving for the top of the world, by those who know the 'Death Zone' best - the climbers themselves. But this is much more than just the best of exhilarating first-hand accounts of climbing on Everest. It includes the full history of the conquest of Everest, and provides an evocative portrait of the cruel, natural beauty of Chomolungma, 'The Mother Goddess of the World'.
A climbing guide for the small cliffs of Athens and the the outlying areas such as Likavitos, Tourkovounia, Filopapou, Imitos, Parnitha, Pendeli, Kakia Thalasa and others. Location maps, sketched topos of the crags with grading. English and Greek text.
Jules Lines, Britain's most accomplished free solo climber, gives a rare and candid glimpse into the mind of one of climbing's most audacious and determined legends. Tears of the Dawn is a journey unlike any other. With artistic eloquence and an unexpected humbleness, Lines recreates the triumphs, tribulations, friendships, romances and perhaps most poignantly of all, his close encounters with death, leaving the reader breathless, on edge, and, as the sunlight breaks, dreaming of mountain tops, oil rigs and a sense of adventure. This heartfelt and at times humourous, adrenaline-infused account is more than a story of adventure, it is a tale of obsession, addiction, passion, courage and the ability to push boundaries. Beautifully designed and illustrated, for dreamers and realists alike, Tears of the Dawn is an awe-inspiring and toe-tingling tale to be enjoyed by all. This second edition of the sellout original includes refreshed photography.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 'The best Everest book I've read since Into Thin Air. Synnott's climbing skills take you places few will ever dare to tread, but it's his writing that will keep you turning pages well past bedtime.' - Mark Adams Veteran climber Mark Synnott never planned on climbing Mount Everest. But a hundred-year mystery lured him into an expedition where a history of passionate adventure, chilling tragedy, and human aspiration unfolded. George Mallory and Sandy Irvine were last seen in 1924, eight hundred feet shy of Everest's summit. A century later, we still don't know whether they achieved their goal of being first to reach the top, decades before Hillary and Norgay in 1953. Irvine carried a camera with him to record their attempt, but it, along with his body, had never been found. Did Mallory and Irvine reach the summit and take a photograph before they fell to their deaths? Mark Synnott made his own ascent up the infamous North Face to try and find Irvine's body and the camera. But during a season described as 'the one that broke Everest', an awful traffic jam of climbers at the summit resulted in tragic deaths. Synnott's quest became something bigger than the original mystery that drew him there - an attempt to understand the madness of the mountain and why it continues to have a magnetic draw on explorers. Exploring how science, business and politics have changed who climbs Everest, The Third Pole is a thrilling portrait of the mountain spanning a century.
Utah is a magnificent landscape of startling diversity and beauty, manifested for climbers in more cliff miles of exposed rock than any other state. Fragile sandstone towers pierce the sky amid endless miles of vertical cliffs sometimes more than a half mile high; wondrous canyon walls of cobblestone and limestone overhang at dizzying angles; and granite domes and slabs recline on sunny mountain slopes. Rock Climbing Utah is the only guide available that covers all the major climbing areas in the state. Traditional and sport climbers from the beginner to expert will find a superb sampling of hundreds of routes in the 25 areas covered--including 300 new routes that were not in the first edition. This fully revised and expanded guidebook offers first-hand information for climbers, including area overviews and climbing histories, route betas and topos, color maps and photos, equipment recommendations, approach and descent information, and listings for shops, gyms, and guide services. Stunning action photos round out the package to make Rock Climbing Utah an essential source for visitng and local climbers alike.
The world's highest mountain awaits--and the world's worst mountaineers (this side of Monty Python) are on their way to climb to its peak. Named by The Guardian as one of the "1000 Novels Everyone Must Read," (and by Bill Bryson as "one of the funniest books you will ever read."), this classic laugh-out-loud novel was first published in 1956 and never out-of-print somewhere in the world since then. Our adventure begins as Sir Hugeley Havering, chairman of the Rum Doodle Committee, puts the challenge squarely, "to climb Mont Blanc by the Grepon route is one thing; to climb Rum Doodle is, as Totter once said, quite another." Armed with that wise warning, yet with typical British aplomb, Binder assembles a team and heads for Yogistan. Their goal: the ascent of Rum Doodle: elevation 40,000 and 1/2 feet. The intrepid cast of characters include Dr. Prone, the expedition's doctor, constantly incapacitated by sudden illnesses; Mr. Jungle, charged with navigation, forever losing his way and cabling for money from obscure locations; and Mr. Constant, who alone speaks the native language of their guides and porters, through linguistic error provokes not just one but several riots. Led by Mr. Binder, whose narration would have you believe his crew and mission represent historic bravery and grit, these daring incompetents cut their path to the summit of Rum Doodle (sort of). A treat for any reader who loves to laugh.
Nature sports in general and hiking in particular have become, in our urban and post-industrial societies, a growing phenomenon practiced by millions of citizens. The motivations and interests of this large group are varied, but they have a common element: to disconnect from stressful modern life and reconnect with nature. National parks and other protected areas are the preferred destinations, but they present an challenging contrast for land management: conservation versus tourist use. While once considered a romantic practice of escape and discovery, hiking is now a consumer product and a tourist experience. It promises experiences of disconnection, quiet and health; yet, natural spaces are increasingly scarce and more often than not they are crowded by other recreationalists. This book presents a multidisciplinary perspective on the latest trends and developments in hiking. In particular, the authors work from a European perspective with various outdoor recreation models represented and different conservation initiatives explored in the contexts of Spain, Norway, Poland, Germany and Lebanon. Collectively, the authors attend to hiking as a social phenomenon and economic opportunity, which has the potential to sustainably revitalize rural destinations, if managed properly.
Smith Rock State Park. It was on the impressive crags of this Oregon hideaway that American sport climbing came into its own, and to this day, some of the hardest climbs in the United States are found on these walls. Alan Watts, who has played a leading role in the development of this popular rock-climbing destination, details more than 2,200 routes at Smith Rock and the surrounding area. This new edition updates hundreds of routes and has new photos of the many crags, walls, and routes. No other guide is as comprehensive or thorough, and no author more respected for his intimate knowledge of one of the world’s most popular climbing destinations.
These essays mirror thirty years of a mountaineering life, and show equally the author's enjoyment in the quiet places and his taste for raw adventure. The satisfaction of solitary fell-running and solo climbing on Welsh hills contrasts with the excitements of Alpine north faces and Himalayan exploration.
'Our day's route led us through snow and ice scenery of deathless beauty. This lives strong in mind, while physical pains and trials, the so-called realities of defeat and victory, have long been forgotten.' Mountaineering in Scotland is one of the greatest classics in climbing literature. It records the saga of the early days of Scottish winter and summer pioneering, providing a timeless antidote to modern-day tales of sterile athleticism. W.H. Murray's vivid descriptions have an immediacy that transports the reader to some of the most iconic routes in Britain. In this book are the dramatic moments of the mountains, from walking and scrambling among the rough edges of the high mountain to sighting the mirror-sharp clarity of the burn pools in the valleys. Through his tales of remarkable and addictive climbing adventures, Murray recounts the very essence of what exploratory climbing and deep mountaineering camaraderie is all about.
If there's an adventure to be had, it's likely that David Hempleman-Adams has been there first. Ranking alongside Ranulph Fiennes and Chris Bonnington in the pantheon of British explorers, he is the first person in history to achieve what is termed the Adventurers' Grand Slam, by reaching the Geographic and Magnetic North and South Poles as well as climbing the highest peaks on all seven continents. The question Hempleman-Adams is most often asked is, simply: what drives him on? Why risk frostbite pulling a sledge to the North Pole? Why experience the Death Zone on Everest? Why fly in the tiny basket of a precarious balloon across the Atlantic? Is it simply the case that he likes to push himself to the limits, or is there something more to it? No Such Thing as Failure answers these questions and more, uncovering what drives arguably the world's greatest adventurer.
"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both." -- LP Jacks For nearly 80 years, Yvon Chouinard has followed this advice, pursuing, with equal fervor, sports adventures, business excellence, and environmental activism. Since 1950, he has captured the lessons and revelations he's learned in articles and books, personal letters and poetry, introductions and eulogies. In this fascinating inside look, Chouinard himself has selected his favorites from years of reflection, all accompanied by illustrative photos, many never published before. The results is both more of Chouinard's iconoclastic and provocative thinking, his skilled storytelling and sense of humor, and a picture of the evolution of his thoughts and philosophies. With articles on sports, from falconry to fishing and climbing to surfing, with musings on the purpose of business and the importance of environmental activism, this very personal book is like sitting on the couch with this amazing man, flipping through his photo album as he tells the stories of his life. Some Stories is an eclectic portrait of a unique life lived well. Yet the final pages of the book indicate that Chouinard will continue to challenge people, business, and the world. He presents the company's new simple but direct mission statement, revised for the first time in 27 years: "We are in business to save our home planet." With it he emphasizes the urgency of the climate crisis then entreats every person's obligation to reflect on, commit to, and act on this mission.
"Still the best book on improving at climbing ... worth every penny and more." -- Dave MacLeod, online climbing coach blog
A dynamic package of training material from a pair of expert coaches, "The Self-Coached Climber" offers comprehensive instruction, from the basics of gripping holds to specific guidelines for developing a customized improvement plan. Hague and Hunter base their methods on the four fundamental components of all human movement--balance, force, time, and space--and explain how to apply these principles to achieve efficient results. The DVD presents live demonstrations of training exercises and features an original documentary of a 5.14a/b redpoint attempt by Adam Stack and Chris Lindner. "Self-Coached Climber" was named a finalist in the Mountain Exposition Category at the 2007 Banff Mountain Festival. For more information go to: http: //www.banffmountainfestivals.ca/festivals/2007/book/finalists.asp
BRITAIN'S GREATEST CLIMBER. 'He is the David Attenborough of mountaineering . . . Bonington's most personal memoir yet.' The Times. 'This is a compelling tale of fortitude and endurance.' - The Sunday Times 'He is the icon of British climbing.' The Daily Mirror Sir Chris Bonington memoir Ascent will chart not only his many triumphs in the climbing world - such as the Eiger, and the Himalaya - but also the struggles he has faced in his life bringing up a family, and maintaining a successful and loving marriage over the decades of travelling the world to conquer mountains. He has undertaken nineteen Himalayan expeditions, including four to Mount Everest which he climbed in 1985 at the age of fifty, and has made many first ascents in the Alps and greater ranges of the world. Along the way we will be fascinated by his many daring climbs, near-death adventures, and the many luminaries of the mountain fraternity he has climbed with, and in some cases - witness their deaths on the rock. The mercurial Dougal Haston; the legendary-tough Don Whillans, the philosopher of the rock Stephen Venables, and the enigmatic Doug Scott, plus many more - this will be an expert's opinion on the past sixty years of British/ world mountaineering. In Ascent Chris also discusses his first wife (Wendy) who tragically passed away after a long battle with motor neuron disease - his many years of caring for her, and then in his twilight years deciding to return to an iconic climb from his past - The Old Man of Hoy - to summit at the age of 80 years of age. He has now also found love again amidst the sadness and grief. It is a truly inspirational tale. Ascent will be a memoir like no other. Not only a cerebral narrative on what it takes to conquer fear, and learn/ develop the technical skills necessary to climb the world's greatest peaks; what it is like to survive in places no human being can ultimately reside in for longer than a few months at very high altitude, but also how one overcomes emotional obstacles, too, and rediscover what drives us on to happiness.
Foreword by Levison Wood, presenter of Walking the Americas. A comprehensive, fascinating and inspiring gallery of the great adventures that changed our world. Throughout history there have been brave men and women who dared to go where few had gone before. They broke new ground by drawing on incredible reserves of courage, fortitude and intelligence in the face of terrible adversity. Their endeavours changed the world and inspired generations. Spanning several centuries and united by the common theme of the resilience of the human spirit, this is the ultimate collection of the stories of the intrepid explorers who forged new frontiers across land, sea, skies and space. 50 incredible journeys including; * Tenzing and Hillary's conquest of Everest * Neil Armstrong's giant leap * Christopher Columbus' new world * Amelia Earhart flying the Atlantic * gold fever in the Yukon * the hunt for a man-eating leopard in India Great Expeditions includes not only some of the most famous journeys in history but also introduces many more that ought to be more widely recognised and celebrated.
Advanced Outdoor Navigation takes you well beyond the basic skills of map and compass to a level of complete understanding of navigation in the outdoors. Once you master these skills, you'll never get lost again - regardless of terrain or time of day, whether you're traveling over rock or ice, through desert or jungle, on a river or at sea. In these pages global survival expert Greg Davenport shares his vast expertise in outdoor navigation, travel, and wilderness survival. Inside you'll find in-depth information on all three topics, accompanied by numerous illustrations that make both basic and advanced concepts accessible and easy to understand. Exercises at the end of every chapter will help you practice and perfect your navigation skills.Amazing in its depth and scope, Advanced Outdoor Navigation offers readers the most comprehensive study of navigational skills ever published.
From somewhere out in the vast whiteness of the blizzard we hear a cry for help. Instinctively the three of us turn and head across the mountainside. We find two men and a woman, huddled together in the snow, unable to descend the steep icy slope between them and safety. The woman asks if we are experienced in conditions like this. My friends and I have tackled a few winter hills in the Lake District and bumbled up easy rock climbs, but we have never been in a full Scottish winter snowstorm. I laugh and assure her that this is nothing to mountaineers like us. Soon our hills will be empty and one day the last hillwalker will disappear over the horizon. In the 21st century we are losing our connection with the wild, a connection that may never be regained. The Last Hillwalker by bestselling author John D. Burns is a personal story of falling in and out of love with the hills. More than that, it is about rediscovering a deeply felt need in all of us to connect with wild places.
In September 1938 A. Wainwright made a solitary walk through the Pennines. The following year he wrote up an account of this walk, which was eventually published as A Pennine Journey in 1986. This pictorial guide, written by members of the Wainwright Society, is a re-creation of his walk adapted for today's roads and rights-of-way, taking a route that Wainwright might have chosen if he was planning it today.
On Thin Ice is Mick Fowler's second set of climbing memoirs, following Vertical Pleasure. Here, the celebrated mountaineer records his expeditions since 1990 where, despite work and family commitments, he maintained a regular series of 'big trips' to challenging objectives around the world with a sequence of major successes. The combination of exotic travel with major climbs provides the ultimate adrenalin-soaked holiday experience that Mick Fowler has mastered to the full. We are transported from the cliffs of Jordan to remote peaks in deepest Asia via Taweche and Changabang in the Himalaya, with jaunts to the Andes and Alaska thrown in for good measure. That Fowler has organised this routine for years, while holding down a conventional nine-to-five job with the Inland Revenue, has constantly amazed his peers. In this, his second book, he has also mastered the skills of amusing travel-writing to entertain us as a preliminary to the finale of a titanic struggle on each of his fiendishly demanding climbs. His ascent of Siguniang in 2002, with Paul Ramsden featured hard ice climbing on a fabulous face in deepest China and was so admired by the international climbing community that it won the US Golden Piton and the French Piolets d'Or, both awards given for the finest alpine achievements in the world during that year. Fowler describes his travels in the great traditions, with engaging modesty and wit, but the climbs themselves are frequently so dramatic that the anxiety and tension forces its way to the surface to be matched by a corresponding relief and triumph when success and safe descent is achieved.
New England is one of the country's most spectacular rock climbing arenas. The 66,608-square-mile region is studded with intimate crags, sweeping walls, compact sea cliffs, towering ledges, and spectacular overhangs. This full-color, revised edition of Rock Climbing New England describes fifteen of the region's best climbing areas in detail. Your choices of rocks and routes include two of the country's premier traditional crags, Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges in New Hampshire; New England's biggest rock face, Cannon Cliff in New Hampshire; and stunning sea cliff routes at Maine's Acadia National Park and at Rhode Island's Fort Wetherill State Park. Other superb selections include urban cragging at Crow Hill near Boston, the traprock cliffs of Ragged Mountain in Connecticut, and the granite slabs of Wheeler Mountain in Vermont. Inside you will also discover: climbing history of each site, pitch-by-pitch written descriptions, detailed topos and clear overview photos, and insider tips to remote climbing areas waiting to be explored. Rock Climbing New England, 2nd edition is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking adventure in this remarkable region.
If you had something really important to shout about, you could do worse than to climb to the point furthest from the centre of the Earth - some 2,150 metres higher than the summit of Everest - to do it. Their goal was to raise money and awareness to help fund new schools in Tibet. Their mission was to shout out peace messages they had collected from children around the world in the lead up to the Millennium. They wanted to promote Earth Peace by highlighting Tibet and the Dalai Lama's ideals. The team comprised Tess Burrows, a mother of three in her 50s; Migmar, a young Tibetan prepared to do anything for his country but who had never been on a mountain before; and two accomplished mountaineers in their 60s. For Tess, it became a struggle of body and mind, as she was symbolically compelled towards the highest point within herself.
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