Is it not better to take risks than die within from rot? Is it not better to change one's life completely than to wait for the brain to set firmly and irreversibly in a way of life and one environment? I think it is ... taking risks, not for the sake of danger alone, but for the sake of growth, is more important than any security one can buy or inherit. - Charles Houston It was the failed summit attempt and a failed rescue in the Himalaya that brought Charles Houston MD fame and adulation in the mountaineering world. His leadership of the American K2 expedition of 1953 is still celebrated as the embodiment of all that is right and good in the mountains. Houston, a doctor from New England, became a leading authority in high altitude ailments and artificial heart research, advising the US government, military and academia. He made an unparalleled contribution to mountain medicine, building some of the first artificial heart prototypes in his garage and playing a key part in Kennedy's 1960s Peace Corps initiatives in India. In Brotherhood of the Rope, Boardman Tasker Prize winning author Bernadette McDonald traces the development of an American hero. This is the biography of a well-heeled New England medical man who excelled at expedition leadership and whose experience in the mountains helped his research into high altitude medical matters during his long and varied career as a doctor. Houstons's mountain adventures, the ups and downs of his varied medical career and the associated challenges of family life are related in a candid biography that touches on many aspects of twentieth-century affairs.

At the age of twenty three, Bear Grylls became the youngest Briton to reach the summit of Mount Everest. This is the story of how he overcame severe eather conditions, dehydration and a last minute illness to stand on top of the world's highest mountain only two years after breaking his back.

The White Cliff is a collection of writings about the best sea cliff in the world: Gogarth. This book has a historical narrative into which are embedded essays by various protagonists. The book is not just about the place, though. The climbers who have been drawn to touch the stone of Gogarth have often been the best of their generation and have pioneered amazing routes elsewhere. The book is also about their personal stories of life and death. It details the history of the exploration of the cliff in the context of the time period, climbing standards and the development of equipment and techniques. In the process, it touches on a myriad of related issues. The chapters are structured by area. Most of the essays and images are previously unpublished but some have appeared before in books, magazines, or journals. Grant Farquhar has been climbing for over 35 years. Currently resident (and climbing) in Bermuda, he was highly active on Gogarth in the 90s and despite living faraway has retained his affection for the place. The book includes contributions from over 100 Gogarth pioneers including Martin Boysen, Joe Brown, Pete Crew, Henry Barber, Arnis Strapcans, Dave Durkan, Geoff Birtles, John Cleare, Leo Dickinson, Ed Drummond, Richard McHardy, Doug Scott, Smiler Cuthbertson, Mick Fowler, Pat Littlejohn, Ron Fawcett, Geoff Milburn, Jim Moran, John Redhead, Dave Towse, Glenda Huxter, Johnny Dawes, Paul Pritchard, Stevie Haston, Andy Pollitt, Steve Andrews, Twid Turner, Adam Wainwright, George Smith, Glenn Robbins, Tim Emmett, Neil Dickson, Jules Lines, Nick Bullock, Alex Mason, Emma Twyford, James McHaffie and Tom Livingstone.

A rediscovered mountaineering classic and the extraordinary true story of a daring escape up Mount Kenya by three prisoners of war. When the clouds covering Mount Kenya part one morning to reveal its towering peaks for the first time, prisoner of war Felice Benuzzi is transfixed. The tedium of camp life is broken by the beginnings of a sudden idea - an outrageous, dangerous, brilliant idea. There are not many people who would break out of a P.O.W. camp, trek for days across perilous terrain before climbing the north face of Mount Kenya with improvised equipment, meagre rations, and with a picture of the mountain on a tin of beef among their more accurate guides. There are probably fewer still who would break back in to the camp on their return. But this is the remarkable story of three such men. No Picnic on Mount Kenya is a powerful testament to the human spirit of revolt and adventure in even the darkest of places. "The history of mountaineering can hardly present a parallel to this mad but thrilling escapade" - Saturday Review "A most extraordinary prisoner-of-war and escape story" - New Yorker "A mad venture and a gallant tribute to man's deep yearning for freedom" - Kirkus Reviews "The book crackles with the same dry humour as its title. It contains the prison-yard bartering and candlelight stitching that mark a classic jailbreak yarn; the encounters with wild beasts in Mount Kenya's forest belt are as gripping, and the descriptions of sparkling glaciers as awe-inspiring, as any passage in the great exploration diaries of the early 20th century" - The Economist

Few experiences rival a grand outdoor adventure. Hiking into the wilderness, camping under the stars, and exploring the backcountry offer new challenges that awaken a woman's spirit and test her soul. Woman in the Wild: The Every Woman's Guide to Hiking, Camping, and Backcountry Travel is the perfect companion for any woman looking to get into the backcountry lifestyle or level up her current active outdoor life. Adventurer and guidebook author Susan Joy Paul provides real instruction for women of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to intermediate hikers and experienced mountaineers. She shares details gleaned from two decades of training and real-world experience, bringing together everything a woman needs to know to be safe, independent, and self-reliant at camp and on the trail. Five sections and twenty-five chapters cover hiking, camping, and backcountry travel from the basics to advanced skills. Backcountry Essentials: Learn what to wear, how to pack, and where to find hiking partners for your outdoor adventures You in the Wilderness: What every woman needs to know about nutrition, first aid, and personal care to stay healthy on the trail Pushing Off: Backcountry knowledge and skills around land navigation, terrain, and weather take your travels to the next level Reaching New Heights: Beyond the basics, understand how training, setting goals, and engaging strategies for success add a new and exciting dimension to your outdoor life Next Steps: Leave the flatlanders and fair-weather hikers behind with an introduction to high altitude mountaineering, winter camping, glacier travel, and more The backcountry beckons, and women want to go. With Woman in the Wild, they can!

The history of the Swiss Alpine Club and the alpinists' first mountain huts go hand in hand - both first appearing in 1863. In 2013, 150 years later 'The Huts of the Swiss Alpine Club' has been published as a celebration of these icons of the Swiss mountain landscape. The huts now belong to the cultural heritage of the Swiss Alps and the mountains would seem incomplete without them. Today there are 152 SAC huts and they can be found high up on the Matterhorn or above the Glacier d'Otemma while others are lower down the mountains in green, grassy areas - each one has its own history. Nowadays they are used by alpinists, mountaineers, skiers and families. 'The Huts of the Swiss Alpine Club' celebrates the huts' diverse architecture and jaw dropping locations. This lavish book is a glossy, photographic record of these buildings. Background information is given for each and is accompanied by inspiring mountain photography. In addition the authors have provided an overview map, a short history, and appendices giving operational details of each hut and statistics and graphs.

Mani is a wild and sparsely inhabited region. Past the fertile zones of Githio and Itilo, the map will guide you to the bleak and arid part of the peninsula known as "Deep Mani" and as far as Cape Matapan, the southernmost point of the Peloponnese and entrance to the underworld. Many chapels are to be found dating from the mid-Byzantine period and hundreds of towers isolated or grouped in villages. Additional sights include the Frankish castle of Passavas and Diros caves

- hundreds of favorite routes, many of moderate difficulty, at Tahquitz and Suide Rocks- Trivia and route history sidebars- Stunning action photos- color topo maps with detailed directions to parking areas (GPS coordinates included)Best Climbs Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks is part of FalconGuides' Best Climbs series, appealing specifically to nonlocal climbers and locals with minimal time on their hands, all of whom seek visually appealing, to-the-point guides that filter out the very best climbs in some of America's most popular climbing destinations, with an emphasis on moderate routes ranging from 5.6 to 5.10.

* Allen Steck is a living legend, one of the best climbers with dozens of dramatic first ascents * Climbed with legend John Salathe * Long-time editor of Ascent Magazine * His nickname is The Silver Fox * Worked at The Ski Hut, specialized in sleeping bag design * In 1969, founded Mountain travel, one of the first adventure guiding outfits

Few things suggest rugged individualism as powerfully as the solitary mountaineer testing his or her mettle in the rough country. Yet the long history of wilderness sport complicates this image. In this surprising story of the premier rock-climbing venue in the United States, "Pilgrims of the Vertical" offers insight into the nature of wilderness adventure.

From the founding era of mountain climbing in Victorian Europe to present-day climbing gyms, Pilgrims of the Vertical shows how ever-changing alignments of nature, technology, gender, sport, and consumer culture have shaped climbers relations to nature and to each other. Even in Yosemite Valley, a premier site for sporting and environmental culture since the 1800s, elite athletes cannot be entirely disentangled from the many men and women seeking recreation and camaraderie.

Following these climbers through time, Joseph Taylor uncovers lessons about the relationship of individuals to groups, sport to society, and nature to culture. He also shows how social and historical contexts influenced adventurers choices and experiences, and why some became leading environmental activists including John Muir, David Brower, and Yvon Chouinard. In a world in which wild nature is increasingly associated with play, and virtuous play with environmental values, Pilgrims of the Vertical explains when and how these ideas developed, and why they became intimately linked to consumerism.

Inherited eczema and allergies made Barbara James different from her classmates, something she did not like. She was lucky. The severity of her eczema had lessened when her teacher introduced her to the Snowdonia hills. In 1964 she became a full time mountaineering instructor and mountain rescue first aider in Capel Curig at a time when there were few females instructing or leading difficult rock routes. Divorced in 1976 and with a mortgage to pay, Barbara needed a job, and became the first and possibly the only woman civilian to be employed by MOD to train soldiers. At the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion in Folkestone she learned another language, new codes of behaviour, and to lead expeditions. After early retirement, Barbara took her first holiday in 11 years. She was probably the second person to go, unaccompanied, to the magical Falkland Islands soon after the conflict. Alone she walked up Tumbledown, communed with wild life and was told that "Anyone can learn to fly". So on return, her 50th birthday present to herself was to get a Private Pilot's Licence. A year later she flew a Cessna 40 hours solo around Florida. But nothing Barbara had done was as challenging as surviving, alone, the furiously tourist evenings in Tenerife's Playa de Las Americas. Only the magical El Teide National Park and the genuine, spontaneous kindness of the Canarians ensured her return. She rented an apartment in Adeje village and the locals' initial suspicious looks soon disappeared. Itching to Climb tells the story of one woman's undaunting spirit in the face of adversities, of a life spent facing challenges head on, with a singleminded determination to achieve despite the difficulties that life had laid in her way. This is a story of encouragement and hope for anyone who suffers with eczema, or any similar debilitating condition.

Deadly Peaks is a collection of the most notable mountaineering disasters and near-disasters in history. Exhaustively researched by two of the most respected authorities on mountaineering history, the book is structured in a unique way: Longer recitations in chronological order followed by a group of briefer narratives, which all offer an intimate glimpse into the worst case-scenarios high altitude adventure can offer.

Andros is a large island (374 sq km or 147 sq miles), mountainous, with rich vegetation in several parts of the island and abundant running water, as testified by more than 150 watermills. A network of footpaths, many of them between dry-stone walls and several laid with large slate stones, criss-cross the island's hinterland. Several paths are maintained and way-marked. Chora, the main settlement of Andros, has many neoclassical houses, an interesting archaeological museum, and a particularly active museum of modern art that hosts interesting exhibitions every year.

Climbing: Protection is a pocket-size instructional climbing book with the backing of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) that focuses on climbing protection and safety. Complete with color photos throughout, the book features information on environment and terrain, best practices, gear, and more.

On June 3rd, 2017, Alex Honnold became the first person to free solo Yosemite's El Capitan-to scale the wall without rope, a partner, or any protective gear-completing what was described as "the greatest feat of pure rock climbing in the history of the sport" (National Geographic) and "one of the great athletic feats of any kind, ever" (New York Times). Already one of the most famous adventure athletes in the world, Honnold has now been hailed as "the greatest climber of all time" (Vertical magazine). Alone on the Wall recounts the most astonishing achievements of Honnold's extraordinary life and career, brimming with lessons on living fearlessly, taking risks, and maintaining focus even in the face of extreme danger. Now Honnold tells, for the first time and in his own words, the story of his 3 hours and 56 minutes on the sheer face of El Cap, which Outside called "the moon landing of free soloing...a generation-defining climb. Bad ass and beyond words...one of the pinnacle sporting moments of all time."

Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike, paddle, or bike ride? Best Outdoor Adventures the Colorado Front Range details the best hikes, paddles, climbs, and mountain biking routes within a few hour's drive of the Denver metro area, perfect for the urban dweller and suburbanite who may be hard-pressed to find great outdoor activities close to home. This guide not only include the best mountain biking, hiking, and paddling, but also rock climbing and zip-lining-- perfect for families!

It had happened again. On July 12 2012, nine climbers were killed on Mont Maudit, one of the mountains that make up the Mont Blanc range in Chamonix, France. Freelance writer Jon Miller and his wife, Ana, travel on assignment to cover the disaster and write about those who dare to ascend the highest peak in Western Europe. Grieving the recent loss of their son in a freak accident, Jon begins to notice profound changes in Ana soon after they arrive in Chamonix. As he studies the accounts of the early mountaineers, Jon discovers that they encountered supernatural forces, altered states and strange desires while attempting to ascend the peak. Will Jon succumb to those same irresistible forces or can he resist surrendering to the greatest power he has ever encountered? Mountain Lust: The Allure of Mont Blanc contains written accounts by the early climbers, discoverers and writers of the mountain: Jules Michelet, Jacques Balmat, Ed Whympher, John Auldjo, Edmund Clark, Capt. Markham Sherwill, Martin Barry, Paul Verne and have been edited, adapted or altered for the purposes of this book. "The most sensual tale about mountain climbing ever written."- Dundee Press

1:10,000 scale. At this scale over 200 short and longer paths were depicted covering the northern and central section of this much visited Athenian mountain. On the reverse side of the map is an outline of the network of footpaths with brief comments and icons providing additional information on the existance of waymarkers, the condition of the paths and possible difficulties one may encounter on route.

A man and his son find unexpected challenge, adventure and reward, along with an amazing venue for bonding in an environment many never experience.

Don't think of what you left behind. And don't think too far ahead. For how can one leave something to which one is tied? And how can one feel accomplishment in something never attained? One should set a destination that is within one's reach. As one reaches that point another slightly higher goal can be set - and so on, as one travels up the path. In this way the mountain can be climbed in increments. Look not at the vast mountain as a whole. Rather look minutely and scrutinize each individual step. There will thus be no discouragement, for every step is a success.

"Zen Foot-Notes: Upon the Unknown Passage" is the journal of an expedition's ascent of the highest mountain in the world - not Everest, as everyone assumes, but Pochen Point - the fabled summit of the nether world. The expedition to climb the highest mountain in the nether world is a symbol for mankind's journey through life. The summit is different for each member of the expedition. And yet, because it also symbolizes death, it is essentially the same. The expedition members discover that what matters is not the goal, but merely the path. And some realize that it is not even the path that matters, but rather the passage - the pathless path.

Wayne Omura lives and writes in Denver, Colorado. He is the author of "Movies and the Meaning of Life: The Most Profound Films in Cinematic History."