Search

Discover Resilience and Reach Your Life Goals#1 New Release in Popular Applied Psychology BreakProof is a gripping testament to never giving up. The book embodies the spirit of a true go-getter and highlights the importance of life balance, goal setting, and living life to the fullest.Discover resilience in adversity.BreakProof chronicles Jenn Drummond's pursuit to conquer the Seven Second Summits, despite no mountain climbing experience. Through this emotional and physical journey toward that audacious goal, the world record-holding mountaineer provides lessons on never giving up, cultivating resilience, and finding strength in the face of life's greatest challenges. Embark on a journey of personal growth. Mountain climbers consider the second-highest mountains on all seven continents to be technically more complex than the seven highest. Jenn's experiences on the mountains serve as metaphors for achieving life goals and inspiring continuous self-improvement. In BreakProof, she shares her struggles and victories and delivers potent insights into achieving balance, setting meaningful objectives, and living life to its fullest. The 7 secrets to realizing your life dream. In June 2023, Jenn became the first woman in the world to conquer the Seven Second Summits. Life goal reached! Learn the 7 secrets to how Jenn did it and how you can apply her hard-earned lessons to learning how never to quit.Inside, discoverActionable strategies and exercises to take the first steps, build resilience, and handle life's challengesThe importance of goal setting and continuous self-improvement and personal growthWays to troubleshoot seemingly insurmountable obstaclesInspiration for becoming a go-getter, never giving up, embracing life balance, and living life to the fullestIf you have read books such as This Year I Will…, Mindful Self-Discipline, or the mega-bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, then BreakProof is a must-read.

'A notorious reference for climbers and outdoor enthusiasts!'-- Lynn Hill More than 800,000 copies sold since the first edition was published in 1960, and translated into 12 languages Detailed instructions and hundreds of illustrations share the latest in best practices Researched and written by a team of expert climbers, guides, and instructors Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is the most significant guidebook ever published. Born from the handwritten climbing tips of early volunteers of the Seattle-based Mountaineers organization, this fundamental how-to manual has inspired emerging climbers around the globe across nine editions for more than six decades. Mountaineers Books is proud to present the 10th edition of this master guide, commonly referred to as'Freedom.'From planning a weekend backpacking trip to navigating the logistics of a months-long alpine expedition, from tying knots and hitches to essential belaying and rappelling techniques, from setting up camp in the wilderness to summiting glaciated peaks--this comprehensive textbook written by climbers for climbers covers it all.

The 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition set off to explore how it might be possible to get to the vicinity of Mount Everest, to reconnoiter possible routes for ascending the mountain, and – if possible – make the first ascent of the highest mountain in the world. A feasible route was discovered from the east up the Kharta Glacier and then crossing the Lhakpa La pass north east of Everest. It was then necessary to descend to the East Rongbuk Glacier before climbing again to Everest's North Col. Initially the expedition explored from the north and discovered the main Rongbuk Glacier, only to find that it seemed to provide no likely routes to the summit. However, at the time it was not realised that the East Rongbuk glacier actually flowed into the Rongbuk glacier – it was thought it descended away to the east. As a reconnaissance the expedition was a success because it determined that a good route might be to approach the East Rongbuk glacier via the Rongbuk glacier, and then follow the North Col route to the summit.

Travel Ruminations is a personal account of the author's walking, hiking, and mountain climbing over a 75-year career in all 50 U.S. states and 38 countries, but it is more than a mere memoir. Interspersed are remarks on the ecological aspects of his environments and the devastation caused by human activity.

'A Fine Line is more than just a recounting of remarkable expeditions, summit views, and thin air. It's a story of resilience, loss, and the quest for a balanced and meaningful life in the unforgiving realm of high-risk mountain sports. --Men's Journal Honestly portrays the highs and lows of a life dedicated to the outdoors Shares the author's development as an outspoken conservation advocate Story is rooted in the peaks of the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Pakistan How do we reconcile our love of outdoor adventure with the inevitability of loss in high-risk sports? Still in his thirties, Graham Zimmerman has made first ascents from Alaska to Pakistan, and in 2020 he received the Piolet d'Or for his climb on Pakistan's Link Sar with Steve Swenson. A sponsored athlete who is sought out as a climbing partner, Zimmerman knows that he must find a balance between his ambitions as an alpinist and his social responsibilities--as a husband, climate advocate, and community leader. His generation has faced devastating grief in the mountains, including the deaths of Kyle Dempster, Hayden Kennedy, and Inge Perkins, and his cohort has witnessed firsthand the effects of climate change in the form of disappearing glaciers and increasingly erratic weather. Zimmerman writes of the exhilaration he feels while climbing but also the painful realization that summiting at all costs is an outdated model. As A Fine Line traces Graham's journey, mountain lovers everywhere will see themselves in this coming-of-age story of adventure and personal reckoning.

A biography of the life and extraordinary summits of a professional Nepalese mountaineer.Higher than Everest paints an uncompromising portrait of Tendi Sherpa, who has successfully climbed twenty-one mountains over 8,000m, including fourteen ascents of Everest. This young father, part of the elite group of Nepalese guides, embodies the new generation of Sherpas who are taking their destiny into their own hands. In the numerous conferences he holds throughout the world, he never hesitates to denounce the amateurism and obsession of certain people determined to climb Everest, as well as the over-crowding of the sacred Himalayan mountains. As a child, the man who would go on to save many lives on the Roof of the World once dreamed of becoming a monk, and from his years at the monastery, he still retains a deep attachment to Buddhism and its many rituals. Resolutely looking towards the future, but also concerned about respecting the environment and traditions, Tendi regularly returns to the secluded valley of Khembalung, the land of his ancestors, never forgetting where it is he has come from.

This timely book explores how hiking, trekking and climbing mountains, increasingly popular leisure activities, can stimulate change and create opportunities for sustainable development. Using empirical evidence from interviews held in the Himalayas combined with a theoretical grounding, it focuses on the socio-economic and environmental issues of the impact of mountaineering adventure tourism on local communities.Chapters highlight the progressive stages of the host–guest interactions between local communities and tourists, moving from initial, indirect and final tourism development, and the unique sociocultural phenomena these create. The book examines how, with a planned and systematic approach, mountaineering can be a key factor in promoting an overall improvement in local people's quality of life through initiatives in economic development and environmental conservation. It offers a look towards the future to create sustainable tourism development in mountain regions.This is an invigorating read for adventure tourism and human geography scholars, particularly with the blend of theory and first-hand studies of local impacts of mountain tourism. It will also be an interesting read for industry representatives, policy makers and professionals in the field.

This book offers a critical account of the historical evolution of mountaineering and its relation to the phenomenon of tourism, providing an overview of recent developments linked to the diversification, commodification and commercialisation of mountaineering activity. Mountaineering, broadly defined as hiking, trekking and climbing, is now a mass phenomenon, with continually growing numbers of trekkers, climbers and religious tourists hiking in mountain regions. Increasing visitor numbers require the current policies to be updated. The environments around high-mountain areas and their local resident communities, until recently cut off from civilisation, are sensitive to outside influences and have been abruptly exposed to the impact of mountaineering and related activities. This is the first book to disentangle overlapping terms and definitions related to mountaineering tourism. It identifies the key terms and turning points in mountaineering tourism and discusses the impacts of mountaineering tourism from an environmental, socio-cultural and personal perspective and identifies current tourism management policies. Finally, this book provides a continuum between the past and future of mountaineering tourism and aims to provide policy suggestions for sustainable management of fragile mountain regions.This will be of great interest to upper-level students and academics of tourism, as well as industry representatives and policymakers with an interest in adventure tourism and mountaineering.

A life worth living is lived at the edges where it is wildAt the beginning of his memoir Life Lived Wild, Adventures at the Edge of the Map, Rick Ridgeway tells us that if you add up all his many expeditions, he's spent over five years of his life sleeping in tents: “And most of that in small tents pitched in the world's most remote regions.” It's not a boast so much as an explanation. Whether at elevation or raising a family back at sea level, those years taught him, he writes, “to distinguish matters of consequence from matters of inconsequence.” He leaves it to his readers, though, to do the final sort of which is which. Some of his travels made, and remain, news: the first American ascent of K2; the first direct coast-to-coast traverse of Borneo; the first crossing on foot of a 300-mile corner of Tibet so remote no outsider had ever seen it. Big as these trips were, Rick keeps an eye out for the quiet surprises, like the butterflies he encounters at 23,000 feet on K2 or the furtive silhouettes of wild-eared pheasants in Tibet. What really comes through best in Life Lived Wild, though, are his fellow travelers. There's Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, and Doug Tompkins, best known for cofounding The North Face but better remembered for his conservation throughout South America. Some companions don't make the return journey. Rick treats them all with candor and straightforward tenderness. And through their commitments to protecting the wild places they shared, he discovers his own.A master storyteller, this long-awaited memoir is the book end to Ridgeway's impressive list of publications, including Seven Summits (Grand Central Publishing, 1988), The Shadow of Kilmanjaro (Holt, 1999), and The Big Open (National Geographic, 2005).

Martin Moran lived life in the mountains to the full. He climbed and guided in the Alps, Norway, and the Himalayas, sharing life-changing adventures along the way.

'This book would be enjoyed by those seeking knowledge of Everest beyond theclimbing narratives, as well as those who appreciate the details of navigation and exploration.'— Booklist The height of Mt. Everest was first measured in 1850, but the closest any westerner got to Everest during the next 71 years, until 1921, was 40 miles. The Hunt for Mt. Everest tells the story of the 71-year quest to find the world's highest mountain. It's a tale of high drama, of larger-than-life characters-George Everest, Francis Younghusband, George Mallory, Lord Curzon, Edward Whymper-and a few quiet heroes: Alexander Kellas, the 13th Dalai Lama, Charles Bell.A story that traverses the Alps, the Himalayas, Nepal and Tibet, the British Empire (especially British India and the Raj), the Anglo-Russian rivalry known as The Great Game, the disastrous First Afghan War, and the phenomenal Survey of India - it is far bigger than simply the tallest mountain in the world. Encountering spies, war, political intrigues, and hundreds of mules, camels, bullocks, yaks, and two zebrules, Craig Storti uncovers the fascinating and still largely overlooked saga of all that led up to that moment in late June of 1921 when two English climbers, George Mallory and Guy Bullock, became the first westerners-and almost certainly the first human beings-to set foot on Mt. Everest and thereby claimed the last remaining major prize in the history of exploration.With 2021 bringing the 100th anniversary of that year, most Everest chronicles have dealt with the climbing history of the mountain, with all that happened after 1921. The Hunt for Mt. Everest is the seldom-told story of all that happened before.

'Even the most casual reader among you will by now have worked out that the whole thing is little more than a delightful ruse for having a very good time.'Experienced climber Charles Sherwood is on a quest to find the best climb on each continent. He eschews the traditional Seven Summits, where height alone is the determining factor, and instead considers mountaineering challenge, natural beauty and historical context, aiming to capture the diverse character of each continent and the sheer variety of climbing in all its forms. The author's ambitious odyssey takes him to the Alps, the Himalaya, Yosemite, the Andes, Kenya, New Zealand and South Georgia. His goal is neither to seek glory nor to complete a box-ticking exercise, but simply to enjoy himself in the company of his fellow climbers, including Mark Seaton, Andy Kirkpatrick and Stephen Venables, and to appreciate the splendour of his surroundings. On classic routes like the North Face of the Eiger and the Nose on El Capitan, it is hard not to be swept away by Sherwood's unfaltering enthusiasm. Also featuring fascinating historical detail about each route, Seven Climbs is a compelling account of Sherwood's efforts to answer a much-debated question: which are the world's greatest climbs?

Eine ganz und gar unwahrscheinliche Freundschaft, jede Menge Ärger und ein großes Abenteuer Am Gipfel des Kilimandscharo: Hans, ein so zurückhaltender wie weltoffener Hamburger, ist endlich da, wo er schon ein halbes Leben lang hinwollte. Hier, auf dem Dach von Afrika, will er endlich mit seiner Vergangenheit ins Reine kommen. Doch am Grunde des Kraters steht bereits ein Zelt, und in diesem Zelt hockt der Tscharli, ein Ur-Bayer – respektlos, ohne Benimm und mit unerträglichen Ansichten. In der Nacht bricht ein Schneesturm herein und schweißt die beiden wider Willen zusammen. Es beginnt eine gemeinsame Reise, unglaublich rasant und authentisch erzählt, wie das nur Politycki kann, gespickt mit absurden und aberwitzigen Abenteuern. Als sich die beiden schließlich die Geschichte ihrer großen Liebe anvertrauen, erkennen sie, dass sie mit dem Leben noch eine Rechnung offen haben. Doch der Tod fährt in Afrika immer mit, und nur einer der beiden wird die Heimreise antreten. Dieser grandiose Roman über zwei sehr gegensätzliche Weggefährten, jeder auf seine Weise von der Liebe gezeichnet, verhandelt zugleich ein großes gesellschaftspolitisches Thema: Wie findet zusammen, was nicht zusammen passt – auch über einen tiefen Graben hinweg.

As a young man with a compelling interest in the great outdoors and the natural world Allister ('Ashie') Brebner spent his precious weekends in the 1950s and early'60s as a pioneer of the emerging Scottish bothying and mountaineering scene, and was one of the builders of the famed Secret Howff on Bheinn a'Bhuird in the Cairngorms. At the start of the 1960s he threw in his steady, well-paid job as a factory worker and, with another companion who did the same, started as a pioneer of mountain and nature guiding in the Scottish Highlands. Here is the unique story of a working man whose odyssey took him from the tenements and factory work of Aberdeen to the mountains and islands of the Highlands, their people and their wildlife.

Phil Gribbon's decades of mountain exploration include over 100 first ascents in the Arctic. Filled with humour, honesty and captivating descriptions of his journeys, this book is the amazing untold story of one of the world's greatest mountaineers. Wild Wanderings: A Life Amongst Mountains is by turns thrilling and fascinating, surprising and entertaining. Follow Phil through the ups and downs of a life spent in pursuit of the wilderness.

Reaching Everest was always the dream, but after an avalanche stopped Alex the first time and an earthquake the second, he had to take a step back. But even as he climbed down, he couldn't stop wondering'What's next?'A restlessness in his bones, and a need to help make things better after the lives claimed in his two climbs, led Alex to his hardest mission yet: ClimbTheUK; to cycle to the highest points of the United Kingdom.But a history of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders rears its multiple heads once more, making this the hardest thing Alex has ever had to do. Finding himself alone too often, with only his thoughts for company, it becomes less of a fight of man and nature and more of man and mind.

“Polepole” (po-lay-po-lay) — a Swahili term meaning “slowly, slowly” — is what porters on Kilimanjaro say as you climb the mountain. It's also how you train for other long-distance mountain treks. Of the estimated 35,000 people that attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania every year, about half do not make it to the top. There are several reasons for this, but one of the primary blocks is people arriving to the mountain physically unprepared for what their bodies are about to endure. Polepole is a comprehensive long-distance mountain trek training manual for anyone looking to engage in one of the more defining moments of their life. As you make your way through gradually intensifying workouts designed by fitness trainer Angela deJong to strengthen your body and increase your endurance, Erinne Sevigny Adachi offers her own Kilimanjaro story. Her journey starts not on the day her feet land on African soil but months earlier when they don sneakers and land on Angela's treadmill for the first time. Her narrative offers insights into what it's truly like to go from wheezing on a light jog to the best condition of her life in preparation for the most rewarding physical challenge she's attempted yet.

A book about climbing on different terrains, from rock to ice.

Mountains and Men, first published in 1931, provides a detailed look at some of the first ascents (and attempted ascents) on the world's highest peaks: Mount Everest, K2, Denali, Aconcagua, Mount Erebus, The Matterhorn, Ruwenzori, and others. Descriptions of the climbers and their routes and equipment are given, as well as the dangers facing each expedition in their attempt to be the first to scale these treacherous mountains. Included are 25 pages of maps and photographs.

In diesem Buch erzähle ich, wie sich zwei norddeutsche »All inclusive Pauschalurlauber« ohne jegliche Kondition und Ausdauer, die den Komfort und die Bequemlichkeit lieben, zu zwei leidensfähigen Abenteurern entwickeln. In teils kuriosen, meistens spannenden, aber auch in einigen durchaus dramatischen Geschichten wird geschildert, wie die beiden Ehepartner im Alter von 40 Jahren Schritt für Schritt lernen, in unvorhersehbaren Situationen zu überleben, Schmerzen und absolute Erschöpfung zu ertragen. Die irgendwann in tiefster Wildnis, mehrere Tagesmärsche von jeder menschlichen Siedlung entfernt, in einem kleinen Zelt frierend aneinander kauern und sich eine Tütensuppe teilen. Diese Geschichten könnten aber auch eine interessante Anregung zum Nachmachen sein, vielleicht der ausschlaggebende Impuls selbst zum Abenteurer zu werden. Auf jeden Fall aber erzählen diese Geschichten von den kurzen Momenten in unserem Leben, in denen wir glaubten, unbesiegbar zu sein.

'The idea of owning anything except the experience is hubris.'Unknown Pleasures is a collection of works by the climber and award-winning author Andy Kirkpatrick. Obsessed with climbing and addicted to writing, Kirkpatrick is a master storyteller. Covering subjects as diverse as climbing, relationships, fatherhood, mental health and the media, it is easy to read, sometimes difficult to digest, and impossible to forget. One moment he is attempting a rare solo ascent of Norway's Troll Wall, the next he is surrounded by the TV circus while climbing Moonlight Buttress with the BBC's The One Show presenter Alex Jones. Yosemite's El Capitan is ever-present; he climbs it alone – strung out for weeks, and he climbs it with his thirteen-year-old daughter Ella – her first big wall. His eye for observation and skilled wordcraft make for laugh-out-loud funny moments, while in more hard-hitting pieces he is unflinchingly honest about past and present love and relationships, and pulls no punches with an alternative perspective of our place in the world. Unknown Pleasures is Andy Kirkpatrick at his brilliant best.

Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2018Jonny Muir was a nine-year-old boy when the silhouette of a runner in the glow of sunset on the Malvern Hills caught his eye. A fascination for running in high places was born – a fascination that would direct him to Scotland. Running and racing, Jonny became the mountainside silhouette that first inspired him.His exploits inevitably led to Scotland's supreme test of hill running: Ramsay's Round, a daunting 60-mile circuit of twenty-four mountains, climbing the equivalent height of Mount Everest and culminating on Ben Nevis, to be completed within twenty-four hours.

Winner of the 2019 Banff Mountain Book Award for Climbing LiteratureWinner of the 2019 National Outdoor Book Award for Outdoor LiteratureShortlisted for the 2019 Boardman Tasker Award Inner Ranges brings together an enlightening and entertaining selection of mountain writing by one of Canada's most respected adventure journalists and thinkers.This collection of original and previously published pieces includes provocative editorial and opinion work about the state of adventure, personal tales from a life of exploration and risk-taking, some touches of humour, and award-winning profiles of some of Canada's mountaineering greats. Stories include conversations with and profiles of alpine personalities such as Barry Blanchard, Sonnie Trotter, Lena Rowat, Raphael Slawinski, David Jones and many more.Bringing these essays together for the first time has given Geoff the unique opportunity to reflect back on the stories behind the stories, the consequences of their publication, and the sometimes complex processes of writing about adventure and adventurous lives.

Winner: Mountain Literature Award, Banff Mountain Book Festival 2018 Shortlisted for the 2018 Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature Nick Bullock is a climber who lives in a small green van, flitting between Llanberis, Wales, and Chamonix in the French Alps. Tides, Nick's second book, is the much-anticipated follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut Echoes. Now retired from the strain of work as a prison officer, Nick is free to climb. A lot. Tides is a treasury of his antics and adventures with some of the world's leading climbers, including Steve House, Kenton Cool, Nico Favresse, Andy Houseman and James McHaffie. Follow Nick and his partners as they push the limits on some of the world's most serious routes: The Bells! The Bells! on Gogarth's North Stack Wall; the Slovak Direct on Denali; Guerdon Grooves on Buachaille Etive Mor; and the north faces of Chang Himal and Mount Alberta, among countless others. Nick's life can be equated to the rhythm of the sea. At high tide, he climbs, he loves it, he is good at it; he laughs and jokes, scares himself, falls, gets back up and climbs some more. Then the tide goes out and he finds himself alone, exposed, all questions and no answers. Self-doubt, grieving for friends or family, fearful, sometimes opinionated, occasionally angry – his writing more honest and exposed than in any account of a climb. Only when the tide turns is he able to forget once more. Tides is a gripping memoir that captures the very essence of what it means to dedicate one's life to climbing.

Over 9,000 feet up on the top of Mount Roraima is a twenty-five mile square plateau, at the point where Guyana's border meets Venezuela and Brazil. In 1973, Scottish mountaineering legend Hamish MacInnes alongside climbing notoriety Don Whillans, Mo Anthoine and Joe Brown trekked through dense rainforest and swamp, and climbed the sheer overhanging sandstone wall of the great prow in order to conquer this Conan Doyle fantasy summit. As one of the last unexplored corners of the world, in order to reach the foot of the prow the motley yet vastly experienced expedition trudged through a saturated world of bizarre vegetation, fantastically contorted slime-coated trees and deep white mud; a world dominated by bushmaster snakes, scorpions and giant bird-eating spiders. This wasn't the end of it, however. The stately prow itself posed extreme technical complications: the rock was streaming with water, and the few-and-far-between ledges were teeming with scorpion-haunted bromeliads. This was not a challenge to be taken lightly. However, if anyone was going to do it, it was going to be this group of UK climbing pioneers, backed by The Observer, supported by the Guyanan Government, and accompanied by a BBC camera team, their mission was very much in the public eye. Climb to the Lost World is a story of discovering an alien world of tortured rock formations, sunken gardens and magnificent waterfalls, combined with the trials and tribulations of day-to-day expedition life. MacInnes'dry humour and perceptive observations of his companions, flora and fauna relay the story of this first ascent with passion and in true explorer style.

'The whole trail has been orchestrated to make it possible for each one of us, in different ways, to be'touched'by wilderness'Over the Hills and Far Away is a collection of essays that demonstrates Rob Collister's thirty-year experience in mountaineering. From solo climbing in the hills of the Carneddau in Wales, to small group expeditions to Carn Etchachan, Forbes ridge and Grosshorn, Rob Collister can be found in the hills, whether it be running, climbing or skiing, inspired by the words of H.W. Tilman and Henry David Thoreau. This collection of essays tackles the theme of self-sufficient small group expeditions compared to the organised larger-sized ones, as well as displaying the timeless subject of litter disposal in summits by a fresh invasion of the mountains in Snowdonia and the conservation of the wilderness by the creation of schools such as Wilderness Leadership School. His sense of adventure is shown through his words and passionate descriptions, climbing out of conditions and finding a challenge in Alpine climbing. In Over Hills and Far Away we understand the importance of nature and appreciation of it. This book will expand your knowledge of modern world issues and it will leave you hungry for adventure in the hills.

“The definitive guide to mountains and climbing...”—Conrad Anker For nearly 60 years it's been revered as the “bible” of mountaineering–and now it's even better than ever The best-selling instructional text for new and intermediate climbers for more than half a century New edition—fully updated techniques and all-new illustrations Researched and written by a team of expert climbers Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is the text beloved by generations of new climbers—the standard for climbing education around the world where it has been translated into 12 languages. For the all-new 9th Edition, committees comprosed of active climbers and climbing educators reviewed every chapter of instruction, and discussed updates with staff from the American Alpine Club (AAC), the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), and the Access Fund. They also worked with professional members of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), to review their work and ensure that the updated textbook includes the most current best practices for both alpine and rock climbing instruction. From gear selection to belay and repel techniques, from glacier travel to rope work, to safety, safety, and more safety—there is no more comprehensive and thoroughly vetted training manual for climbing than the standard set by Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th Edition. Significant updates to this edition include: • New alignment with AAC's nationwide universal belay standard • Expanded and more detailed avalanche safety info, including how to better understand avalanches, evaluate hazards, travel safely in avy terrain, and locate and rescue a fellow climber in an avalanche • Newly revamped chapters on clothing and camping • All-new illustrations reflecting the latest gear and techniques—created by artist John McMullen, former art director of Climbing magazine • Review of and contributions to multiple sections by AMGA-certified guides • Fresh approach to the Ten Essentials—now making the iconic list easier to recall

Winner of the 2017 Banff Mountain Book Award for Mountain Literature (Non Fiction). Winner of the 2017 Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature. Winner of the National Outdoor Book Awards.A profound and moving biography of one of the international climbing world's most respected, complicated and reclusive mountaineers.Voytek Kurtyka remains one of the greatest alpinists of all time. Born in 1947, he was one of the leading lights of the Polish golden age of Himalayan climbing. His visionary approach to climbing resulted in many renowned ascents, such as the complete Broad Peak traverse, the “night naked” speed climbs of Cho Oyu and Shishapangma and, above all, the alpine-style ascent of the West Face of Gasherbrum IV. Dubbed the “climb of the century,” his route on G IV, as of 2016, has yet to be repeated. His most frequent climbing partners were alpine legends of their time: Polish Himalayan climber Jerzy Kukuczka, Swiss mountain guide Erhard Loretan and British alpinist Alex MacIntyre.After repeated requests to accept the Piolet d'Or lifetime achievement award (the Academy Award of the climbing world), Kurtyka finally accepted the honour in the spring of 2016. A fiercely private individual, he continues to decline countless invitations for interviews, lectures and festival appearances, but has agreed to co-operate with internationally renowned and award winning Canadian author Bernadette McDonald on this long-awaited biography.Certain to be a major event in the climbing world, Art of Freedom will appeal to all readers who dream of mountain landscapes and those who long to touch the sky.

This thoroughly revised and updated third edition of Better Bouldering presents all the techniques and tricks gleaned from the forty-plus bouldering career of John Sherman, America's most noted and notorious bouldering guru. Sharing the most recent trends in techniques, equipment, and injury treatment and prevention, Sherman imparts his insider knowledge of the sport through colorful instructional text and “combat” stories from his own bouldering career—allowing both beginning and accomplished boulderers to learn from the author's mistakes rather than their own.

A thrilling memoir of the spectacular high-altitude mountaineering achievements of Andrew Lock: the only Australian to have summited all fourteen 8000-metre peaks in the world, including Mount Everest—twice. We learn ‘why does he do it?'Why does anyone take on such a challenge, knowing how easily they might be killed? Andrew Lock gives us a gripping account of his death-defying ascents and explains his passion for climbing in small teams, or solo, without Sherpas or bottled oxgyen. His story is one of extraordinary passion, self-motivation, perseverance and resilience, as he leads us through his sixteen-year odyssey to achieve the Grand Slam of Himalayan mountaineering. We are taken through the victories, the near-misses and the tragedies. The intense human drama of the expeditions infuses Summit 8000—funny, fierce and always fascinating stories about survival, climbing rivalries and mountaineering politics. The remote and stunning landscapes and cultures that Andrew encounters on his journeys add rich texture to his tale, culminating in his 2014 trip to Everest, where he was witness to the deadliest avalanche in the peak's history.

A revelatory and poignant memoir showing mountaineering at its extraordinary best and tragic worst as it draws an unforgettable picture of a dazzling, argumentative and exuberant climbing legend. In the autumn of 1982, a single stone fell from high on the south face of Annapurna and struck Alex MacIntyre on the head, killing him instantly and robbing the climbing world of one of its greatest talents. Although only 28 years old, Alex was already one of the leading figures of British mountaineering's most successful era. His ascents included hard new routes on Himalayan giants like Dhaulagiri and Changabang and a glittering record of firsts in the Alps and Andes. Yet how Alex climbed was as important as what he climbed. He was a mountaineering prophet, sharing with a handful of contemporaries – including his climbing partner Voytek Kurtyka – the vision of a purer form of alpinism on the world's highest peaks.