Mountains and uplands Books

Book SynopsisStretching 1,200 kilometres across six countries, the colossal mountains of the Alps dominate Europe, geographically and historically. Enlightenment thinkers felt the sublime and magisterial peaks were the very embodiment of nature, Romantic poets looked to them for divine inspiration, and Victorian explorers tested their ingenuity and courage against them. Located at the crossroads between powerful states, the Alps have played a crucial role in the formation of European history, a place of intense cultural fusion as well as fierce conflict between warring nations. A diverse range of flora and fauna have made themselves at home in this harsh environment, which today welcomes over 100 million tourists a year. Leading Alpine scholar Jon Mathieu tells the story of the people who have lived in and been inspired by these mountains and valleys, from the ancient peasants of the Neolithic to the cyclists of the Tour de France. Far from being a remote and backward corner of Europe, the Alps are shown by Mathieu to have been a crucible of new ideas and technologies at the heart of the European story.Trade Review‘In the realm of Alpine history, Jon Mathieu is the leading voice – he knows the mountains as Braudel knew the sea. This compact but comprehensive overview of one of the world’s most famous mountain regions stands out for its sophistication, clarity and wry humour.’Donald Worster, author of A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir​ ‘If I could recommend only one book about the Alps, it would be this one! Jon Mathieu’s book crosses national borders and historic periods with the greatest of ease. It introduces us to cultural and ecological challenges. And – most importantly – it is a great and enjoyable read. A book full of surprises and insights and wonderful illustrations.’Christof Mauch, Director, Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, LMU Munich ‘An engaging, rigorous overview of Alpine history from earliest times to the present. This book represents in some ways the culmination of a life’s work by Mathieu, and offers the most up-to-date account of Alpine history possible, while being at the same time accessible and enjoyable to read.’Tait Keller, Rhodes College ‘Mathieu is a leading authority on the history and culture of the Alps, and it shows.’Stewart A. Weaver, University of Rochester “Mathieu addresses the deep connection between humans and nature in the cultural landscape of the European Alps, ranging from the Mediterranean coast to Slovenia… The Alps is an indispensable book in any Alpine connoisseur’s collection.” Prof. Jörg Balsiger, University of Geneva “Mathieu’s episodic but informative narrative tacks back and forth, from the arrival of hunter-gatherers millennia ago through milestones such as the first recorded ascent of Mont Blanc, in 1786, and wolves’ resurgence in the twentieth century.”NatureTable of Contents Preface Writing a History of the Alps Personal Note and Acknowledgements List of Maps and Figures Timeline 1. The Alps in European History 2. Modern Scholars on the Alps 3. In the Beginning was Hannibal 4. Coping with Life – High and Low 5. Paths to the Nation State 6. Religious Culture, Early Science 7. The Perception of the Alps 8. Which Modernity? 9. Europeanisation and Environmentalism 10. Conclusion Notes References Index

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Book Synopsis'What a wonderful, honest, refreshing book, full of free-spirited adventure, humour and profound thoughts to provide inspiration to anyone who simply dreams of getting out and doing their own thing' SIR CHRIS BONINGTON'Ernest Shackleton listed those qualities an explorer should possess over a century ago: optimism, patience, idealism with imagination, and courage. Vanessa's qualities are truly akin to these' ALEXANDRA SHACKLETONWhen Vanessa O'Brien was made redundant in 2008 as part of the recession, she moved to Hong Kong with her husband for his career and resigned herself to being 'just the wife'. There she was, aged 46, bored, uninspired, unemployed. Was this going to be how she was going to live the rest of her life?One night in the infamous Kee Club, over shots of tequila, a friend suggested O'Brien climb Everest, and that was the start of an epic journey she never looked back from as she climbed Everest, K2 and many other mountains.This is her inspirational story. As O'Brien says, she couldn't explain to her readers how she got to the top of K2 at the age of 52 without being honest about what came before. In To the Greatest Heights, she reveals the trials and tribulations of her difficult childhood, and the result is a life-affirming book that shows how she achieved these climbs in spite of and because of her past.To read To the Greatest Heights is to know that there is a path to overcoming the worst of what happens to us, a path that helps us reach the summit of our lives too, whatever our age.Trade ReviewWhat a wonderful, honest, refreshing book, full of free-spirited adventure, humour and profound thoughts to provide inspiration to anyone who simply dreams of getting out and doing their own thing * Sir Chris Bonington *Ernest Shackleton listed those qualities an explorer should possess over a century ago: optimism, patience, idealism with imagination, and courage. Vanessa's qualities are truly akin to these * Alexandra Shackleton *O'Brien's story is deep in insight and observation. An impressive read * Peter Hillary, Chairman of the Himalayan Trust *To The Greatest Heights is a modern-day version of Dick Bass's book, but on steroids. A must read * Forbes magazine *

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Book Synopsis***Shortlisted for the 2023 STANFORD TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR******A Financial Times Travel Book of the Year 2022***"Enchanting" Independent"Fatland distinguishes herself from the stereotypes" Guardian "Fatland is a sensitive and insightful chronicler of quotidian lives and a compelling narrator" Observer"Erika Fatland ascends to new heights with her fascinating journey" Wanderlust"An engaging snapshot of the current residents of this high-altitude battleground . . . Fatland is a lovely writer with a sympathetic eye for the absurd" Financial TimesAn ambitious and magnificent new travelogue by internationally bestselling, prizewinning writer Erika Fatland.The Himalayas meander for more than two thousand kilometres through many different countries, from Pakistan to Myanmar via Nepal, India, Tibet and Bhutan, where the world religions of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism are interspersed with ancient shamanic beliefs. Countless languages and vastly different cultures exist in these isolated mountain valleys. Modernity and tradition collide, while the great powers fight for influence.We have read about climbers and adventurers on their way up Mount Everest, and about travellers on a spiritual quest to remote Buddhist monasteries. Here, however, the focus is on the communities of these Himalayan valleys, those who live and work in this extraordinary region. As Erika Fatland introduces us to the people she meets along her journey, and in particular the women, she takes us on a vivid and dizzying expedition at altitude through incredible landscapes and dramatic, unknown histories. Skilfully weaving together the politics, geography, astrology, theology and ecology of this vast region, she also explores some of the most volatile human conflicts of our times.With her unique gift for listening, and for storytelling, she has become one of the most exciting travel writers of her generation.Translated from the Norwegian by Kari DicksonTrade ReviewEnchanting -- Martin Chilton * Independent (Books of the Month) *Erika Fatland is shaping up to be one of the Nordics' most exciting new travel writers * National Geographic *Fatland is a sensitive and insightful chronicler of quotidian lives and a compelling narrator. -- Hannah Beckerman * Observer *An engaging snapshot of the current residents of this high-altitude battleground . . . Fatland is a lovely writer with a sympathetic eye for the absurd, who draws affectionate pen portraits of the people she meets -- Amy Kazmin * Financial Times *[Fatland] is an acute and sympathetic observer, and her book fills a gap in the literature of the Himalayas . . . In High, women's stories and voices prevail. -- Jonathan Buckley * Times Literary Supplement *Excellent. Fatland's a superb reporter, with an engaging personality and boundless curiosity. The English versions of her books convey her immense vitality and charm. Ideal for armchair travelers, packed with information and entertaining anecdotes. -- Michael Dirda * Washington Post *Norwegian anthropologist Erika Fatland, whose previous books include Sovietistan, distinguishes herself from the stereotypes . . . Writing with aplomb and sensitivity, Fatland observes the sights and sounds of cities, towns and villages; she visits temples and forests and explores the high plateau. Places are carefully contextualised with geopolitical and historical detail and she weaves in geology too, grounding the work in the land itself . . . [a]s traveller and anthropologist, [she] establishes a unique rapport with girls and women leading to precious insights into lives rarely recorded. -- Anna Fleming * Guardian *The true allure of Ms. Fatland's book lies in her ability to reach inside people's homes and talk to women who lead sequestered lives, to penetrate the outer sanctum that separates Muslim women from a world that imperils female honor. As an outgoing 39-year-old woman, Ms. Fatland can have conversations that a man like Colin Thubron, celebrated for his writings on these parts, could scarcely have had. -- Tunku Varadarajan * Wall Street Journal *Erika Fatland has written a masterpiece . . . Along the way Fatland has developed her own distinct approach to travel writing. She now writes better than Robert D Kaplan * Aftenposten *Even the reader gasps for breath * Adressavisen *Fatland's extensive knowledge subtly forms an elegant backdrop for her encounters with the local people * Morgenbladet *Erika Fatland is about to, singlehandedly, completely renew Norwegian travel literature. * VG *Respect. Erika Fatland can travel, she can write. HØYT is a brilliant book. * Politiken *Genre-bursting world-class travel literature. Brilliantly executed deep-dive into the human conditions in some of the world's most important countries. -- Jens A. RiisnæsFatland has risen to new literary and literal heights * Dagbladet *One of travel writings rising stars . . . Erika Fatland ascends to new heights with her fascinating journey among the isolated villages spanning the fractious borders that divide up the Himalaya region * Wanderlust *

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Book SynopsisExamines the lure of mountains in German literature, philosophy, film, music, and culture from the Middle Ages to the twenty-first century. Mountains have always stirred the human imagination, playing a crucial role in the cultural evolution of peoples around the globe and becoming infused with meaning in the process. Beyond their geographical-geological significance,mountains affect the topography of the mind, whether as objects of peril or attraction, of spiritual enlightenment or existential fulfillment, of philosophical contemplation or aesthetic inspiration. This volume challenges the oversimplified assumption that human interaction with mountains is a distinctly modern development, one that began with the empowerment of the individual in the wake of Enlightenment rationalism and Romantic subjectivity. These essays by European and North American scholars examine the lure of mountains in German literature, philosophy, film, music, and culture from the Middle Ages to the present, with a focus on the interaction between humans and the alpineenvironment. The contributors consider mountains not as mere symbolic tropes or literary metaphors, but as constituting a tangible reality that informs the experiences and ideas of writers, naturalists, philosophers, filmmakers,and composers. Overall, this volume seeks to provide multiple answers to questions regarding the cultural significance of mountains as well as the physical practice of climbing them. Contributors: Peter Arnds, Olaf Berwald, Albrecht Classen, Roger Cook, Scott Denham, Sean Franzel, Christof Hamann, Harald Höbusch, Dan Hooley, Peter Höyng, Sean Ireton, Oliver Lubrich, Anthony Ozturk, Caroline Schaumann, Heather I. Sullivan, Johannes Türk, Sabine Wilke, Wilfried Wilms. Sean Ireton is Associate Professor of German at the University of Missouri. Caroline Schaumann is Associate Professor of German Studies at Emory University.Trade Review[E]xcellent coverage of the part played by mountaineering and its representations in the recuperation of German self-esteem post-1918, and into the evolution of the Bergfilm after 1945. . . . What makes mountain space so interesting from the point of view of the imagination -- one of many insights available here -- are the ways in which time can be figured in it . . . . [A] collection whose historical depth and breadth of reference make it a resource for scholars of the spatial imagination. * FORUM FOR MODERN LANGUAGE STUDIES *[A]n invaluable and intellectually lively contribution to a growing international scholarship on the cultural significance of mountains. * ECOZON *[T]urns what could have been a tired exercise in Toposforschung into an absorbing and insightful investigation of geology, history, and culture. . . . Overall, reading this book is in many respects just like climbing a mountain: . . . because, in the end, one can look back and contemplate a magnificent view. * JOURNAL OF EUROPEAN STUDIES *[Gives] extensive, insightful treatment to shifting discursive, cultural, and political valences of mountains in the German imagination. . . . [T]he range of the collection is quite broad. Nonetheless, the . . . essays on poetry, film, literature, and music address a set of related questions. . . . [T]o be praised not only for being the first to treat the cultural meaning of mountains so extensively, but also for tracing their meanings in such variety and depth. . . . Recommended. * CHOICE *[A]n impressive high mountain tour that as it goes on opens vistas on not-yet-climbed routes. * GERMAN STUDIES REVIEW *An excellent example of a variety of approaches in interdisciplinary environmental humanities, the volume presents an informative and critical addition to the study of nature representation in German culture . . . . * WOMEN IN GERMAN NEWSLETTER *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Meaning of Mountains: Geology, History, Culture - Caroline Schaumann and Sean Ireton Prelude: Classical Mountain Landscapes and the Language of Ascent - Dan Hooley Terra Incognita? Mountains in Medieval and Early Modern German Literature - Albrecht Classen From Meadows to Mountaintops: Albrecht von Haller's"Die Alpen" - Caroline Schaumann Geo-Poetics: The Alpine Sublime in Art and Literature, 1779-1860 - Anthony Ozturk Time and Narrative in the Mountain Sublime around 1800 - Sean Franzel Faust's Mountains: An Ecocritical Reading of Goethe's Tragedy and Science - Heather I. Sullivan Spectacular Scenery and Slippery Descents: Narrating the Mountains of Tropical Polynesia - Sabine Wilke Fascinating Voids: Alexander von Humboldt and the Myth of Chimborazo - Oliver Lubrich From Eros to Thanatos: Hiking and Spelunking in Ludwig Tieck's Der Runenberg - Peter Arnds Geology, Mountaineering, and Self-Formation in Adalbert Stifter's Der Nachsommer - Sean Ireton "An Apparition from Another World" -- The Mountains of the Moon and Kilimanjaro from the Perspective of Nineteenth-Century Germany - Christof Hamman Leaving the Summit Behind: Tracking Biographical and Philosophical Pathways in Richard Strauss's Eine Alpensinfonie - Peter Höyng Elevation and Insight: Thomas Mann's Der Zauberberg - Johannes Turk "The Essence of the Alpine World Is Struggle": Strategies of Gesundung in Arnold Fanck's Early Mountain Films - Wilfried Wilms PhD "Mountain of Destiny": The Filmic Legacy of Nanga Parbat - Harald Hoebusch Spatial Orientation and Embodied Transcendence in Werner Herzog's Mountain Climbing Films - Roger F. Cook W. G. Sebald's Magic Mountains - Scott Denham Conflicting Ascents: Inscriptions, Cartographies, andDisappearance in Christoph Ransmayr's Der fliegende Berg - Olaf Berwald Works Cited Notes on the Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisOrganized as a series of monthly journal entries, Morning Comes to Elk Mountain is Lantz’s response to ten years of exploring the rough and unexpected beauty of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. A combination of memoir, natural history, Native American history, and geology, this book is enriched by 20 color photos and a map to appeal to the seasoned visitor as well as the newcomer to the refuge.The national wildlife refuge that’s the focus of the book was among the first established by President Theodore Roosevelt. He helped save the Wichitas from miners and land speculators, and instead the harsh yet scenic area became the nation’s first bison refuge, established to keep this American icon from slipping into extinction.Today the refuge hosts more than a million visitors a year, most of them coming to hike the trails, climb the rocks, photograph bison and prairie dogs, or simply commune with a beautiful, wild area that remains a spiritual landscape for the Kiowa and Comanche Indians who call it home.

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Book SynopsisDelight in the Sierra Nevada’s diverse avifauna with this long-awaited field guide.Identify and learn about over two hundred and fifty birds of the Sierra Nevada. From tiniest hummingbirds to condors with nine-foot wingspans; from lower-elevation wrens to the rasping nutcrackers of the High Sierra; from urban House Sparrows to wild water–loving American Dippers, Hansen’s Field Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada showcases artist-naturalist Keith Hansen’s sixteen-year project to illustrate the birds of the Sierra Nevada. Paired with stunningly detailed portraits is text informed by decades of birding experience—prose that while firmly grounded in expertise will nonetheless delight readers with its whimsy, allusion, and affection. Take the Bufflehead: "A diminutive and endearing diving duck," which moves "with spirited abandon." Or the "scrappy and antagonistic" Merlin, "holding dominion over winter skies, tormenting eagles, hawks, and vultures alike." The White-tailed Kite is "angelic in poise, a streamlined bird of unblemished tailoring"; the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher sports a black eye-to-eye brow, imparting a "Frida Kahlo–like stare." This book is the field guide companion to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada: Their Natural History, Status, and Distribution, also coauthored by Edward C. Beedy and illustrated by Keith Hansen (University of California Press, 2013).Trade Review"I'm thrilled to see this comprehensive guide from Keith Hansen. Based on a lifetime of careful and thoughtful observation, Keith brings his meticulous clarity and engaging flair to illustrations and text alike. His love of birds shines through on every page as he celebrates the distinctive personality of each species. This is not just a guide to identifying birds, but a guide to knowing birds, and with Keith as narrator you can be sure it’s both illuminating and entertaining." —David Allen Sibley, author of What It’s Like to Be a Bird"On each of these pages, the authors bring the birds to life, first with the superbly detailed illustrations, then with the species account below. [...] This book is among the most informative region-specific field guides I’ve seen." —Rachel Clark, American Birding Association"This isn’t a book, it’s an experience—a joyful encounter with the treasures of the Sierra Nevada. Through the art and words of the inimitable Keith Hansen, the birds come alive, in all their unique character, on every page. Perusing this work is almost as good as going birding with Keith, and that’s saying a lot." —Kenn Kaufman, author of Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America"This is the Sierra field guide I have been waiting for. It is unsurpassed for identification but goes far beyond that. Keith Hansen is my bird illustration mentor. His birds are not only accurate, but alive. The drawings capture the beauty, comic nature, and majesty of birds. The text is carefully refined to highlight need-to-know information that is succinct and rich. You will learn not just how to identify the birds, but how to look with a joyful attention that will open new doors to wonder and nature connection." —John Muir Laws, author of The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada"The term 'a lifetime’s work' is often overused, but it applies truly to this book. As a boy Keith started roaming the Sierra Nevada, and this book blesses us with his lifetime of insights, visual and verbal. To paraphrase from his own work, 'If a regular field guide is a utility vehicle, this book is a Ferrari,' and it will speed you on your way to appreciating and truly knowing the birds of the Sierra." —Steve N. G. Howell, senior leader of WINGS Birding Tours"This is no ordinary field guide. It is, rather, a sumptuous reflection of birds, delivered with both the artist’s skillful brush and the writer’s imaginative pen. Neither feather nor word is out of place. Keith’s exuberance, wealth of field experience, and perfectionism, as displayed in an efficiently pleasing layout, will inspire users not only to correctly identify birds but to fully appreciate their place in the world, while the majestic Sierra Nevada bioregion provides the perfect canvas to showcase his scientific precision and artistic talent. If you really want to comprehend birds, get this book!" —Peter Pyle, author of Identification Guide to North American Birds"If you aspire to cultivate a deep love for birds, you have a soulmate in Keith Hansen and a roadmap in Hansen’s Field Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada. Long appreciated as a talented bird artist, Keith now takes his place among such interpreters of Sierra bird life as Tracy Storer and David Gaines." —David DeSante, founder of the Institute for Bird PopulationsTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments Introduction Birding Tips WATERBIRDS SWIMMING FLYING WALKING LANDBIRDS UPLAND GAMEBIRDS RAPTORS MISCELLANEOUS LARGER LANDBIRDS AERIAL LANDBIRDS SONGBIRDS Appendix A: Rare Birds Appendix B: Full Checklist of Birds in this Book References Index About the Authors

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Book SynopsisWith 909 recognized species of lichens, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is home to more of these lichenized fungi than any other national park in the United States, as well as nearly half of all species known to occur in eastern North America. There is a great deal of room for scientific exploration, inquiry, and systematic description in the realm of lichenology. In Field Guide to the Lichens of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Erin Tripp and James Lendemer take on the formidable task of creating an all-in-one resource for Park exploration, including lichen distribution maps, tools for identification, vivid photographs and illustrations, and even field notes from their own research campaigns. In the process, the authors create a touchstone for lichen taxonomy and ecology, and they inspire others—researchers as well as casual observers—to take interest in the incredible biodiversity of the Great Smoky Mountains. Biologists, botanists, visitors to the park, naturalists, and others interested in the flora and fauna of both the southern Appalachians and GSMNP will thoroughly enjoy this lovingly prepared field guide.

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Book SynopsisFamily Hiking in the Smokies is specifically geared toward taking children on excursions into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park—the most visited national park in the United States. The park offers much to its nearly ten million annual visitors. For families who seek fun along with educational recreation, the park boasts splendid views and enormous biological diversity.While the guidebook concentrates on shorter day hikes, the book also presents longer trails for overnight or weekend camping. Organized by regions of the park, the forty-two concise trail descriptions include many of the most popular destinations, such as Ramsey Cascades, Grotto Falls, and Clingmans Dome Tower, as well as overlooked gems such as Midnight Hole, Lynn Camp Prong, and Juney Whank Falls. This fifth edition includes new trails not found in the book’s previous editions, and all are presented in a user-friendly format.This delightful volume also includes specific advice regarding safety, trail difficulty, and keeping children’s attention. In addition, Family Hiking in the Smokies provides interesting educational sidebars about fauna, folklore, and material culture along the way. This book, based on the experiences of three expert hikers who have walked with their own children and grandchildren in the park, will provide parents and grandparents with a perfect guide for establishing an adult/child bond with the natural world.HAL HUBBS, CHARLES MAYNARD, AND DAVID MORRIS are longtime East Tennessee residents who have hiked together and with their families for many years. The three friends formed Panther Press, which originally published Waterfalls and Cascades of the Great Smoky Mountains, along with many other titles on natural history, particularly in the Smokies. Hal, Charles, and David have worked as volunteers in the Smokies and have hiked in many national parks throughout the country.

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Book SynopsisThe Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of America's most beautiful and popular national parks. Written by a naturalist who has spent over fifty years conducting research in the park, this volume not only discusses the park's plant and animal life but also explores the impact that civilization has played in altering the area's landscape.

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Book SynopsisWinner, 2020 Al Lowman Memorial Prize for Best Book on Texas County or Local History There is a deep and abiding connection between humans and the land in Pinto Canyon—a remote and rugged place near the border with Mexico in the Texas Big Bend. Here the land assumes a certain primacy, defined not by the ephemera of plants and animals but by the very bedrock that rises far above the silvery flow of Pinto Creek— looming masses that break the horizon into a hundred different vistas. Yet, over time, people managed to survive and sometimes even thrive in this harsh environment.In the Shadow of the Chinatis combines the rich narratives of history, natural history, and archeology to tell the story of the landscape as well as the people who once inhabited it. Settling the land was difficult, staying on it even more so, but one family proved especially resilient. Rising above their meager origins, the Prietos eventually amassed a 12,000-acre ranch in the shadow of the Chinati Mountains to become the most successful of Pinto Canyon’s early settlers. But starting with the tense years of the Great Depression, the family faced a series of tragedies: one son was killed by a Texas Ranger, and another by the deranged son of Chico Cano, the Big Bend’s most notorious bandit. Ultimately, growing rifts in the family forced the sale of the ranch, marking the end of an era. Bearing the hallmarks of an epic tragedy, the departure of the Prieto family signaled a transition away from ranching towards a new style of landownership based on a completely different model. Today, Pinto Canyon’s scenic and scientific value increasingly overshadows the marginal economics of its past.In the Shadow of the Chinatis reveals a rich tapestry of interaction between humans and their environment, providing a unique examination of the Big Bend region and the people who call it home.Trade Review“A drive down Pinto Canyon road is now as much a part of the Big Bend visitor’s ritual as the drive along the River Road from Lajitas to Presidio. Pinto Canyon is a much more intimate experience, made more so by David Keller’s In the Shadow of the Chinati’s: A History of Pinto Canyon. The incredible geology and the great biodiversity are immediately visible, but what Keller provides is the rich, but mostly invisible human history of Pinto Canyon. The story he tells is an important one, especially that of the Hispanic culture and families, which often goes untold.” —Larry Francell, author of Fort Davis “A truly masterful Texas borderlands history, polished, precise, elegant, thoughtful, and intelligent.” —Thomas T. Smith, author of The Old Army in the Big Bend of Texas: The Last Cavalry Frontier, 1911-1921 “David Keller’s In the Shadow of the Chinatis is not merely a deeply-researched, fine-grained human history of a remote and beautiful canyon of the Big Bend country of far West Texas. Subjecting its real-life characters to novel-like treatment, this book is an original creation, unique in the literature of the desert Southwest. I sense the birth of a classic.” —Dan Flores, New York Times best-selling author of Coyote America “For any serious student of the Big Bend, this book is a treasure. With Keller’s book, the long silent rocks and ruins of Pinto Canyon have finally been given voice.”—San Antonio Express-News "Though his book is an academic work, Keller's attention to prose and style is evident... his portrayal of the families who lived there is touched with such care and heart, the reader only wants to see them succeed. Warning: The reader will be disappointed."—Texas Observer

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Book SynopsisThe Atlas-monograph presents a novel approach to the study of the development of snow cover based on its crystal morphology and the fundamental laws of natural symmetry. The Atlas displays more than 320 microphotos of crystals of depth hoar and newly fallen, wind-transported, and small- and medium-grained snow in various mountain and flatland regions of Russia. The principal types of geometrical symmetry are shown along with the phase forms of crystal growth and decomposition and constructive and regressive metamorphism in both loose and dense snow. Illustrated are the morphological features of contact interaction between particles in crystal aggregates under free and tightly packed conditions of growth. Phototables of crystals are furnished with schematics and essential explanatory comments underscoring the most important crystal-morphological features of the hydrothermal fields and the fields of deforming stresses in the snowpack. The presented conceptual model describes the unclosed sublimation-metamorphic evolution cycle of seasonal snow cover and the regional variants of this cycle as its polymorphic (in that number regional) modifications. This model serves as a cornerstone of evolutionary concept. Snow cover is represented as a natural community of the shapes of growing crystals interacting with each other and exposed to environmental influences. It is worked out of the empirical deterministic models describing the sublimation-metamorphic cycle of seasonal snow cover and the polymorphic variants of this cycle. The main driving force of processes yielding an evolutionary row of crystals is the internal interactions within a snow pack. For all that the factor of time (the age of the genetic player) plays a crucial role in sublimation metamorphism. Stadiality of the forms of crystal growth and self-development snow layers are revealed. They are a result of the successive process of superposition of ice crystal-chemical symmetry and dissymmetry of the whole system. Soil-snow-atmosphere, according to the known P. Curie principle. The book is intended for glaciologists and snow scientists employed in the study of the structure of snow cover and in avalanche forecasting as well as for specialists in the field of mineralogical crystallography and crystal growth.

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Book Synopsis“A love poem to the living things that inhabit the mountains and rivers of Washington, coastal Oregon, and southwestern British Columbia.” —Saul Weisberg, executive director, North Cascades Institute More than just a field guide, Cascadia Revealed is the essential trailside reference for naturalists, hikers, and campers. With engaging prose and precise science, Dan Mathews brings the mountains alive with stories of their formation and profiles of the plants, animals, and people that live there. This is the perfect overview to help you discover the wonders of the region. ·Covers the Coast and Cascade Ranges, the Olympic Mountains, the Ranges of Vancouver Island, and the Coast Mountains of southwestern British Columbia ·Describes more than 950 species of plants and animals ·User-friendly, color-coded layout, with helpful keys for easy identification

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Book SynopsisMountains have long held an appeal for people around the world. This book focusses on the diversity of perspectives, interaction and role of tourism within these areas. Providing a vital update to the current literature, it considers the interdisciplinary context of communities, the creation of mountain tourism experiences and the impacts tourism has on these environments. Including authors from Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America, the development, planning and governance issues are also covered.Table of Contents: Part 1. Mountain Tourism Introduction 1: Overview of Mountain Tourism: Substantive Nature, Historical Context, Areas of Focus : Part 2. Experience Provision in Mountain Tourism 2: Experience Provision in Mountain Tourism: Overview, Contextual Development and Emphasis 3: Wellness Tourism Experiences in Mountain Regions: The Case of Sparkling Hill Resort, Canada 4: Creating Tourist Experiences in European Alpine Areas: Beyond Mass Tourism 5: Motivations for a Destination Wedding in Canada’s Mountain Parks 6: Stamp Books in the Harz Mountains, Germany – Fun not Just for Children 7: Significant Innovation in the Development and Provision of Heli-ski Mountain Experiences: The Case of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing 8: From Winter Destination to All-year-round Tourism: How Focus on Service can Reduce Fluctuation in Demand due to Seasonality : Part 3. People and Communities in Mountain Tourism 9: People and Communities in Mountain Tourism: Overview, Contextual Development and Areas of Focus 10: Tourism-led Amenity Migration in a Mountain Community: Quality of Life Implications for Fernie, British Columbia 11; In the Shadow of Machu Picchu: A Case Study of the Salkantay Trail 12: Transformative Wine Tourism in Mountain Communities 13: Sustainable Tourism in the Carpathians 14: Leisure Living in the Alps 15: Australia’s Alpine Areas: Motivations, Experiences and Satisfaction of Visitors to Mt Kosciuszko : Part 4. Natural Environments and Their Connection to Mountain Tourism 16: Natural Environments and Their Connection to Mountain Tourism:Overview, Contextual Development and Areas of Focus 17: Tourism, Environmental Pragmatism and Changing Attitudes Towards Mountains 18: External and Internal Challenges of Glacier Tourism Development in Iceland 19: Hiking Tourism in Germany’s Low and High Mountain Regions 20: Sustainable Mountain Hiking Practices in Isfahan, Iran 21: Two Canadian Mountaineering Camps: Participant Motivations and Sense of Place in a Wilderness Setting : Part 5. Impacts and Solutions in Mountain Tourism 22: Impacts and Solutions in Mountain Tourism: Overview, Contextual Development and Areas of Focus 23: Regional Collaboration in Community-based Mountain Tourism in World Heritage Sites: The Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Cordillera Central Mountains in the Philippines 24: Mountain Tourism Supply-chain Networks in Cross-border Settings: The Case of Intercerdanya, Spain 25: A Moral Turn for Mountain Tourism? 26: Mountain Tourism in Germany: Challenges and Opportunities in Addressing Seasonality at Garmisch-Partenkirchen 27: Tourism and Change in Nepal’s Mt Everest Region 28: Rural Tourism and Small Business Networks in Mountain Areas: Integrating Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and Community in Western Southland, New Zealand : Part 6. Development, Planning and Governance in Mountain Tourism 29: Development, Planning and Governance in Mountain Tourism: Overview, Contextual Development and Areas of Focus 30: Protected Areas in The Alps: Governance and Contributions to Regional Development 31: Setting the Table for Mountain Tourism: The Case of a South African National Park 32: Governance of French Ski Resorts: Will the Historic Economic Development Model Work for the Future? 33: The Development and Design of Ski Resorts: From Theory to Practice 34: Non-government Organizations’ Mountain Management: A Sustainable Support Model for Southern Oregon’s Mountain Destinations 35: Development and Governance of a Family Destination in the Alps: The Case of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis : Part 7. Mountain Tourism Implications 36: Mountain Tourism: Implications and Sustainable Futures

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Book SynopsisK2 is almost 800ft shorter than Everest, yet it’s a far harder climb. Many great mountaineers became obsessed with reaching its summit, not all of them lived to tell of their adventures. Capturing the depth of their obsession, the heart-stopping tension of the climb and delving into the controversy that still surrounds the first ascent, Mick Conefrey delivers the definitive account of the ‘Savage Mountain’. From drug-addicted occultist Aleister Crowley to the brilliant but tortured expedition leader Charlie Houston and, later, the Italian duo who finally made it to the top, Conefrey resurrects the tragic heroes, eccentric dreamers and uncompromising rivalries forever instilled in K2’s legacy. This is the riveting, groundbreaking story of the world’s deadliest mountain.Trade Review‘Only unbridled ambition is going to get you up K2. And the stories of the early attempts and the eventual success illustrate the complexity of the mountain and the climbers who chose to risk it all. Ghosts of K2 brings them back to life.’ -- Peter Edmund Hillary – mountaineer, expedition leader, philanthropist and author‘Mick Conefrey relates the often unedifying, occasionally heroic saga leading to its first ascent with great panache and lucid analysis of little-known material. A significant contribution to mountaineering historical writing.’ -- Jim Perrin – award-winning author of The Villain: The Life of Don Whillans and Snowdon: The Story of a Welsh Mountain‘Mick Conefrey judiciously and lucidly unravels this tangled tale of courage and conflict. And he displays once again... a consummate ability to tell a ripping good climbing yarn.’ -- Maurice Isserman – co-author of Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 BOARDMAN TASKER AWARD FOR MOUNTAIN LITERATUREChanging the narrative of mountaineering books, Sherpa focuses on the people who live and work on the roof of the world.Amid all the foreign adventurers that throng to Nepal to scale the world's highest peaks there exists a small community of mountain people at the foothills of Himalayas. Sherpa tells their story. It's the story of endeavour and survival at the roof of the world. It dives into their culture and tells of their existence at the edge of life and death. Written by Ankit Babu Adhikari - a writer, social science researcher and musician - and Pradeep Bashyal - a journalist with the BBC based in Nepal - Sherpa traces their story pre- and post-mountaineering revolution, their evolution as climbing crusaders with previously unpublished stories from the most notable and incredible Sherpas of the last 50 years.This is the story of the Sherpas.

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Book SynopsisChanging the narrative of mountaineering books, Sherpa focuses on the people who live and work on the roof of the world.Amid all the foreign adventurers that throng to Nepal to scale the world's highest peaks there exists a small community of mountain people at the foothills of Himalayas. Sherpa tells their story. It's the story of endeavour and survival at the roof of the world. It dives into their culture and tells of their existence at the edge of life and death. Written by Ankit Babu Adhikari - a writer, social science researcher and musician - and Pradeep Bashyal - a journalist with the BBC based in Nepal - Sherpa traces their story pre- and post-mountaineering revolution, their evolution as climbing crusaders with previously unpublished stories from the most notable and incredible Sherpas of the last 50 years.This is the story of the Sherpas.

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Book Synopsis*SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BEST SPORTS WRITING BOOK OF THE YEAR*Though it remains by far the world's most famous mountain, in recent years Everest's reputation has changed radically, with long queues of climbers on the Lhotse Face, lurid tales of frozen corpses and piles of high altitude trash. It wasn't always like this though. Once Everest was remote and inaccessible, a mysterious place, where only the bravest and most heroic dared to tread. The first attempt on Everest in 1922 by George Leigh Mallory and a British team is an extraordinary story full of controversy, drama and incident, populated by a set of larger than life characters straight out of Boys Own and Indiana Jones. The expedition ended in tragedy when, on their third bid for the top, Mallory's party was hit by an avalanche that left seven men dead. Using diaries, letters, published and unpublished accounts, Mick Conefrey creates a rich character driven narrative, exploring the motivations and private dramas of key individuals and detailing the back room politics and bitter rivalries that lay behind this epic adventure.Trade ReviewThe 1922 expedition was perhaps the most exciting of all Everest ventures. One hundred years ago virtually nothing was known about the effects of extreme altitude and those brave pioneers were making it up as they went along, pushing the boundaries of human possibility. With his usual forensic analysis and keen eye for the previously untold anecdote, Mick Conefrey re-illuminates one of the greatest mountain adventures of all time. * Stephen Venables *A gloriously British failure: The lost story of the tweed jacket-wearing and Kendal mint cake-eating band of eccentrics who were the first to try to conquer Everest is finally told 100 years on ... The story of that first attempt on the mountain is one history has largely erased. Failure tends to be forgotten. But in its centenary year, that 1922 expedition is celebrated in a gripping new book by mountaineering historian Mick Conefrey. Yes, it was a failure - but a glorious one. * Daily Mail *The history of that derring-do, the politics and the drama are wonderfully captured by Mick Conefrey in his new book Everest 1922 ... it is good to be reminded of its once dark, brooding, remoteness and of the courage which conquered it. * Daily Express *A nuanced, highly readable chronicle of the first attempt on the summit 100 years ago ... The Himalayas were an unknown frontier, and Mr Conefrey captures the awe that adventurers felt in their mighty company. * The Wall Street Journal *An enjoyable ... romp through the pioneering days of Himalayan mountaineering and an engaging and sympathetic portrayal of the almost forgotten 1922 Everest expedition. * Asian Review of Books *A renowned author on Himalayan history. * Trail Magazine *George Mallory's first attempt to summit Mount Everest, in 1922, was more significant than the better-known 1924 expedition that took his life, according to this captivating account from author and documentary filmmaker Conefrey (The Ghosts of K2). The 1922 attempt, whose five total camps ascended from 16,000 to 25,000 feet, "set the style of big-expedition, 'siege'-style mountaineering, with large teams and multiple camps," Conefrey explains. It was also the first expedition to equip its climbers with bottled oxygen, a practice that sparked debates over the legitimacy of oxygen-aided ascents until the 1970s. In addition, the 1922 attempt "created the link between the Sherpa people and Everest which has turned their name into a global brand." Conefrey's exhaustive history documents the initial request for permission to climb from the insular state of Tibet and complications faced by the Mount Everest Committee in acquiring the necessary funds. He draws vivid sketches of the mountaineers-including Mallory, Edward Norton, and Howard Somervell, who shared a "flask of brandy" when they broke the world altitude record-and details disagreements over the expedition's third and final attempt to reach the summit, which triggered a deadly avalanche. This immersive chronicle restores an overlooked expedition to its rightful place in mountaineering history. * Publisher's Weekly *Table of Contentsi: Dramatis Personae ii: Introduction 1: Himalayans at Play 2: No Place for Old Men 3: The Hardest Push 4: Larger than Life 5: Oxygen Drill 6: News from the North 7: We May Be Gone Some Time 8: The Gas Offensive 9: Summit Fever 10: Trouble in the Sanctuary 11: A Terrible Enemy 12: 2020 Hindsight iii: Bibliography and Sources iv: Acknowledgements v: Index

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Book SynopsisIn 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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Book SynopsisOn 25 January 2018, Élisabeth Revol and her climbing partner Tomasz Mackiewicz summited Nanga Parbat, the killer mountain. Situated in the Karakoram, the world’s ninth-highest peak is an immense ice-armoured pyramid of rock rising to an altitude of 8,125 metres. Élisabeth and Tomek had completed only the second winter ascent of the mountain, and Élisabeth had become the first woman to summit Nanga Parbat in winter. But their euphoria was short-lived. As soon as they reached the top, their adventure turned into a nightmare as Tomek was struck by blindness.In her own words, Élisabeth tells the story of this tragedy and the extraordinary rescue operation that resounded across the globe as fellow climbers flew in from K2 to help the stricken pair. She confronts her memories, her terror, her immense pain and the heartbreak of having survived, alone. To Live is Élisabeth Revol’s poignant tribute to her friend and climbing partner.Trade Review'First-person accounts of Himalayan ascents by women are few and far between, and To Live is a worthy addition to any mountain literature collection.' – UKClimbing.com

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Book SynopsisJoe Tasker lies, struck down by illness, in a damp, bug-infested room in the Himalaya, wondering if he will be well enough to climb Dunagiri, his first venture to the ‘big’ mountains. One of Britain’s foremost mountaineers and a pioneer of lightweight climbing, he is about to attempt one of the first true ‘alpine-style’ climbs in the Greater Ranges.The Dunagiri attempt forms part of Tasker’s striking tale of adventure in the savage arena of the mountains. A superb writer, he vividly describes the first British winter ascent of the North Face of the Eiger, the first ascent of the West Wall of Changabang – considered a ‘preposterous’ plan by the climbing world – and his two unsuccessful attempts on K2, the second highest mountain on Earth.Savage Arena is both moving and exciting, an inspirational tale of the adventuring spirit which follows its own path, endlessly seeking new challenges, climbs and difficulties to overcome. It is not reaching the summit which counts, it is the journey to it. It is also a story of the stresses and strains of living for long periods in constant anxiety, often with only one other person, and of the close and vital human relationships which spring from those circumstances.Trade Review‘The most riveting book on climbing that I have ever read.’ – Sir Chris Bonington‘A gripping story of tremendous courage and unbelievable endurance.’ – Sir Edmund HillaryTable of ContentsPublisher's NoteForeword by Chris Bonington 'A Great Partnership'Chapter 1 Or Men Will Come For YouChapter 2 It is Forbidden to Walk on the Track: The EigerChapter 3 It Could be Worse: DunagiriChapter 4 Figures on a Screen: ChangabangChapter 5 ‘Let’s Draw Matchsticks’: K2Chapter 6 In the Treasure House of the Great Snow: KangchenjungaChapter 7 Apocalypse: K2PostscriptChronology

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Book SynopsisThere are few more beautiful places than Scotland’s winter mountains. But even when most of the snow has melted, isolated patches can linger well into summer and beyond. In The Vanishing Ice, Iain Cameron chronicles these remarkable and little-seen relics of the Ice Age, describing how they have fascinated travellers and writers for hundreds of years, and reflecting on the impact of climate change.Iain was nine years old when snow patches first captured his imagination, and they have been inextricably bound with his life ever since. He developed his expertise through correspondence (and close friendship) with research ecologist Dr Adam Watson, and is today Britain’s foremost authority on this weather phenomenon.Iain takes us on a tour of Britain which includes the Scottish Highlands, the Southern Uplands, the Lake District and Snowdonia, seeking elusive patches of snow in wild and often inaccessible locations. His adventures include a perilous climb in the Cairngorms with comedian Ed Byrne, and glorious days spent out on the hills with Andrew Cotter and his very good dogs, Olive and Mabel.Based on sound scientific evidence and personal observations, accompanied by stunning photography and wrapped in Iain’s shining passion for the British landscape, The Vanishing Ice is a eulogy to snow, the mountains and the great outdoors.Trade Review'Possibly the only writer who can pack history, geography, meteorology and adventure into tiny patches of snow.'– Muriel Gray'A man who can make staring at snow not just interesting, but fascinating.'– Muriel Gray'Like some guardian of a lost folk memory, Iain Cameron wanders the Highlands in search of patches of snow that have held out stubbornly against the march of the seasons. Nestled in a remote gully, the last remnant of a forgotten ice age melts into a trickle – and then is gone. His work is done for now, but the snows will return.'– Nicholas Hellen, Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisThere are few more beautiful places than Scotland’s winter mountains. But even when most of the snow has melted, isolated patches can linger well into summer and beyond. In The Vanishing Ice, Iain Cameron chronicles these remarkable and little-seen relics of the Ice Age, describing how they have fascinated travellers and writers for hundreds of years, and reflecting on the impact of climate change.Iain was nine years old when snow patches first captured his imagination, and they have been inextricably bound with his life ever since. He developed his expertise through correspondence (and close friendship) with research ecologist Dr Adam Watson, and is today Britain’s foremost authority on this weather phenomenon.Iain takes us on a tour of Britain which includes the Scottish Highlands, the Southern Uplands, the Lake District and Snowdonia, seeking elusive patches of snow in wild and often inaccessible locations. His adventures include a perilous climb in the Cairngorms with comedian Ed Byrne, and glorious days spent out on the hills with Andrew Cotter and his very good dogs, Olive and Mabel.Based on sound scientific evidence and personal observations, accompanied by stunning photography and wrapped in Iain’s shining passion for the British landscape, The Vanishing Ice is a eulogy to snow, the mountains and the great outdoors.Trade Review'Possibly the only writer who can pack history, geography, meteorology and adventure into tiny patches of snow.'– Muriel Gray'A man who can make staring at snow not just interesting, but fascinating.'– Muriel Gray'Like some guardian of a lost folk memory, Iain Cameron wanders the Highlands in search of patches of snow that have held out stubbornly against the march of the seasons. Nestled in a remote gully, the last remnant of a forgotten ice age melts into a trickle – and then is gone. His work is done for now, but the snows will return.'– Nicholas Hellen, Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisThis book brings together scientists and practitioners from five continents to present their experience in undertaking activities that contribute to our understanding and informed management of mountain areas. In particular, they address the challenges of working in interdisciplinary teams and of effectively involving stakeholders. The result is a powerful book that integrates research from different disciplines in the natural and social sciences, and in some cases indigenous knowledge, to address the question of how knowledge is gained about mountain areas and how can it be integrated and used in effective management. A comprehensive introduction covers the challenges in mountain area research and management, and the need for integrated approaches. This is followed by chapters that look at key areas of mountain research and management over the past 25 years, covering inter-and trans-disciplinary research, subsistence cultures and sustainable development, innovations in watershed management and biodiversity conservation. Subsequent chapters cover key areas of research and management on five continents with a focus on comparison of common challenges and solutions across regions. The concluding chapter brings these experiences together. Published with Parks CanadaTrade Review'An essential resource for anyone interested in contributing to improved livelihoods and environmental stewardship in mountain areas.' Peter Trutmann, Coordinator of the CGIAR Global Mountain Program 'This volume on interdisciplinary work in mountain areas is an excellent compilation of examples as well as lessons learned. In effect it provides guidance on how best to approach such work. While different in training and backgrounds, the [authors] clearly articulate the global conviction that interdisciplinary work is the only approach. This volume of case studies repeats this strong and important message.' Nikita Lopoukhine, Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and former Director General of National Parks, Parks Canada 'Over the past twenty years, the rhetoric surrounding interdisciplinary earth science and public participation in research and management has had a 'wishful thinking' feel to it, unconstrained by a critical analysis of what works in the real world and what doesn't. Finally we have that analysis: a book that examines real-world projects that tried to do the right thing and teases out the lessons we must learn from them.' Greg Greenwood, Director, Mountain Research Initiative 'A highly welcome and timely guide for anyone interested in or supporting improvement of livelihoods and environmental stewardship in mountains as we begin a century and beyond of uncertainty. The authors bring together historical information, interdisciplinary methodology and provide examples of lessons learned that provide options to manage the complexity of interactions in mountains. It is an essential resource for anyone interested in contributing to improved livelihoods and environmental stewardship in mountain areas.' Peter Trutmann, Coordinator of the CGIAR Global Mountain Program 'The book is well illustrated with succinct boxes, figures and tables and has very full bibliographies.' David Pitt, Policy Matters. 'The CLIMET work followed a gradient in the Rockies, from coast to continental, moving through the national parks of Olympic, North Cascade to Glacier Waterton Lakes on the USA Canada Border. The last is a very useful success story which should be widely imitated since it is a rare peace park as well as a World Heritage site. A vital lesson is that conservation depends often on conflict resolution particularly across often irrational (and not only in ecological terms) national boundaries.' David Pitt, Policy MattersTable of ContentsIntegrated Approaches to Research and Management in Mountain Areas: An Introduction * From Local Projects in the Alps to Global Change Programmes in Mountain Areas: The Development of Interdisciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity in the Last 25 Years * From Subsistence Cultures to Sustainable Development: Linking Knowledge Systems for Jhum-Centred Land-Use Management in Northeast India * Policy-Oriented Conservation Design * Introducing Innovations into Watershed Management * Interdisciplinary Research and Management in the Highlands of Eastern Africa: AHI Experiences in the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania * Interdisciplinary Research and Management in Mountain Areas of Arumeru District, Northern Tanzania * The Mountain Mistra Programme: Options for Managing Land Use in the Swedish Mountains * Reconciling the Conservation of Biodiversity with Declining Agricultural Use in the Mountains of Europe: The Challenge of Interdisciplinary Research * Cumulative Effects Assessment: An Approach for Integrated Research and Management in North America‘s Crown of the Continent Ecosystem * The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area: Failings of a Multidisciplinary Rather than an Integrated and Interdisciplinary Approach * Ecological Restoration in the Canadian Rocky Mountains: Developing and Implementing the 1997 Banff National Park Management Plan * Integrated Restoration and Rehabilitation of Powerline Corridors in Mountain National Parks in Australia * Integrated Research on Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems: The CLIMET Project * Integrated Approaches to Research and Management in Mountain Areas: Synthesis and Lessons for the Future * Index

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Book Synopsis'Proof that epic adventures are open to everyone, even if you've got a day job.' Alastair Humphreys Nicknamed 'Mountain Man' by the Sunday Telegraph, James Forrest is the record-breaking adventurer who climbed every mountain in England and Wales in just six months – the fastest ever time. Solo and unsupported, he walked over 1,000 miles and ascended five times the height of Everest during his 446-peak challenge. And he did it all on his days off from work, proving it is possible to integrate an epic adventure into your everyday life. From collapsing tents and horrific storms to near-fatal mountaineering mishaps, James endured his fair share of hardship out in the hills. But the good times far outweighed the bad. He slept wild under the stars, met eccentric locals, and exchanged the 21st century social media bubble for a simpler, more peaceful existence. What did he learn along the way? That life is more fulfilling when you switch off your phone and climb a mountain. Chosen by The Great Outdoors magazine as their book of the year, all readers will be inspired and motivated by James’s amazing adventure, and the book concludes with a section on how YOU can achieve your next adventure. Whether it’s something to get the kids involved in at half term, a fun challenge to tackle solo or with friends, or a record-breaking attempt of epic proportions, James will guide you through everything you need to do to plan and execute your adventure. This paperback edition also features a Foreword by adventurer and writer Anna McNuff.Trade ReviewProof that epic adventures are open to everyone, even if you've got a day job. -- Alastair Humphreys, author of Microadventures

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Book SynopsisThe mountains of Ireland are wild and untrodden. There is a powerful and magnetic quality to Ireland’s high places, a mix of mountains and sea that creates an indelible impression and inexorably draws one back. From High Places is a celebration of Ireland’s great mountains. A collection of stunning images taken from the peaks of these mountains, it will transport you from the quartzite giants of Connemara, the wild summits of Donegal, the sweeping mountains of Mourne, to the towering peaks of Kerry. In addition to these images, the author describes his own unique experiences exploring these mountain areas and interweaves these with an account of the local history, folklore, and geology. From High Places will inspire the reader, be they beginner or experienced hill-walker, to set out and explore the magnificent mountains Ireland has to offer.Trade Review"Some might wonder why people want to walk on our hills. Quite simply, this book is why. It is a glorious celebration, and the enthusiasm of the author for his subject abounds on every page. This book also reminds us that our mountains are perhaps one of our most precious resources, to be savoured, treasured, and denied to none.' Alan Tees, President, Mountaineering Ireland

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Book SynopsisSnowdonia has a great story to tell, of ancient oceans, mountains, volcanoes and climate change. The mountain landscape of Snowdonia is the result of everything that has happenend to it over geological time - the product of the ancient landscapes that went before it, fragments of which are preserved by rocks and landforms within the present landscape, providing clues of a forgotten past that can be read as you appreciate Snowdonia's wild beauty. The present landscape has also been shaped by the people that have worked the land and exploited its minerals.

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Book SynopsisLandscape, politics and history: the Italian mountains as a crucible of national and natural identity. This book is part of a wider current in environmental history, that explores the links between nature and nation. It uncovers how Italian identity and mountains have constituted one another. It argues that state regimes since unification in 1861 have made mountains into national symbols and resources, thereby affecting mountain communities and ecosystems. The nationalisation of Italian mountains has been a story of military conquest and resistance, ecological and social transformation, expropriating resources and imposing meanings. The wind of 'big' history was rolling through the Alps and the Apennines: State building and national identities, totalitarianism and democracy, economic development and environmental protection, scientific knowledge and vernacular practices are the substance of this book. The book starts with the revaluation of mountains as the repository of the last Italian wilderness and chronicles the discovery/ invention of mountains as wild, primitive, and rebellious places needing to be tamed. War World I permanently transformed mountain landscapes and people, nationalising both. When the Fascists came to power, the process of politicisation of mountains reached its acme; the regime constructed and exploited mountains both rhetorically and materially, on one hand celebrating ruralism and rural people and, on the other, giving mountain natural resources to large hydro-electric corporations. Having been the sanctuary of Resistance against the Nazi-Fascist occupation, the Italian mountains were emptied by the economic boom of the 1960s; only recently have the green of natural parks and the white of the ski resorts become the distinctive colors of the new, tourist-oriented Italian mountains.Trade ReviewThis is a highly original book that changes the way we think about one of the oldest and most studied nations on earth. Through abundant details and intriguing stories, Armiero convincingly shows how central to Italy's identity its mountains have become. Donald Worster, author of A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir Armiero scales the summits of environmental history, deftly blending cultural and materialist approaches. His book provides a full and fascinating account of the evolving role of mountains in shaping Italian nationalist imagination and the role of nationalism in shaping the mountain landscapes. J.R. McNeill [Armiero] deftly weaves together the varied threads of ecological and socioeconomic connections of mountain country and mountain peoples in the fabric of modern Italian history. The result is a rich and convincing pattern revealing the shapes of mountain images and mountain realities in culture, resistance movements, war, hydropower development, and landscape changes ... a new perspective on Italy. (Donald Hughes, Environmental History) Armiero proves the centrality of the European Alps and the Apennines in the narratives of the nation and its territory from the very beginning of the process of unification, and also in the conception and implementation of major public policies related to forestry, energy, tourism ... he combines, in a very fruitful way, an approach in terms of environmental history and the analysis of the symbolic aspects of the building of the Italian nation, materiality, and narratives. (Bernard Debarbieux, Mountain Research and Development)Table of ContentsCONTENTS: Introduction Chapter 1. Wild Mountains Chapter 2. Rebel Mountains Chapter 3. Heroic Mountains Chapter 4. Dark Mountains Chapter 5. Epilogue

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Book SynopsisLandscape, politics and history: the Italian mountains as a crucible of national and natural identity. This book is part of a wider current in environmental history, that explores the links between nature and nation. It uncovers how Italian identity and mountains have constituted one another. It argues that state regimes since unification in 1861 have made mountains into national symbols and resources, thereby affecting mountain communities and ecosystems. The nationalisation of Italian mountains has been a story of military conquest and resistance, ecological and social transformation, expropriating resources and imposing meanings. The wind of 'big' history was rolling through the Alps and the Apennines: State building and national identities, totalitarianism and democracy, economic development and environmental protection, scientific knowledge and vernacular practices are the substance of this book. The book starts with the revaluation of mountains as the repository of the last Italian wilderness and chronicles the discovery/ invention of mountains as wild, primitive, and rebellious places needing to be tamed. World War I permanently transformed mountain landscapes and people, nationalising both. When the Fascists came to power, the process of politicisation of mountains reached its acme; the regime constructed and exploited mountains both rhetorically and materially, on one hand celebrating ruralism and rural people and, on the other, giving mountain natural resources to large hydro-electric corporations. Having been the sanctuary of Resistance against the Nazi-Fascist occupation, the Italian mountains were emptied by the economic boom of the 1960s; only recently have the green of natural parks and the white of the ski resorts become the distinctive colors of the new, tourist-oriented Italian mountains.Trade Review[Armiero] deftly weaves together the varied threads of ecological and socioeconomic connections of mountain country and mountain peoples in the fabric of modern Italian history. The result is a rich and convincing pattern revealing the shapes of mountain images and mountain realities in culture, resistance movements, war, hydropower development, and landscape changes ... a new perspective on Italy. (Donald Hughes, Environmental History) Armiero proves the centrality of the European Alps and the Apennines in the narratives of the nation and its territory from the very beginning of the process of unification, and also in the conception and implementation of major public policies related to forestry, energy, tourism ... he combines, in a very fruitful way, an approach in terms of environmental history and the analysis of the symbolic aspects of the building of the Italian nation, materiality, and narratives. (Bernard Debarbieux, Mountain Research and Development)Table of ContentsCONTENTS: Introduction Chapter 1. Wild Mountains Chapter 2. Rebel Mountains Chapter 3. Heroic Mountains Chapter 4. Dark Mountains Chapter 5. Epilogue

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisPraise for The Weekender Effect: What happens to paradise when you carve it up into lots and sell it? Bob Sandford writes about it with clarity and a deep love of the places he knows so well. Sandford''s story of one town''s mutation from a quiet mountain haven to an overcrowded, generic ''outpost of globalization'' is essential reading for those who care about community and our last few glorious spaces. --Thomas Wharton, author of Icefields, Salamander and The Logogryph Equal parts manifesto, meditation, and love song to mountain communities everywhere, this calmly passionate book belongs in every house, condo, tent and backpack in the mountain West and on university courses on nature writing, the environment, community, citizenship, sense of place, human geography and many more. This is essential reading for anyone who lives in, lusts after or loves the mountains. --Pamela Banting, President, Association for Literature, the Environment and Culture in Canada As cities continue to grow at unprecedented rates, more and more people are looking for peaceful, weekend retreats in mountain or rural communities. More often than not, these retreats are found in and around resorts or places of natural beauty. As a result, what once were small towns are fast becoming mini cities, complete with expensive housing, fast food, traffic snarls and environmental damage, all with little or no thought for the importance of local history, local people and local culture. The Weekender Effect is a passionate plea for considered development in these bedroom communities and for the necessary preservation of local values, cultures and landscapes.

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Book SynopsisWritten with fell walkers and other countryside enthusiasts in mind this thoroughly engaging and absorbing book shows that there is much more to the Lake District than simply 'stanes and watter'. Have you ever wondered why Scafell is different from Skiddaw, or why the east side of Helvellyn is different from the west side, or why Ullswater is different from Windermere, or why the summit of Helm Crag is, well, a bit craggy? If so, this book will provide some answers, together with a deeper understanding of how the fell country acquired its special characteristics. The physical landscape of the Lake District acts like a giant magnet, attracting several million visitors every year to the fell country. From John Constable to Alfred Wainwright, via William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter, the Lake District has inspired visitors and residents alike. Although often romanticised in words and pictures as static and enduring, the mountains of the Lake District are dynamic elements of nature undergoing constant change. Media interest in climate change, storms, floods and landslides has done much to increase the public's perception of a 'dynamic' rather than a 'static' physical landscape. For those who think they know all there is to know about the mountains of the Lake District this book provides details of a different facet that is accessible to all who take the time 'to stand and stare'Table of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgements ix Preamble xi CHAPTER ONE: Introduction 1 CHAPTER TWO: The geology of the Lake District 13 CHAPTER THREE: The pre-glacial landscape 33 CHAPTER FOUR: Glaciation and related landforms 45 CHAPTER FIVE: Periglacial processes and landforms 87 CHAPTER SIX: Hillslope processes and landforms 111 CHAPTER SEVEN: Rivers, Lakes and Tarns 127 CHAPTER EIGHT: Limestone landforms 167 CHAPTER NINE: Man-made landforms 179 CHAPTER TEN: Finale 191 Further Reading 195 Societies 204 Index 205

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Book SynopsisThe story of the Snowdonia National Park and the Society, dedicated to conserving and enhancing its unique landscape, is one which will fascinate and inform those who live and work within it as well as being of interest to visitors, be they picnickers or sightseers or committed hill walkers, climbers, canoeists and mountain bikers. This book commemorates the fortieth anniversary of the Snowdonia Society and is a record of its sometimes turbulent history and the ever-changing but still inspiring landscape of the National Park. Created in 1951, the Snowdonia National Park is a landscape of rugged grandeur, great natural diversity and cultural associations going back thousands of years. The vision of its founders was that this very special region should be protected from harmful development for all time. From the beginning, however, there were problems? Out of these difficulties grew the idea of an independent society dedicated to conserving and enhancing the landscape. Today the Snowdonia Society has a membership of over 2,500 and has a close working relationship with both the Snowdonia National Park Authority and the Council for National Parks. This lively narrative chronicles the story of the Snowdonia Society ? its successes and failures, its internal conflict and the personalities involved ? as well as discussing the wider issues which have affected this unique landscape over the last forty years. This lavishly illustrated book will appeal to anyone who loves the rugged landscape of Snowdonia, published in dual language text of English and Welsh.Table of ContentsMap of locations 4List of Plates 5Preface by Sir Chris Bonington, CBE 7Early Days 1967-77 12Introduction 12The Society 14Landscape and Planning 18Growing Up 1977-87 30The Society 30Landscape and Planning 36Coming of Age 1987-97 46The Society 46Landscape and Planning 54Enhancement 60Into the Present 1997-2007 66The Society 66Landscape issues 72Enhancement 76Policy issues 82Conclusion 86Postscript by John Disley, CBE 88References 90Acknowledgements 91

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Book SynopsisCompiled and co-authored by veteran climber Grant Farquhar with contributions from a range of voices within Scotland's close-knit climbing community, A' Chreag Dhearg traces the rich climbing history of Angus Glens. Although less frequented than the forbidding ramparts of Glencoe or Skye, the crags and gullies in this unique area of the Cairngorms harbour classic summer and winter lines that have attracted some of Scotland's most respected climbers over the course of a century. In this engaging collection of vignettes and photographs, the origins of many of the glens' best-loved routes are described in intimate detail in an entertaining style that will appeal to both local climbers and those seeking new ventures to explore. The authors have woven the distinctive dialect and humour of this corner of Scotland into the narrative, imbuing it with a quality that is, by turns, both edgy and wistful. Despite the deceptively narrow scope of this story, the breadth with which it is considered here captures the way that climbing has developed in Scotland over time, and how this history is often exceptionally localised. A' Chreag Dhearg is both a tribute to Victorian pioneers and latter-day trailblazers and a poignant reflection on formative, youthful endeavours.

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Book SynopsisNorthern Horizons is the story of one runner's lifelong love affair with the mountains of Scotland and Cumbria. It is also a guidebook, and therefore an invitation to join a growing community that finds both solace and thrill in moving fleet-footed through the hills.

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Book Synopsis'Mountains of the Yorkshire Dales' is the essential companion to walking the 31 rolling fells around the National Park that rise above 2000 feet. Paul Hannon's half-century of exploring the Dales has culminated in this hugely practical guidebook to hillwalks above Wharfedale and Wensleydale, Dentdale and Swaledale.

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Book SynopsisMost of us can watch an old episode of the holiday programme Wish You Were Here without it having the life-changing effect that it had on postman Edward Buckingham. For Ed, a young man from humble origins in Cornwall, the draw of Kilimanjaro and the high mountains of the world would change his life forever. It would also very nearly end his life during a fall from high on Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world.Drawn to high places, Ed embarked on a journey that would take him to the summit of the highest mountain on every continent. His seven summits actually involved ten summits - he climbed the highest summit in Western Europe, Mont Blanc, and the highest in Continental Europe, Mount Elbrus, as well as summiting Australia s Mount Kosciusko and the far more remote Papua New Guinea summit of Carstenz Pyramid, the highest point in Australasia. And, of course, Cho Oyu.In 7 Summits, Ed tells of hardship and near-death experiences on Cho Oyu, the sheer scale and suffering in being the first Cornishman to ascend Everest, as well as his final summit, Mount Vinson in Antarctica. Ed develops as a man throughout his quest. Always humble, working hard for the Royal Mail delivering post to fund his trips, on his early trip to Aconcagua and on his first attempt on Mont Blanc he is very much a novice mountaineer, but his passion for the outdoors and willingness to help his fellow climbers is always there. During his fifteen-year quest Ed's experience grows, particularly in the sub-Arctic of Alaska, where his ascent of Denali tested his stamina and equipment to the limit. At the culmination of his quest, he emerges as a capable climber, fit and strong and by sheer determination has become a world-class athlete, running full and ultra marathons, climbing mountains and delivering post.Table of Contents1 The Roof of Africa2 Growing Up 3 Aconcagua 2001 4 Breaking Down on a Summit 5 Alaska 6 Unfinished Business 7 The Himalaya 8 Making a Comeback from Setbacks 9 The Jewel in the Crown 10 Pushing for Summit 11 The Goal of Seven Summits 12 The Waiting Game 13 My Swansong 14 My Fifteen-Year Degree 15 Mud, Sweat and the Penis Gourd 16 The True Seventh Summit Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisShortlisted - Cross British Sports Book Awards 2015. Grand Prize Winner - 2014 Banff Mountain Book Festival. 'The wall was the ambition, the style became the obsession.' 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 twenty-eight 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. One Day As A Tiger, John Porter's revelatory and poignant memoir of his friend Alex MacIntyre, shows mountaineering at its extraordinary best and tragic worst - and draws an unforgettable picture of a dazzling, argumentative and exuberant legend.Trade Review'One Day As A Tiger gets at truths that very few biographies of mountaineers have touched. That Porter waited three decades to tell the story of his lost comrade no doubt accounts for much of the wisdom and power of this remarkable book.' (David Roberts, Judge, Banff Mountain Book Festival). 'Porter's writing is uncluttered and effortless ... capturing an extraordinary time when alpinism was dangerous and rebellious. I wholeheartedly recommend this excellent book.' (Ian Parnell, Climb Magazine). 'This book, which is full of humour and anecdotes, is written with exceptional liveliness. It is among the great books of alpinism.' (Vertical Magazine). 'A fine and intelligent book.' (Daily Mail). 'A book on climbing both humorous and perceptive, as close to the essence of our life as you can get.' (Doug Scott). 'One of the most intelligent, closely observed and engaging books ever written about mountaineering.' (David Pickford, Climb Magazine). 'A meticulously-researched history of a generation of climbers so fuelled by ambition and adrenalin that they came close to climbing themselves into extinction.' (Bernadette McDonald, Author of Freedom Climbers). 'Sid Vicious sang "Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention." One of my greatest regrets is never having the chance to meet Alex MacIntyre. He was a true inspiration. In One Day As A Tiger, John Porter skilfully and eloquently fills the gaps and answers the questions about a time and a style in British mountaineering that were as refreshing as punk rock was to music in the 1970s.' (Nick Bullock). 'One Day As A Tiger is a brilliant read on so many different levels; a vivid and perceptive biography of one of the most talented and innovative climbers of his generation, but going much further to unveil a forgotten story which encompasses the breathtaking confidence of the anarchic and dynamic climbing culture that grew up during the cold war on both sides of the Iron Curtain.' (Chris Bonington). 'I won't beat about the bush: if there's just one climbing biography you should read this year, this is it.' (Steve Long, The Professional Mountaineer magazine).

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Book SynopsisFrom the Wetterhorn in 1854 to the Matterhorn in 1865 – from triumph to tragedy – the Alps were conquered in a decade. It was what Reverend W.A.B. Coolidge called the ‘golden age of alpinism,’ the era of the first great guides (Christian Almer, Melchoir Anderegg, Michel Croz) and gentlemen climbers (Leslie Stephen, John Tyndall, Edward Whymper).Almost all European Alpine clubs were founded during this period, crowned by the successful ascents of the Aiguille Verte, the Matterhorn, and the Brenva face of Mont Blanc. Summits were no longer scaled in the name of science, but for the beauty and difficulty of ascents that embodied the pleasure of the ‘noble sport’ of mountaineering, as invented during this golden decade.1865: the Golden Age of Mountaineering, by Gilles Modica, documents this great time in the history of alpinism. Illustrated with 350 photographs and illustrations and lavishly produced, it is co-published in English and French by Vertebrate Publishing and Éditions Paulsen.Table of ContentsIntroduction: 1865, the Golden Age of Mountaineering; Chapter 1: Early Ascents (1744-1854); Chapter 2: James David Forbes and Albert Smith; Chapter 3: The Wetterhorn - 17 September 1854; Chapter 4: Chamonix Guides - Auguste Balmat and Francois Devouassoud; Chapter 5: Chamois Hunters; Chapter 6: One Guide or Another - La Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix; Chapter 7: Charles Hudson - or Mont Blanc without Guides; Chapter 8: The Alpine Club; Chapter 9: John Ball and John Ruskin; Chapter 10: Johann Josef Bennen - First Attempts on the Matterhorn; Chapter 11: Conquering the Weisshorn; Chapter 12: The Race to the Matterhorn - John Tyndall and Edward Whymper; Chapter 13: John Tyndall (1820-1893); Chapter 14: Shaggy Natives, Gentlemen Travellers - Nutrition and Health; Chapter 15: Shaggy Natives, Gentlemen Travellers - Early Equipment and Techniques; Chapter 16: Leslie Stephen - The Schreckhorn; Chapter 17: Francis Fox Tuckett - At the Height of the Golden Age; Chapter 18: A.W. Moore - Keeping up the Pace, 20 June - 27 July 1864; Chapter 19: The Year 1865; Chapter 20: Edward Whymper - A Keen 'Wanter'; Chapter 21: The Matterhorn - Mr Whymper's White Trousers; Chapter 22: The Matterhorn - Taugwalder's Rope; Chapter 23: The Brenva Spur; Appendices: Major Alpine Firsts; Bibliography; Picture Credits; The Author; Acknowledgements; Viatimages and Viaticalpes.

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Book Synopsis'Me not belong in the mountains? Why, I couldn't go on living without them! My thoughts, my dreams, my whole life were nothing but the mountains!'In 1953 Hermann Buhl made the first ascent of Nanga Parbat - the ninth-highest mountain in the world, and the third 8,000-metre peak to be climbed, following Annapurna and Everest. It was one of the most incredible and committed climbs ever made.Continuing alone and without supplementary oxygen, Buhl made a dash for the summit after his partners turned back. On a mountain that had claimed thirty-one lives, an exhausted Buhl waded through deep snow and climbed over technical ground to reach the summit, driven on by an 'irresistible urge'. After a night spent standing on a small ledge at over 8,000 metres, Buhl returned forty-one hours later, exhausted and at the very limit of his endurance.Written shortly after Buhl's return from the mountain, Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage is a classic of mountaineering literature that has inspired thousands of climbers. It follows Buhl's inexorable rise from rock climber to alpinist to mountaineer, until, almost inevitably, he makes his phenomenal Nanga Parbat climb. Buhl's book, and ascent, reminded everyone that, while the mountains could never be conquered, they could be climbed with sufficient enthusiasm, spirit and dedication.Table of ContentsTranslator's introduction Introduction to the 1998 edition About the author In the mountains of North Tyrol 'They'll never make a climber of me' A lesson from death End of an Alpine apprenticeship Grade VI - in the limestone cliffs Three routes on the Schusselkar The dying mountain - the north wall of the Praxmarerkarspitze Head-first to life The extreme edge of the abyss - the Mauk west wall Straight on up - the Laliderer wall Change of occupation - the ski-racer Avalanches, plaster casts and a hint of spring The Dolomite fairyland Smuggler's journey into Fairyland Once in a lifetime - Goldkappel south wall The north-east wall of the Furchetta A climb on probation Ice-glazed rock, waterfalls and stones The Royal Wall of the Civetta Winter training In the hell of a blizzard - Schusselkar wall Twenty-five summits in thirty-three hours The cold arete In the ice of the Western Alps The wall of ice and grit The north wall of the Triolet Only eight hours - but productive! Christmas on the precipices Climbing on steeples Turned down by the Jorasses Dreams come true Thunder on the Aiguille Noire A storm on the Monarch The south-west wall of the Marmolada, in winter Down a crevasse and an Alpine wager The buttress of the Grandes Jorasses Fifteen peaks at one bite The Matterhorn and a flagon of wine Gymnastics on rock - the north wall of the Western Zinne A climber went a-wooing We had to bivouac after all - on the Tofana buttress Badile - north-east wall Preparation for a great objective The mountain crucible - Eiger north wall The daily round intervenes Alone on a winter's night - east wall of the Watzmann Nanga Parbat Below 26,000 feet Above 26,000 feet Epilogue - A year later.

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Book SynopsisMore than just a travel guide, The Call of the Mountains is a lyrical testament to the power of the Scottish mountains to offer anyone of reasonable fitness either simple enjoyment or a deeper journey of transformation. From the pinnacles of Skye to the rolling plateau of the Cairngorms; from the flanks of Ben Lomond to the Pass of Glencoe; from the summit of Ben Nevis to far away Ben Hope – these lands can be your gymnasiums, your art galleries and your sacred spaces all in one. Based on 1,000 miles of trekking across these mountains, this book shows you: • Where to find the best views • How geology, history, culture, flora and fauna have shaped these mountainscapes • How engagement with these lands can nurture your spirit, as well as your body and mindTrade Review'Scotland has inspired legions of explorers and adventurers; this book will show you why. A wonderful journey through landscape, culture and obsession.' --MYLES FARNBANK, Director of Wilderness Scotland'This book quickly drew me in. These journeys are precisely depicted through the author's perceptive eye for detail and his obvious passion for the outdoors.' --STEVEN FALLON, mountain guide and record-holder for completing all the Munros 15 times'This is a wonderful book that should be read, and will then probably be re-read, by just about anyone with any interest in Scotland's mountains.' --Undiscovered Scotland

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Book Synopsis'All mountaineers develop differently. Some go higher, some try ever-steeper faces and others specialise in a particular range or region. I am increasingly drawn to remoteness – to places where few others have trod.'The Wild Within is the third book from Simon Yates, one of Britain's most accomplished and daring mountaineers. With his insatiable appetite for adventure and exploratory mountaineering, Yates leads unique expeditions to unclimbed peaks in the Cordillera Darwin in Tierra del Fuego, the Wrangell St-Elias ranges on the Alaska-Yukon border, and Eastern Greenland. Laced with dry humour, he relates his own experience of the rapid commercialisation of mountain wilderness, while grappling with his new-found commitments as a family man. At the same time he must endure his role in the film adaptation of Joe Simpson's Touching The Void, having to relive the events of that trip to Peru for a Hollywood director.Yates' subsequent escape to the some of the world's most remote mountains isn't quite the experience it once was, as he witnesses first hand the advance of modern communications into the wilderness, signalled by the ubiquitous mobile phone masts appearing in once-deserted mountain valleys. He is left to dwell on the remaining significance of mountain wilderness and must rediscover what the notion of 'wild' means for him now.Trade Review"This book makes essential reading." (Simon Richardson, Climber magazine). "...a very good read, full of great stories and inspiration. It should be on the reading list of any budding expeditioneer." (Kenton Cool, Climb Magazine). "The Wild Within by Simon Yates is more than a standard mountaineering memoir. Yates is an insightful writer." (Lindsay Griffin, Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature). "In some ways The Wild Within is a lament for a lost world of wilderness and the reader leaves with a tinge of sadness that the world is so linked up, but it's also a celebration that the spirit of wilderness John Muir so eloquently described as being essential to the human soul. It's a big departure from previous books Against the Wall and The Flame of Adventure, but a departure that's more than succeeded." (Dave Mycroft, MyOutdoors.co.uk). "The Wild Within takes the reader to the outer limits of mountaineering experience and frames the journey in all its elemental power and mystery. The author's first book for Vertebrate can be considered a success. It can only further cement his reputation as a romantic wanderer and wilderness narrator." (John Appleby, Footless Crow). "Simon Yates has the rare ability to capture the reader's attention in the first few sentences and then to maintain interest until the very last sentence in the book. This personal tale of adventure and remarkable mountaineering skill is one that I couldn't put down until I had finished it!" (Joyce Wilson, Keswick Reminder).Table of ContentsIntroductionCordillera Darwin – Tierra Del Fuego MapOne That’s Very AmbitiousTwo Not Very ProfessionalThree The Way of the GauchoFour All Your Front TeethFive Life is GoodSix More Like Being AbroadSeven It Might not be the HardestMilne Land – Eastern Greenland MapEight A Plane CrasherNine It’s Like PantomimeTen I’ll Never Do Anything BetterWrangell-St Elias Ranges – Alaska/Yukon MapEleven Not for the Faint-HeartedEpilogueAcknowledgements

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Book Synopsis‘He appeared, without a word, in the tent’s entrance, covered in ice. He looked like anyone would after spending over twenty-four hours in a hurricane at over 8,000 metres. In winter. In the Karakoram. He was so exhausted he couldn’t speak.’Of all the games mountaineers play on the world’s high mountains, the hardest – and cruellest – is climbing the fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres in the bitter cold of winter. Ferocious winds that can pick you up and throw you down, freezing temperatures that burn your lungs and numb your bones, weeks of psychological torment in dark isolation: these are adventures for those with an iron will and a ruthless determination.For the first time, award-winning author Bernadette McDonald tells the story of how Poland’s ice warriors made winter their own, perfecting what they dubbed ‘the art of suffering’ as they fought their way to the summit of Everest in the winter of 1980 – the first 8,000-metre peak they climbed this way but by no means their last. She reveals what it was that inspired the Poles to take up this brutal game, how increasing numbers of climbers from other nations were inspired to enter the arena, and how competition intensified as each remaining peak finally submitted to leave just one awaiting a winter ascent, the meanest of them all: K2.Winter 8000 is the story of true adventure at its most demanding.Trade ReviewMcDonald shines a burning and intimate light into the souls of those who push themselves to the very edge of what is humanly possible. An instant mountaineering classic.JIMMY CHIN, CO-DIRECTOR OF FREE SOLO -- Jimmy ChinBernadette McDonald has the skill and experience to work on the largest Himalayan tapestry, the epic history, as well as pick at its individual human threads.ANDY KIRKPATRICK, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF PSYCHOVERTICAL AND COLD WARS -- Andy KirkpatrickIn Winter 8000, Bernadette McDonald demonstrates once more her essential contribution to mountaineering history. With vividness and keen insight, she evokes a world that few experience first-hand: the landscapes of black ice, thin air and searing cold – as well as the haunting inner realms of people drawn to the isolation of the highest peaks and the darkest months.KATIE IVES, ALPINIST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF -- Katie IvesReading Bernadette’s superb book brought back memories of our attempt on the South-West Face of Everest in autumn 1972 when the wind and bitter cold overtook us. K2 is the only 8,000-metre peak still unclimbed in winter. Already the most difficult and dangerous mountain in the world, its first winter ascent remains a huge challenge for climbers of this generation and the future.SIR CHRIS BONINGTON -- Sir Chris BoningtonThere are no stories more terrifying, dramatic, and tearful than the abundant struggles, frequent tragedies, and rare successes in winter Himalayan climbing.STEVE HOUSE, ALPINIST, AUTHOR OF BEYOND THE MOUNTAIN -- Steve HouseBernadette McDonald has done it again. She has chronicled the first winter ascents of the fourteen highest peaks on Earth by men and women who pushed the limits of mountaineering to glorious new extremes at a terrible cost. Rich in character and conflict, Winter 8000 never turns its back on the central question: Is it worth the risk?DAVID ROBERTS, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF MOUNTAIN OF MY FEAR -- David RobertsBernadette McDonald’s clear-eyed portrayal of the men and women who embark on these ferocious adventures reveals their addiction to the cruel, rarefied beauty of the high Himalaya, and how intense ambition pushes them to risk destroying their lives and shattering the hearts of those who love them.MARIA COFFEY, AUTHOR OF WHERE THE MOUNTAIN CASTS ITS SHADOW -- Maria CoffeyWith this book, Bernadette McDonald burnishes her already shining reputation as one of our great climbing historians. These accounts give us a fascinating portrayal of the few alpinists who are willing to endure winter ascents of the world’s highest mountains.STEVE SWENSON, AUTHOR OF KARAKORAM: CLIMBING THROUGH THE KASHMIR CONFLICT -- Steve SwensonTable of ContentsIntroduction A Solitary VisionChapter One Everest – First Time LuckyChapter Two Manaslu – Zakopane BoysChapter Three Dhaulagiri – The Looking GlassChapter Four Cho Oyu – Two for TwoChapter Five Kangchenjunga – How Much Is Too Much?Chapter Six Annapurna – Carpe DiemChapter Seven Lhotse – Climbing in a CorsetChapter Eight Shishapangma – The ItalianChapter Nine Makalu – Two Against the WindChapter Ten Gasherbrum II – AvalancheChapter Eleven Gasherbrum I – Lost FathersChapter Twelve Broad Peak – Unfinished BusinessChapter Thirteen Nanga Parbat – Magnificent ObsessionChapter Fourteen K2 – A Mountain for ThoroughbredsConclusion Ice WarriorsAppendix A Selected List of ClimbersAppendix B Summary of First Winter Ascents of 8000ers

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Book Synopsis'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?Table of ContentsThe Challenge1. Europe: 1938 Route, North Face of the Eiger (Switzerland)2. Asia: South-West Ridge of Ama Dablam (Nepal)3. North America: The Nose, El Capitan, Yosemite (USA)4. South America: South-West Face of Alpamayo, Cordillera Blanca (Peru)5. Africa: Traverse of Nelion and Batian, Mount Kenya (Kenya)6. Australasia/Oceania: Linda Glacier Route, Aoraki/Mount Cook (New Zealand)7. Antarctica: Coast-to-Coast Traverse of the Salvesen Range, South Georgia (UK Overseas Territory)Not-So-Final Thoughts

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