Description
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 Challenge
1. 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
