Since his epic battle for survival in the Andes, recounted in Touching the Void, Joe Simpson has experienced a life filled with adventure but marred by death. He has endured the painful attrition of climbing friends in accidents which call into question the perilously exhilarating activity to which he has devoted his whole life. Probability is inexorably closing in. The tragic loss of a close friend forces a momentous decision. It is time to turn his back on the mountains that he has loved. Never more alive than when most at risk, he has come to see a last climb on the mile-high North Face of the Eiger as the cathartic finale to his climbing career.In a narrative that takes the reader through extreme experiences from an avalanche in Bolivia, ice-climbing in the Alps and Colorado and paragliding in Spain -- before his final confrontation with the Eiger -- Simpson reveals the inner truth of climbing, exploring the power of the mind and the frailties of the body through intensely lived accounts of exhilaration and despair. The subject of his new book is the siren song of fear and his struggle to come to terms with it.

    None of these, however, equals the drama of his first summit: 8000-meter peak Nanga Parbat. Thirty-two years later, Messner is still haunted by the events of June, 1970. While others on the expedition retreated, Reinhold Messner went for the summit, leaving his brother, Gunther, behind with the team photographer. Some hours later he found that Gunther had followed him. The two reached the summit but Gunther developed altitude sickness; he was incapable of descending the technically-challenging route they had taken in reaching the summit. They became separated during the descent via the Diamir Flank, and when Reinhold returned to where he had left Gunther, his brother was gone. Back at basecamp, ugly accusations were exchanged between members of the expedition and a court battle followed in Germany. In this new book Reinhold Messner revisits this most painful period in his life, reviewing his own actions and blaming others for the way things turned out on Nanga Parbat.

    and 3,000 ft.) and many other popular lower hills. Other hills include popular classics such as Criffel, Tinto, The Pentlands, The Eildons, The Ochils, Ben Venue, Mount Blair, Bennachie, Stac Pollaidh, Suilven and a wide range of hills throughout the islands, from Lewis to Arran.

    This guidebook describes 87 walks and scrambles on the Isle of Skye, visiting the island's most a....

    Three exploratory Himalayan ventures followed including the critical 1951 reconnaissance trip that established the route by which Everest was climbed two years later. Thereafter he built a reputation as a writer and environmental polemicist and was deeply involved with the struggle to protect the Highlands from commercial exploitation.

    Now there's a concise guide that allows everyone from families and seniors to experienced hikers and mountaineers to enjoy this fun and rewarding activity.Highpoint Adventures offers the easiest route up each of the 50 state highpoints and includes detailed route descriptions, expert advice on planning, tips on equipment and safety, easy to understand ratings, instructions on reaching trailheads and access points, and elevation profiles and maps to find your way. There's even a trip log to record your successes. Whether you're a first-timer on a road trip with the kids, or a veteran climber seeking the ultimate challenge of Alaska's Mount McKinley, it's all here-even complete information for mountain bikers. Contains fascinating tips on nearby points of historic interest and plenty of side trips for family fun. Includes wheelchair access information. Charlie Winger has 25-plus years of hiking and mountaineering experience. Diane Winger has been a rock climber since the 1980s but admits her favorite activity now is trekking around the globe. Both are active in the national Highpointers Club. They live in Beulah, Colorado.304 pages, 5 x 8, 102 b&w photos, 123 maps, paperbound, $15.95, ISBN CHighpoint AdventuresA Concise Guide tothe 50 State HighpointsCharlie and Diane WingerDrive, hike, or climb your way to the top of every state in the nationFind the easiest routes up each of the 50 state highpointsDiscover local sites, points of interests, and all kinds of entertaining things to do along the wayWritten in an entertaining style that will keep readers laughing and enthusiasm running high.Highpointing, that is driving, hiking, or climbing to the highest summit in a state, has taken off, with enthusiastic clubs in all 50 states. Now there's a concise guide that allows everyone from families and seniors to experienced hikers and mountaineers to enjoy this fun and rewarding activity.Highpoint Adventures offers the easiest route up each of the 50 state highpoints and includes detailed route descriptions, expert advice on planning, tips on equipment and safety, easy to understand ratings, instructions on reaching trailheads and access points, and elevation profiles and maps to find your way. There's even a trip log to record your successes. Whether you're a first-timer on a road trip with the kids, or a veteran climber seeking the ultimate challenge of Alaska's Mount McKinley, it's all here-even complete information for mountain bikers. Contains fascinating tips on nearby points of historic interest and plenty of side trips for family fun. Includes wheelchair access information.

    Mountain climbing adventures around the world.