It is an unparalleled showcase of both the heartbreaking tragedy and the ineffable joy Viesturs has experienced while striving at the limits of human endurance.At the center of this extraordinary account of his mountaineering adventures are Viesturs’s own awe-inspiring photographs from the top of the world. This collection of images will show readers the deadly beauty and haunting menace of the Himalaya. A unique, inspiring, and spine-tingling glimpse into the rarified world of the extreme climber, Himalayan Quest will appeal not only to Viesturs’s significant fan base (fondly known as Edophiles or Edheads), but also to outdoor aficionados and armchair adventurers everywhere.

    It's the most fun because it has the fewest rules -- sort of like professional wrestling compared to boxing. So says Will Gadd, as profiled in the book Fifty Favorite Climbs. Here the champion ice climber presents the same techniques and veteran wisdom he imparts to those who attend his annual clinics. These include step-by-step instructions for the swing (ice axe), the kick (footwork), and putting it all together (tracking); how to read ice to select your line and follow it safely; and drytool techniques for mixed climbing. Training exercises and inspirational stories complete this seminal guide.Will Gadd won every major ice competition in the world in 1998 and 1999, as well as the 2000 Ice World Cup. A resident of Canmore, Alberta, he has written for Climbing and Rock & Ice, among other publications.

    400+ photos.

    Basic bends, loops and hitches are shown, along with specialized lashings, coils, stoppers, whippings and splices suitable for purposes as diverse as tying livestock, securing small boats and raising heavy loads. Learning to tie these knots is a cinch, with hundreds of color illustrations that demonstrate every bend, tuck and twist of the rope. Knots are rated for strength, security, and ease of both tying and untying, and concise historical information is also included, explaining both the origin and specific uses for the knots.

    A significant addition (and, as far as we are aware, not previously published in any English-language guidebook) is the inclusion of routes around the northern end of Lake Garda and the Piccole Dolomites north of Vicenza. Here the mountains are generally lower and you can enjoy ferrata climbing over a much extended season, with some routes accessible for most of the year. While volume one covered the eastern, northern and central areas of the Dolomites, book two completes the picture, focusing on the southern, Brenta and Lake Garda areas.

    It spans from the tragic early attempts to scale Mount Everest to the first success, led by John Hunt in 1953, and subsequent expeditions. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest, this fully-illustrated book features:300 photographs, including previously unpublished pictures and astounding panorama shots of the HimalayasMaps that demonstrate various routes to take when climbing EverestCharts that indicate numbers of people who have attempted to climb Everest, including data on the number of deaths that have occurredInsider perspective on how the team prepared for the first successful ascentPublished in association with the Mount Everest Foundation, the Alpine Club, and the Royal Geographical Society, Everest is written by George Band, who was the youngest member of Hunt's expedition team. Celebrate the triumphant conquering of Mount Everest in this gripping story.

    Legends in the early mountaineering community, they put up some of the most difficult routes in North America during a career that spanned the beginnings of modern rock climbing in the 1920s to well into the big-wall climbing era of the 1950s. This is a story not only of climbing adventure but of lives touched by many of the great dramas of the 20th Century.

    A respected authority since 1961, this pocket sized guide about avoiding avalanches has been updated with the latest in technology and technique.