It tells of a mad, misguided adventure: one man's attempt to conquer Mount Everest.Maurice Wilson belonged to the 'lost generation'. He fought in the First World War, winning the Military Cross, but found the transition to civilian life difficult. He led a restless, rootless life and suffered ill-health. This changed mysteriously in 1932 when through, it would seem, a combination of prayer and fasting he cured himself. His Mount Everest ambitions started to take shape. They could not have been more ambitious. His odyssey was to begin in Britain. He bought himself an airplane. He couldn't fly, was a poor student, but finally learnt the rudiments. Despite all the odds, and much official obstruction, he managed to fly to India. More obstacles followed, but on 21 March, 1934 Maurice Wilson and three Sherpas slipped out of Darjeeling disguises as Buddhist monks. Wilson's first attempt on Mount Everest was solo. It failed. He tried again this time with the three Sherpas. They made better progress initially. From the base camp, Wilson made two more attempts on the final ascent. A year later Eric Shipton's reconnaissance party found his body at the approaches to the North Col. They also found his diary: the final entry read, 'Off again, gorgeous day.' The diary provides an astonishing record of persistence, courage, and a faith that never wavered in the face of appalling hardship and adversity.Although this is a chronicle of failure, the achievement can still be marvelled at. Here was a man with no flying or mountaineering experience whatsoever who managed to fly from Britain to India and then nearly conquers Mount Everest : there are even those who speculate he might have done so but even without that fanciful embellishment it is an extraordinary story.This book, first published in 1957, has been out of print for a very long time. Its renewed availability will delight not just those interested in mountaineering but also connoisseurs of adventure stories.

    Two hundred and eight four of the summits reach 3,000 feet or more; these are the Munros, the ascent of which is the aim of many walkers. The Scottish hills also have splendid pine forests, beautiful lochs, deep glens, rushing rivers; a magnificent northern landscape. Whether you are planning a day scramble or a long-distance walk, Scotland World's Mountain Ranges guide has the information the independent mountain lover needs.-Area by area descriptions of the Scottish mountains from south to north help the reader identify the best locations for hill walking, mountaineering and ski touring.-Classic ascents and walks are described, from scrambles up Ben Nevis to ski tours in the Cairngorms.-Information on accommodation, maps and guides-A planning tool for long-distance treks

    Perfect for pack or pocket, this book breaks down its subject into the essential topics, providing practical and portable information useful in the field.

    Damien Gildea’s research encompasses journeys from the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration, through the expansion of international scientific activity in the latter half of the 20th century, to the modern adventure tourism of the new millennium.This book is a tribute to the mountains themselves and to the experiences of those who have traveled among them — their triumphs, travails, and tragedies. For the first time, the peaks and ranges of the planet’s wildest continent are revealed in one place for all to see.

    This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.