World Mountaineering : The World's Great Mountains by the World's Great Mountaineers

Amazon.com
World Mountaineering reaches a new summit. Organized by continent, this splendid, large-format climbing guide features 52 of the world's most spectacular mountains and their climbs, stepping far beyond the mere map-and-route delineations that define many climbing guidebooks. Even if the topographical descriptions and various routes snaking across the stunningly clear photographs were all that were here, that might seem enough. But each mountain's entry also includes an aerial map, a timeline of climbing history, and practicalities such as access, red tape, the best times to climb, and suggested maps and guidebooks to bring along. Essays--written by top mountaineers, such as Ed Webster on Mount Robson, or Hilary Boardman on the Carstensz Pyramid--recount personal experiences with each mountain. Suddenly the alpine world is above, shimmering and stirring, crisp and clear. The only stumble is that only five of these mountaineer essayists are women.

Route descriptions concentrate less on the step-by-step details and more on the legacy of those who have gone before, their equipment, their route's most difficult and salient features, and the official climb grading. Ideas for future climbs on each mountain suggest new routes on which to test and hone skills.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
World Mountaineering is a beautifully illustrated, grippingly written, and hugely comprehensive look at more than 50 of the world's most legendary and challenging peaks, from Everest to McKinley to Kilimanjaro.

Organized geographically by continent, each entry contains a wealth of information that captures the essence of the mountain as much as a book possibly can. A detailed topographical description with the main climbing routes superimposed on breathtaking black-and-white photographs of the faces, along with concise analyses of each route, are accompanied by wide aerial maps that include the surrounding area's peaks and ridges; a chart with the history of climbing on each mountain with key dates, people, and events; highlights of the pioneering opportunities still to be had; and a great deal more.

There is also an enormous amount of practical information, such as how to reach each destination, the best time to climb, local accommodations, the best guidebooks and maps of the area, official gradings, and details on mountain rescue and insurance. Every profile is topped off by a feature article, written by a renowned climber, with exhilarating descriptions of their personal experiences (some of which are terrifying) on that particular peak. More than 350 extraordinary photos in all, along with 59 maps, make World Mountaineering perhaps the most insightful and dramatic celebration of the world mountaineering scene ever put together.

FROM THE PUBLISHER