Climbing Books

K2: A Women's Quest for the Summit

The approach to which Heidi Howkins told us her story was both atypical and captivating. By obtaining a permit, permitting Howkins to attempt the deadly slopes of K2, her fist attempt in 1998 was am unmitigated failure. However, Howkins became one of the first women to attempt this perilous peak. On her second attempt in 2000, she was determined to once again mount the summit of K2 but this time without the aid of porters or supplemental oxygen (an accomplishment made by very few mountaineers). Although Howkins knew the risks of her exigent goal of the summit, not even her long experience of climbing could prepare her for such events that occurred high on K2. This book contains multiple photographs of K2 that show what a physical and personal feat it would be to climb to the summit of this mountain successfully. While on this expedition Howkins explores through her emotions as a single mother, a confused climber, and the subject of her last husband Zee's abuse. As she searches for her true passion for climbing she uses her inner strength that is given to her by her daughter to attempt K2, hoping to accomplish her task.
When I first decided to read this book, by reading the title I assumed it would be about the struggles of climbing and techniques used to reach the summit of the mountain. Although Heidi explains some of her expeditions the book really explains her personal life and how she uses climbing as an escape to her chaotic emotions. My impression of K2 is it has a confusing plot line. As Heidi explains her expeditions on other mountains in the Middle East to a hitchhiker that she picked up, she gets into her expedition on K2 and all the events that occurred without finishing her stories about her expeditions that she was explaining before. This book is both very interesting and emotional. In Inherit the Wind, the young lady Rachel also had emotional problems like Heidi. Heidi's emotions were between her abusive husband Zee and her new lover that had become her climbing partner, where Rachel had emotional problems between her father and her current lover Bertrum Cates. The social value of this book is the information that is told by Heidi how to deal with her fearful emotions. Teenagers and older adults could connect with Heidi and they can compare their emotions and insights to Heidi's.
This book is well written in great detail; however the organization of this book where Heidi talks about her previous expeditions confuses and quickly looses the reader. I would suggest this book to teens or adult readers because of the high vocabulary level and because of the harsh events that occur high up on this treacherous mountain.

When one thinks of female athletes, female scientists, female bomber pilots such as Kelly Flinn, one thinks of them as being successful and therefore confident and independent, and vice versa. It comes as a shock and a disappointment to read that they stay in abusive relationships for more than a day. Yet such is the case with Heidi Howkins, who stayed in an abusive relationship with her husband Zee for way too long (even when he'd once tried to kill her she stayed with him because he threatened to take her daughter away to Syria).

She tells that story and more in K2: A Quest For The Summit. Eventually she frees herself from Zee, she rises above the obstacles placed in her way from other climbers in this male-dominated world. She's a good writer and tells the story well.

It's not a story of one climb but of several, it's a series of memoirs, really. Why does Howkins use the hitchiker 'Hiddle' as a foil - someone to tell her stories to? Other reviewers of this book have dismissed him as a fictional character, (and a bad device at that) - yet nowhere in the book does Howkins say that he is...so why do they assume so? Because it's impossible to believe a man could sit in a car with a woman and listen to HER talk? Pay attention to HER talk? If Hiddle the hitch-hiker is a fiction, why did Howkins think it necessary to use this foil? Well, their conversations do illuminate her stories the more...for example in the beginning with his talk of 'Ananku' or trouble. She is capable of learning from her adventures, long after they have passed.

''Go ahead, I'm listening.'' she has Hiddle say. One wonders if in the real world she ever had a man who said that to her, and meant it.

When you read a title that reads "K2 a quest for the summit" you expect a story about how somebody got to the summit, Heidi did not. This is the story of a woman searching for herself who happens who like mountaineering. I wanted a book about mountaineering and got the troubles and tribulations of a woman in search of herself. Bad read.

Ms. Howkins is a professional mountain climber who is not afraid to take on the tough ones. She has attempted K2, the roughest of the big ones; Gasherbrum II, the north face of Kanchenjunga, and Everest without supplementary oxygen. In other words, she's won her spurs.

The narrative device is the author telling her story and thoughts to a hitchhiker. This is supposedly the staging area for each chapter. It is not a successful mechanism and seems needlessly contrived. The book takes a few scenes from Kanchenjunga where Ms. Howkins found romance with a Spanish climber, a brief narrative of her first K2 climb with her ex-husband, who appears to be a certified mad man, and the remainder is devoted to her second K2 climb, Project K2000.

The book badly needs organization; the reader is frequently confused about what expedition she is talking about, and continuity is completely absent. While reading, I had the impression she was lifting passages from her private journals and entering them in a scattershot fashion. I later found out that almost the entire section on Project K2000 had first appeared in Mountain Zone. The author barely characterizes her teammates on Project K2000; she doesn't even give their last names. It is as if Ms. Howkins was confronting faceless enemies. I have read many times about how difficult it is for women climbers to be accepted in the male fraternity of mountaineers, but the treatment Ms. Howkins endured was appalling: ignoring her, referring to her by obscene names, trashing her tent. I couldn't believe well-educated, civilized men would behave in such a fashion toward the one lone woman on their team. She states that if she had been a wife or companion of one of the members, there probably would have been less friction.

I found Ms. Howkins likeable, smart and perceptive with a flair for the lyrical. However, the book lacks a focus and seems hastily put together. C-

This is the worst mountianeering book I have ever read. Heidi Howkins may have accomplished great feats in her mountianeering career, but writng books is not one. This book is more of an account of the mess she has made of her personal life, rather than high adventure. If you are looking to read about the beauty and tragedy of K2, you will not find it here. You will find failure, and blame. It is a horrible jumbled account of several experiances, several of which do not belong in print.

The book is a decent additional resource to Urioste's "Red Book" (see also her 2003 26 trad routes addendum). Combined w/ the Red Rocks' SuperTopos the three will almost give you one good guidebook's worth of beta.

It IS your Red Rocks' "Bible" if you are a sport climber.

I do not believe this book can even be considered a guide book. No topos for certain areas. Poor descriptions. I went to Red Rocks with this book and it only got me to where I needed to park. I used the kindness of locals to get me to where I needed to go. Don't waste your time on this book. It's a pile.

I consider Swain's guide book to be a work in progress. I hear that the 3rd edition is out and that it is improved. You have to remember that Swain is tall and likes to sandbag, so if he downgrades your best onsight, don't let it get to you. Sure, he messes up some pitch lengths, pitch grades and approaches but I believe he's trying to do his honest best to write a quality guide. He's no Greg Opland, but maybe he can learn.

The book is very good overall. However the author should have spent a lot more time editing it before printing. The book has numerous contradictions as far as the rating system goes. One climb might be listed as a trad climb only and then in the index that same climb is listed as a sport climb. The index's section on the 5.10a climbs is completely screwed up! About 85% of these climbs are listed as a sport climb but then when you flip to that page they are listed as strictly trad climbs. It's very frustrating sometimes. The book has a lot of very helpful information and as of 1999 it was by far the best available. Hopefully the author will fix all of these problems in the next printing that has been rumored to be release for about 2 years and going.

I've been living and climbing at Red Rocks for two years now. Swain's guide book publicizes a number of new routes that are not in the previous guide; however, not all descriptions are adequate, and a few are even dangerous (such as fixed anchors indicated in the book where there are none in reality). You may also tire of the author's rather feeble attempts at humour! Having said this, I do use the guide alot, and when coupled with the older Urioste guide it serves its purpose. I am saddened however, by Swain's decision to not include a relatively large number of very good routes that were in the old guide-- thereby effectively 'erasing' good routes from the public memory. This amounts to a kind of bizarre censorship, as many of the routes he has left out are quite good and worth preserving. I, and many others, hope for a more enlightened guide book in the future; meanwhile, however, Swain's guide will suffice for most occasional visitors.

This was a good review of the history of snowshoeing, types of shoes, why you might want to pick one type over another. Gives you a feeling that you are living out the increasing popularity of the sport and technologic advancements in types of shoes and gear. Compares climate, snow conditions, terrain in various parts of the country. Good tips on preparedness for being outdoors in various conditions.

This is the worst Mountaineers book I own. The information inside is completely outdated and useless. It concentrates on gear for 3/4 of the book (outdated gear) and gives little useful information. If you are looking for a book on the history of snowshoes, look no further. If you are looking for useful information try elsewhere. I'm usually too lazy to review most books, but this was just that horrible.

This book is a great book for people who are just starting out. Its chaulk full of information to help you get started. i jsut wish that i would have picked up this book earlier.

This well written book covers snowshoeing in depth (techniques, shoe and binding options, racing, history, and more) and related topics (winter camping, snow shelters, winter clothing, winter safety, winter route finding, and more). An experienced winter camper or snowshoer won't find too much that is new, but will no doubt get some fresh ideas from reading this book. For someone new to snowshoeing and winter camping, the book is recommended.

Gene Prater was one of the leaders of the "modern" snowshoe movement. He and his brother developed Sherpa Snowshoes, the first aluminum frame, decked snowshoe. Today the market is just full of the offspring of Sherpas. When Gene passed away in 1993, his family passed on the book to Dave Felkley, a Colorado snowshoe instructor and guide. Dave has done a really good job at retaining Gene's original material, and updating it as needed. There is an exceptional chapter on snowshoeing history, which the Praters were such a big part of. It's a bit weak on "traditional" (or as Gene called them, "eastern", calling his own design "western") wood and web snowshoes, but never-the less it is a book that should be on any serious snowshoer or winter camper's shelf.

I am planning to trek in Alps with my wife and a 3-years old kid. I thought of a hut-to-hut concept, and this is exactly what appears in the book's title, that's how I bought it.

Though while reading the book I found very little information that would suit for my needs. There is no difficulty rating. There is no way to get a brief idea about the difficulty level of a trail unless you read through the entire chapter. Didn't find any "easy" treks that would be suitable for kids.

"Walking Austria's Alps, Hut to Hut"
Jonathan Hurdle
ISBN 0-89886-640-5

This book deals with a mountain world that exists above the picturesque towns, the beautiful lakes, and the majestic valleys of Austria. For the most part, it must be reached by foot. To those who are in reasonably good shape and can rough it a little, though, this book provides the insight to partake of that Alpine world in all its glory.

Having visited Austria on several occasions and ridden by cable car near the tops of mountains such as the Kitzbuehler Horn and Grossglockner, I have glimpsed from up there the pale blue-white mountain peaks that lead off almost endlessly to the distant horizon. But to have the opportunity to walk for days in those mountains, spending the nights in mountain lodges built just for hikers, that would be a fine experience.

These mountain huts are probably unfamiliar even to those who are fairly familiar with Austria. These huts, Mr. Hurdle explains, are not shacks, but they are professionally run, clean, and comfortable mountain lodges, where hikers sleep on long mattresses in communal areas for as many as twenty persons at a time without regard to sex or age. Sometimes food is available, as well as wine and beer. Hut guests have also been known to sing. Altogether, there are about 900 such places in the mountains of Germany and Austria.

The book describes eleven different tours of from four to eleven days. The hikes are mostly in the southern part of Austria where it borders with Italy. The hikes include tours in the Oeztaler Alpen, where the famous ice-age man, that Austrians call "Oetzi" was found, as well as a hike on Grossglocker, the highest mountain in Austria. There is a map for each tour, and a description including the appropriate hut in which to sleep for each stage.

This is an interesting book, but perhaps it loses a little by focusing almost entirely on the details of the hikes. The general reader might hope for a slightly broader context that included a little more detail about the towns or areas near the starting or ending points of some of the tours. It is somewhat difficult, even for one familiar with Austria, to get ones bearings in terms of the familiar towns and highways of the country. One other shortcoming in this book is that the pictures are all in black and white. Color would have enormously increased the degree to which the beauty of the mountains is conveyed.

On the whole, the book sparked my interest, and I hope, before long, to walk in the beauty of some of those high remote places.

Having used the book as a guide on some of the walks described in the book, I found it to be a top notch guide book as well as containing a number of useful suggestions. Anyone who is interested in going hiking in spectacular scenery should strongly consider Austria and Mr. Hurdle's book. Using the guide along with the detailed maps available everywhere in Austria is the perfect way to find your way around the mountains.

I bought this book because I had a business trip with a few extra days in austria. I am writing this right before boarding the plane home. This book fired-up my imagination and just for that it's worth buying, but it also gives you enough information to actually do the hikes. I did the end of trip 9 in reverse and climbed up a nearby mountain. I couldn't have planned this trip if it weren't for this book. That being said, you really need to order the maps the book recommends, there is a lot of extra information (including a "P for parking where you can park your car for one or a few days..). This book was not written with cars in mind.. Nevertheless, everything was as this book describes, except that they now serve muesli at the huts and his hiking times are a little tight.. I couldn't quite do it. As he mentions, you really need to either know german (I knew none) or bring a phrase book(which you will need to order food). The staff speaks enough english to get you a room and some basics (e.g. beer and cafe.. because they sound the same in german) and a huttenshlapsack ( a sleeping sack). Use the book, order the maps they recommend and go. This book does exactly what the title suggests, you can't ask for more. In 1999, web sites were not so ubiquitou so if you are good with google, you can find websites for most of the huts and if you look closely most have a magic "english" button. You then have access to a wealth of information on the hikes and service. You cannot make online reservations, but they give you a cell number where you can get a german speaking acquaintance to make the reservations for you (or your friendly travel agent). The huts have full kitchen, hot water, flush toilets and knick knacks. You need to bring your own trail food though.. they only have items for immediate consumption (and water). A little hut-specific vocabulary would have been nice (e.g. how to fill the log book). Last word of advice: the trails are really well marked, much better than in colorado.. and don't follow the "double arrows" they don't point to anything, they are just a marker.. but that's another story.

Amazon should not sell this book. I strongly recommend that readers should not use this book as a guide, for the reasons described below.

I purchased this book several years ago and since have been planning a trip to Austria to do several of the hikes. I just returned from said trip.

I completed the Karwendal tour this past week. This tour is described as a beginner hike, for those with only a modest bit of hiking or walking experience. I had this hike planned as a warm up. After which I intended to do another of the hikes, in the Zillertal region.

I found the trail descriptions in the book to be grossly inaccurate, and to highly understate the actual conditions I found underfoot. There were numerous sections of steep scree fields, exposed cliff and ridge walks, and precipitous cabled ascents and descents, some sections of scrambling, and steep slopes covered in loose gravel. Needless to say, these conditions were certainly not for beginners. Throughout the book, the author makes reference to "nur fur die Gestube" signage to be found on the trail. This term means "only for the experienced". Sections of trail will be signed "nur fur die gestube", when the DAV or OEAV intended it to be attempted only by experienced "climbers", not walkers. These sections of trail will be marked as "steig" (climb) as indicated by black dotted lines on a AV map, or "klettersteig" (ladder climb) as marked by red dotted lines on an Alpenverin (AV) map. These sections are not hiking trails in any but the most extreme sense. In particular, steig or certainly Klettersteig should only be attempted by fit individuals with some climbing training, a harness and a helmet. An ice ax to arrest a slide could also be usefull if there is any ice, or the potential for ice. The author downplays the danger and exposure associated with these sections of trail, which is, in my opinion, reckless and cavalier.

The descriptions to be found in the book do not describe the conditions to be found, either for the "nur fur die gestube" sections or the sections without such signage. In addition, many sections or trail with significant exposure are unmarked, and are not described as containing cables, steep slopes or risk of injury in the text of the guide. These sections will come as a nasty surprise to those expecting the conditions described in the text and pictures. In one case I found myself literally climbing up a 75-80% incline, hand over foot, to the top of what turned out to be a knife edge ridge, with a sheer drop on the other side. In another situation, the trail called for descending down a 75-80% incline of solid rock, backwards, relying on a steel cable. In several cases, I followed a narrow trail along high, steep cliff sides, aided by steel cables laid into the rock. In the latter case, I was lucky to cross these exposed sections before a electrical storm came up.

In addition, the hiking times stated in the text are often not realistic, particularly the descent times.

I purchased the exact Alpenvereinkarte and have a good deal of hiking nad some climbing/scrambling experience in the states, having completed the Mount Whitney day hike and several other long distance back country hikes.

This fact should sum up my experience. I encountered four other hikers on the trail, all of which came to the Karwendal based on this guidebook, and its promise of beginner conditions. I was the only one to finish the tour, the other four turned back early due to the hazardous conditions. All of us were highly dissappointed with this guide. In fact, the locals who were amongst us on this trek got a good laugh out of the description of this hike as a beginner's hike. It certainly should not be attempted by anyone who is not fit, or without significant experience high in the mountains, or with any fear of heights.

First: This book is more realistic (and therefore relevant) than most of the outdoor books you'll ever read. This is because the author discusses balancing real life with intense dedication to sport.

I am not sure why there are a couple condemnations of Bruce on this page- these reviews are wholly irrelevant; I'm surprised Amazon has left them up so long. They verge on slander.

That said, I think in general, readers have come to expect outdoor stories from untouchable, god-like authors, who don't "deign" to mention the real circumstances of their lives that influence their decisions to take to the hills, or likewise mention the influences their experiences in the hills have on their real lives.

People have become accustomed to reading stories by and about the Lance Armstrongs, Ian Thorpes, and Ed Viestrus's, who, while all fantastic athletes and I'm sure worthy human beings, are basically pampered and dedicated to the sport in their every waking moment by a cadre of coaches and personal attendants- a condition that most of us would find difficult to obtain. They don't have "real lives" like the rest of us do that can shape their goals in the outdoors and to which they can bring the freshness of perspective won from a week in the hills. (I admit that they have overcome personal obstacles- but as in the case of Lance Armstrong, even their obstacles have been unusual.) The rest of us have the more typical concerns of real life, like finding employment and satisfying personal relationships, so it does us little good to read a book by one of the prima-donnas of the outdoor world for whom these issues do not apply. I humbly suggest we try to read something by someone like us.

Bruce's book then is about trying to get real life to complement adventure as well as possible- a goal that's admirable enough in this day and age. Just because he lets us in on the failings, miscalculations, and bravado of his past doesn't mean would should condemn him- but rather take heed his lessons as the wise counsel of an elder who is only mortal like we are.

Many people drawn to dangerous sports feel a kind of alienation resulting from being at a crossroads in life; having few responsibilities and no ties to any community after having graduated from college, (for example), and are thus prone to letting that level of alienation influence their impulsiveness and daring while at play. Bruce's book then serves at least as a warning- if you gamble like he did, you have to be very lucky to escape unscathed. At best, it's great nail-biting entertainment- since few of us will ever take the risks he took; following along each tumultuous chapter is great fun. Personally, at age 23, I can relate, and Bruce's book came to me at just the right time.

I stayed up all night hooked on reading chapter after chapter. Each chapter is a new story about the author's harrowing exploits and self-realization. Whether you are a climber, kayaker, skier, or armchair mountaineer, you will enjoy these amazingly personal stories about the motivation behind risk taking and where the "comfort zone" lies in each of us.

You have to give the guy credit for trying, but he seems to miss the whole point of outdoor adventure through his self-serving and misdirected outings. It's like a train wreck, though, and you just have to keep on reading it to see how bad the author is going to get messed up on his next "expedition". The editorial "praise" is understandably vague, since the only thing the author does worse than "adventureing" is writing about it. We have all met people in our own lives that "just don't get it", right? Well Genereaux is, unfortunately, that guy.

Beyond the Comfort Zone is a tedious read at best. It is nothing more than an egomaniacal piece of work from a juvenile author. Most disturbing are his notions of leadership. Save your money. American Canoe Association is sending this book free for joining. I question the ethics and morals of this organization for their choice in associating themselves with the morals and ethics voiced in this book.

I was a casual gym climber in Boulder when I was diagnosed with cancer. During my recovery, I picked up this book with high hopes of training myself properly once I was able to climb again. "Climbing Your Best" turned out to be all could hope for and more.

I've done some sports training, but have always been somewhat intimidated by climbing jargon. While quite technical, this book explained the terms and concepts in easy-to-use language (And I work as an editor, so I'm quite picky about this!). Lots of photographs illustrate the discussed training techniques, which went a long way to enhance my understanding of climbing.

My favorite parts were the exercises for the system board and campus board. I couldn't wait to get well again so I could try them out. As an athlete, I love learning new, repetitive exercises that will help me improve my performance. I can only liken it to being a ballerina at the barre. Up until I read this book, the only climbing-specific exercises I did were pilates to increase my core strength.

The whole book was very gym-heavy in its recommendations, but that worked well for me. My schedule (and budget) lends themselves much better to training in a gym a few times a week than attempting to go climbing outdoors that often.

This book isn't the end-all of climbing, and it's hardly a substitute for learning in person, but it does delivers what the title claims: Training to Maximize Your Performance.

I was very disappointed in Ms. Reynolds-Sagar's volume. If you're not already climbing at very high levels of performance this is not the book for you. That her advice targets a small elite audience is hardly the only short-coming of her work. She is obviously an academic at heart. This is clear from her unnecessarily obscure language and tortured style of communications. So, if you're a PhD in exercise something or other and are pushing to improve from 5.12 to 5.13 snap up this work. Otherwise, save your money.

This book is a fairly decent guide to training for harder climbing. The best part about this book is the tests for grip strength, flexibility, shoulder power etc. it gives guidelines for each and for where a climber should be at various skill levels. if you fall below the recomended number in a certain category it gives you things to do to improve in that one category. all in all i'd go with the much superior "how to climb 5.12" or "flash training" both of which are also cheaper. this book has few pictures and diagrams and is fairly redundant, but the tests and charts are useful.

...but it doesn't come through here. First, this is a pretty hefty book-164 pages with long sections of unbroken text, small print, and narrow margins. About half is repetition, then there's the twenty-odd pages of kind of pointless anecdotes about friends and climbing areas, and a total of about five pages of reasons why you might not want to do the things the author prescribes. So what's in the remaining fifty-seven pages?

It starts with a physiology discussion that is either so oversimplified as to be meaningless, or just plain wrong (my favorite: `VO2max [is] the maximum amount of air your lungs can hold') and which illustrates a fundamental misunderstanding of muscular vs. respitory function on the part of the author. In her defense, though, some of these concepts are extremely complicated, poorly documented, and in some cases virtually unique to climbing.

The book then goes into a bunch of tests to determine your weaknesses based on the grade you climb. Interesting in an `I'll show you mine if you show me yours' kind of way, but it seems to me that anyone reading a book that uses the words `creatine phosphate system', would already know their weaknesses. Having said that, the advice `train your weaknesses, not your strengths' can't be stressed enough.

Then we get into specific movements on a campus board (a device you shouldn't get within ten feet of unless you consider .12a a warm-up grade) and a system board (something you probably won't ever run into unless you live in Boulder.) The prescribed workouts are kind of obvious-basically simple strategies to climb harder or longer or more (e.g.: climb a route until failure, then lower quickly to an easier section and get back on.) There's no discussion of how these individual workouts should be combined to create a coherent daily schedule.

The section on the extremely important concept of periodization is so convoluted that it confused even me-and I read the Journal of Applied Physiology for fun. The author finishes up with a discussion of individual moves (with photos,) a section on injury prevention that doesn't really go anywhere, extensive advice on motivating, a huge photo spread on stretching, bad advice on taping, a glossary that looks like it was copied out of an old textbook and doesn't seem to track back to what's been discussed (though I can't be sure because, inexplicably, there's no index), and so on.

As much as I hate to give a fellow climber a one star, I can't figure out why this book was written-it covers no new ground, and the ground it does cover is unclear, incomplete, and sometimes inaccurate. Maybe a lot of this results from the author trying to create a book that would speak equally to an unmotivated 5.9 climber and a .15a hopeful, I don't know.

My advice to you? If you're trying to go from 5.10 to 5.11: climb a lot and focus on your technique; you'll get there. 5.11 to 5.12: Buy Eric Horst's much more straight-forward `How to Climb 5.12.' Beyond 5.12: Get Dale Goddard's `Performance Rock Climbing.'

Bob Horan's guide books are funky and original. He has been a dedicated Front Range boulderer for many years and he's taken the time to visit these areas repeatedly with different partners to insure accuracy of grading, problem description, etc. I'd like to see him change what he calls "Meditation Boulder" at Rotary Park back to its original name (Biscuit Rock) but other than that, he's done a fine job.

This book is simply out of date. Horan's guide has descriptions like "I did some problem on this face in 1986". Wow, what research. His 'Best of Boulder Bouldering' is a dramatic improvement. Benningfield's 'Colorado Bouldering' guide is better with some photos of boulders and more problems. But even that guide is quickly becoming out of date.

The Colorado Front Range Bouldering Series is the first of its kind in the world, maps are hand drawn and incredibly entertaining unlike the simple processed digitized guides seen today. The book has accurracy and overviews of all areas involved unlike the Copy Cat book Colorado Bouldering. This book is the best value on the market for bouldering within the Fort Collins Area. I truely enjoy having it in my almost 500 climbing guide collection. In years to come these hand drawn books will be of more value than the others that follow.

This series of books have got me lost more times that I care to recall. I topos are confussing and since Colorado has seen a lot of new routes the books are out of date. They are helpful for finding areas but after that you are on your own. Buy the Benningfield book instead

I was disappointed in this guide. Though it profiles the three routes to the summit of Rainier and contains some nice color photos plus excellent maps, all of this you can get with a click of your mouse on the Internet. I was crushingly disappointed when this book arrived. It is intended to tote along with you on a Rainier ascent, that is obvious because of the books lightweight nature and the fact it folds into a small area. But the vast majority of mountaineers now use licensed guides, thus the book is irrelevant.

What's nice about this map of several popular climbing routes, (including the Muir/Disappointment Cleaver Route), is that the route is superimposed onto photographs of the mountain, with variations. Our climbing team really appreciated it, and it's durable. After the climb, I put it on my office wall...yow!

The information in this pamphlet is easily accessible on the internet. I bought this pamphlet thinking that I would get some new info or even a simple topo that I liked-------I didnt.

Do not buy this book----it is a waste of money.

As the editorials above correctly state, the two Rainier guides available from Stanley are good enough for guides, rescuers, and climbers alike. The sections on High Altitude Sickness and the checklists are somewhat helpful, although if you don't know the stuff already, you shouldn't be climbing the mountain.

Don't get fooled into thinking that this guide will teach you what is necessary to become a good mountaineer, it's only there as a resource for those who have some mountaineering experience.

What sets these guides apart from standard guides are the photos of the routes. Combine that with the "portability factor" and you've got yourself a winner. While a little imagination can go a long ways with an ordinary topo, this takes some of the guess-work out of it and allows you to navigate by sight when the visibility is decent. Take it in your pack and peruse it in your tent at base-camp - I guarantee that you won't regret it.

A good overview of a lot that the valley has to offer. Not a whole lot of detail on anything in particular though.

The most important function of any climbing guide book (in my opinion) is getting you to your selected route. Great topos are vital, but if you can never find the route...what does it matter. Don Reid is a master at both getting you there and great topo beta. Even if it is your first time in the Valley, the book gives such great directions you would be hard pressed to get lost. And, as always, Don is a master topo "artist". Don't accept any cheap substitutes, this is the book to have.

This book is not good at all. I lived in the valley for 2 months this summer and have learned to hate it. Despite the previous rating, Don Reid is DEFINITELY no master at getting you to the climb itself. He often has only a sentence or two telling you how to get to hard to locate climbs. Furthermore, the so called stars by the "best climbs" often mark some of the worst cracks....

I thought this book looked just great. And reading the introduction increased my enthusiasm. The discussion of common causes of disaster is both fascinating and educational.

Unfortunately, the brevity of this book has resulted in a lack of crucial information. The staggering magnitude of the rock faces at Yosemite means that a lot of pages of topos are needed, and this book seems to have over-economized. We set out to climb the North Buttress of Middle Cathedral (DNB), and wandered back and forth for hours trying to identify the route from the scanty description. Nor was this the only disaster: we then wandered up the valley and repeated the sorry experience looking for another route.

Verdict: very pretty, but if you are going to do any climbing, look for a more comprehensive guide instead.

In this thoughtful, well researched and educational book, Ed Douglas has delved far beneath the superficial surface of Tenzing, Sherpas and Himalayan climbing. The history and lead up to the 1953 climb with Ed Hillary is both thoughtful and highly detailed but despite the incredible academic depth and factual information, this book is highly readable and appealing to anyone who seeks knowledge of Tenzing's extraordinary beginnings in Tibet, move to Nepal and settling in Darjeeling to be close to the action for all pre world war 2 expeditions to the Everest region. Douglas's accurate descriptions of some of these early expeditions to Everest and other high peaks make "Into Thin Air" look like a church picnic. Most of all we get a true picture of life as a Sherpa rising to Sirdar status and what singled out Tenzing from all the others. This is a human story complete with all the highs and lows of struggle, family, ambition, success and failure, with eventual world accolade diminishing into depressiion, loneliness and frustration. This is a book that every interested world mountaineer should read. It finally puts into perspective what went on during those amazing decades from the 20s to the 70s.

Thorough, informative and well authenticated but wholly lacking in literary style and readability. As I read the book I thought "with all this information a good editor and the benefit of literary style could have vastly improved the effort!" In reading the book I did discover that I am an unswerving 'linear reader'. No matter how bad the writing became I remained steadfast to the end hoping that this book could redeem itself. This effort will not be seriously considered a notable contribution to the history of climbing Everest. For that sort of book I recommend reading elsewhere.

When I purchased this book I thought that I was going to receive a thrilling biography of the first ascent of MT. Everest. But instead I got a history lesson on the culture, area, and Tenzing's family. I had a hard time staying awake through the beginning and the end of the book. The middle kept me going while Everest was being climbed. The writing was fine. It just was not exciting. So if you are writing a paper for you college history class, check out this book. If you want an exciting mountaineering book, look somewhere else.

One has to commend Ed Douglas for this, a highly scholarly and thorough look at the life of a very enigmatic and difficult character. One is left in no doubt that he has thoroughly researched and cross referenced his sources in order to provide this highly detailed portrait.

Yet this book's main failings may just be this tremendous detail. Whilst an ethnographer would no doubt be fascinated with the complex social, religious and family structures of Himalayan life I doubt many readers would be as interested. Douglas lays out Tenzing's story with the cold accuracy of an experienced climber calmly looking for his next hold. Unfortunately this accuracy translates into a cool detachment from the subjects in question. Non mountaineers will find themselves grasping at their own handholds as Douglas assumes both a knowledge of climbing and an intimacy with Everest from his readers. For example, he references the South Col numerous times, yet no where is this feature of the mountain illustrated or explained to us. A good atlas of the Himalayan region is needed by any prospective reader to begin to understand much of Tenzing's expeditions and I think it is inexcusable for a book of this nature not to include such maps and diagrams.

Works on explorers and exploration should contain a wealth of detail but they also need to transcend that information and deliver a passionate portrait of the characters involved. Hero of Everest's textbook-like narrative delivers in the former but is sadly lacking in the latter.