To the Summit: Fifty Mountains that Lure, Inspire and Challenge - Hardcover

Joseph Poindexter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1579120415 ISBN 13: 9781579120412

Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal, 1998

Synopsis

Introduction by Stacy Allison, the first American woman to successfully climb Mt. Everest. This wondrous large-format book, full of dramatic full-color spreads and in-depth text, takes armchair adventurers as well as experienced climbers to their heavens--the peaks of the 50 most awe-inspiring mountains in the world. Moving stories of staggering altitudes, the sheer will to survive and the quest for the summits inspire readers with the adventurer's spirit that has put mountain climbing at the height of its popularity. Organized geographically by continent, each chapter covers a different mountain: its history, physical characteristics, route descriptions and famous ascents. Excerpts from detailed accounts of legendary expeditions will thrill and shock readers including Jon Krakauer on the tragic 1996 season on Everest. Includes biographies of Sir Edmund Hillary, Stacy Allison, Chris Bonington and other noted climbers. From Mt. Everest and K2 in the Himalayas to Denali in Alaska, Mt. Rainier in Washington and Mt. Eiger in the Alps, mountains all over the world are captured in vivid color photos from expeditions new and old.

About this title

Review:

Eiger, Kilimanjaro, Denali, Everest: historic mountains steeped in climbing legend, not only for mountaineers, but for anyone attuned to the siren song of adventure. Here, in a coffee-table-ready collection of gorgeous photos, inspiring text, and factual data, author-climber Joseph Poindexter describes these legendary mountains and 46 more of the world's most magnificent climbs, "fifty places around the world, most of them cold, barren, starved of oxygen, subject to violent fits of weather--and beautiful--where human ambition collides with the glacial indifference of dangerous terrain." And Poindexter doesn't stop there--he also shares how you get to some of these peaks, when you would want to go, and, should you be so inclined, what route you might follow to get to the top. But, although each incredible page will make you want to quit your job and hitchhike to Timbuktu, Poindexter warns, "Do not attempt to embark on any of the routes described in this book without extensive physical training and formal instruction ... this is not a guidebook or manual of any kind." Maybe not, but it's a beautiful resource for mapping your daydreams. --George Laney

From the Back Cover:

The Most Comprehensive Book on Mountains and Mountaineering Ever Published

To the Summit is a compelling testament to the raw excitement and breathtaking accomplishments of mountaineering throughout history.

On these pages you'll find:

- Dramatic photographs or climbers, mountains and the cultures that live in the shadows of the world's most interesting peaks.

- Profiles of famous climbers that illustrate what draws people to risk their lives in the pursuit of extraordinary physical challenge.

- Excerpts from notable writing that illuminate all aspects of the climbing experience: from historic tales of ascents in the European Alps to contemplative analysis of the allure of the mountains.

- Every detail is covered: from alpine climbing technique to rock climbing equipment, ancient legends to modern-day anecdotes, high-altitude physiology to geological and meteorological facts.

With Photographs by: Galen Rowell, Patrick Morrow, Rick Ridgeway, Bill Hatcher, Craig Lovell, Macduff Everton, Bobby Modell, Beth Wald and many other noted photographers.

Introduction by Stacy Allison, the first American woman to summit Mount Everest.

50 Mountains

Aconcagua

Alpamayo

Annapurna

Ben Nevis

Bugaboo Spire

Carstensz Pyramid

Chimborazo

Cima Grande

Denali

Devil's Tower

Eiger

El Capitan

Fitzroy

Grand Teton

Grandes Jorasses

Huascaran

Jungfrau

K2

Kaknchenjunga

Longos Peak

Maroon Peak

Matterhorn

Mont Blanc

Monte Rosa

Mount Ararat

Mount Asgard

Mount Assiniboine

Mount Cook

Mount Elbrus

Mount Everest

Mount Fuji

Mount Hood

Mount Kenya

Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Logan

Mount Owen

Mount Rainier

Mount Robson

Mount Saint Elias

Mount Stanley

Mount Washington

Mount Whitney

Nanda Devi

Nanga Parbat

Pik Kommunizma

Piz Bernina

Snowdon

Trango Tower

Vinson Massif

Yerupaja

About this edition

• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1579120415
• ISBN 13: 9781579120412
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336