If you’ve read my blog for awhile, then you probably are already familiar with the most famous American mountaineer, Ed Viesturs. Ed has climbed all 14 of the world’s highest peaks, and what is even more amazing is that he did so without supplemental oxygen!
Himalayan Quest was published in 2003, and is a compilation of photos from many of his death defying adventures. This self-proclaimed “incidental photographer” is a humble man: the pictures in this book are breathtaking!
Did this book get a 5 Star Ranking from the Hiking Lady? Read my full review of Himalayan Quest to find out.
I just finished reading the online version of this weekend’s New York Times travel section, and what did I see, but another fantastic article about K2. Many think that Everest is the most dangerous mountain in the world, and after reading Ed Viesturs’ book K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain, I sure learned how intimidating and deadly K2 really is.
I highly recommend you read the New York Times article. Why? Because it is a great reminder how alpine hiking is dangerous, and we all need to be aware of the challenges associated with climbing at altitude. The article captures the struggles of just getting to Base Camp! After hiking to the peak of Mt. Whitney last year, I have set my sights on some other challenging peaks. Not K2 or Everest, but the respective Base Camps seem reasonable (with extreme caution!)
The author of the article, Graham Bowley, traveled to K2 last June with his cousin. Their goal – to reach Base Camp and learn more for Bowley’s upcoming book called “No Way Down”. But despite their experience and research on the place, the author and his cousin still had to be helicoptered out because of altitude sickness.
Ed Viesturs does a good job in his book relaying the challenges and struggles of achieving the peak (and returning alive), but this article puts it all in perspective for someone like me whose big aspiration would be to go to Base Camp, not the top. Even then there are risks we all need to be aware of, and this article is a great reminder.
Until I watched the IMAX movie Everest, I had never heard of Ed Viesturs. But since then I’ve read his book Himalayan Quest, have heard about him in David Breashears book High Exposure, tweeted with him on Twitter, and now read his latest book!
He is not just an amazing mountaineer, but apparently Ed is a nice guy in person too. I haven’t met him yet, but a friend who has told me he’s humble and down to earth. That’s quite impressive for a guy who is the only American to have climbed all 14 of the world’s highest peaks, and done so without supplemental oxygen!
Do you want one book that will cover almost everything you’ll ever need to know about hiking, backpacking, snow travel, rock climbing, and technical climbing? Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is it!
While I can’t say I’ve read the sections about technical climbing (I don’t plan on climbing Everest or K2 any time soon!), the first several chapters about picking the right gear for your hikes and backpacking trips, leave no trace principles, and snow travel are excellent for the rest of us.
Read my review and let me know if you think it is as good of a reference as I think it is.
Those of you who live in Colorado are lucky to have the Mountainfilm Festival coming again this year to Telluride, Colorado. The 2010 festival will be in May 2010, and they’ll announce more details later. For 31 years this film festival has brought together filmmakers, photographers, conservationists, mountaineers, and lovers of the outdoors to share their love of mountain life, adventure, and the environment.
In addition to the several day Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, there are shorter versions like the Mountainfilm Summit in Aspen, Colorado August 27 – 30, 2009. This year Ed Viesturs, the famous American mountaineer, will be there, as will Jim Whittaker. Both will be making presentations. I sure wish I could go to Colorado for this!
