10 Best Mountaineering Books

“A classic outdoor manual [that] addresses every conceivable disaster scenario. Don ‘t leave home without it”– Outside magazine The ultimate guide to surviving anywhere, now updated with more than 100 pages of additional material, including a new chapter on urban survival Revised to reflect the latest in survival knowledge and technology, and covering new topics such as urban survival and terrorism, the multimillion- copy worldwide bestseller SAS Survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman is the definitive resource for all campers, hikers, and outdoor adventurers. From basic campcraft and navigation to fear management and strategies for coping with any type of disaster, this complete course includes: Being prepared: Understanding basic survival skills, like reading the weather, and preparation essentials, such as a pocket survival kit. Making camp: Finding the best location, constructing the appropriate shelter, organizing camp, staying warm, and creating tools. Food: What to eat, what to avoid, where to find it, and how to prepare it. First aid: A comprehensive course in emergency/wilderness medicine, including how to maximize survival in any climate or when injured. Disaster survival: How to react in the face of natural disasters and hostile situations–and how to survive if all services and supplies are cut off. Self-defense: Arming yourself with basic hand-to-hand combat techniques. Security: Protecting your family and property from intrusion, break-ins, and theft. Climate & terrain: Overcoming any location, from the tropics to the poles, from the desert to the mountains and sea.

” An outstanding book.” — The Wall Street Journal * “Gripping at every turn.” — Outside * “A gem of a book.” — The Guardian * “A hell of a ride.” — The Times (London) An extraordinary true story about one man ‘s attempt to salve the wounds of war and save his own soul through an audacious adventure. In the 1930s, as official government expeditions set their sights on conquering Mount Everest, a little-known World War I veteran named Maurice Wilson conceives his own crazy, beautiful plan: he will fly a plane from England to Everest, crash-land on its lower slopes, then become the first person to reach its summit–all utterly alone. Wilson doesn’t know how to climb. He barely knows how to fly. But he has the right plane, the right equipment, and a deep yearning to achieve his goal. In 1933, he takes off from London in a Gipsy Moth biplane with his course set for the highest mountain on earth. Wilson’s eleven-month journey to Everest is wild: full of twists, turns, and daring. Eventually, in disguise, he sneaks into Tibet. His icy ordeal is just beginning. Wilson is one of the Great War’s heroes, but also one of its victims. His hometown of Bradford in northern England is ripped apart by the fighting. So is his family. He barely survives the war himself. Wilson returns from the conflict unable to cope with the sadness that engulfs him. He begins a years- long trek around the world, burning through marriages and relationships, leaving damaged lives in his wake. When he finally returns to England, nearly a decade after he first left, he finds himself falling in love once more–this time with his best friend’s wife–before depression overcomes him again. He emerges from his funk with a crystalline ambition. He wants to be the first man to stand on top of the world. Wilson believes that Everest can redeem him. This is the tale of an adventurer unlike any you have ever encountered: complex, driven, wry, haunted, and fully alive. He is a man written out of the history books–dismissed as an eccentric, and gossiped about because of rumors of his transvestism. The Moth and the Mountain restores Maurice Wilson to his rightful place in the annals of Everest and tells an unforgettable story about the power of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

National Bestseller A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist- mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that “suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down.” He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more–including Krakauer’s –in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into Thin Air , Krakauer’s epic account of the May 1996 disaster. By writing Into Thin Air , Krakauer may have hoped to exorcise some of his own demons and lay to rest some of the painful questions that still surround the event. He takes great pains to provide a balanced picture of the people and events he witnessed and gives due credit to the tireless and dedicated Sherpas. He also avoids blasting easy targets such as Sandy Pittman, the wealthy socialite who brought an espresso maker along on the expedition. Krakauer’s highly personal inquiry into the catastrophe provides a great deal of insight into what went wrong. But for Krakauer himself, further interviews and investigations only lead him to the conclusion that his perceived failures were directly responsible for a fellow climber’s death. Clearly, Krakauer remains haunted by the disaster, and although he relates a number of incidents in which he acted selflessly and even heroically, he seems unable to view those instances objectively. In the end, despite his evenhanded and even generous assessment of others’ actions, he reserves a full measure of vitriol for himself. This updated trade paperback edition of Into Thin Air includes an extensive new postscript that sheds fascinating light on the acrimonious debate that flared between Krakauer and Everest guide Anatoli Boukreev in the wake of the tragedy. “I have no doubt that Boukreev’s intentions were good on summit day,” writes Krakauer in the postscript, dated August 1999. “What disturbs me, though, was Boukreev’s refusal to acknowledge the possibility that he made even a single poor decision. Never did he indicate that perhaps it wasn’t the best choice to climb without gas or go down ahead of his clients.” As usual, Krakauer supports his points with dogged research and a good dose of humility. But rather than continue the heated discourse that has raged since Into Thin Air ‘s denouncement of guide Boukreev, Krakauer’s tone is conciliatory; he points most of his criticism at G. Weston De Walt, who coauthored The Climb , Boukreev’s version of events. And in a touching conclusion, Krakauer recounts his last conversation with the late Boukreev, in which the two weathered climbers agreed to disagree about certain points. Krakauer had great hopes to patch things up with Boukreev, but the Russian later died in an avalanche on another Himalayan peak, Annapurna I. In 1999, Krakauer received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters–a prestigious prize intended “to honor writers of exceptional accomplishment.” According to the Academy’s citation, “Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer. His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport; while his account of the life and death of Christopher McCandless, who died of starvation after challenging the Alaskan wilderness, delves even more deeply and disturbingly into the fascination of nature and the devastating effects of its lure on a young and curious mind.”

### A New York Times and Wall Street Journal Nonfiction Bestseller! — What happened that night on Dead Mountain? The mystery of Dead Mountain: In February 1959, a group of nine experienced hikers in the Russian Ural Mountains died mysteriously on an elevation known as Dead Mountain. Eerie aspects of the mountain climbing incident–unexplained violent injuries, signs that they cut open and fled the tent without proper clothing or shoes, a strange final photograph taken by one of the hikers, and elevated levels of radiation found on some of their clothes –have led to decades of speculation over the true stories and what really happened. As gripping and bizarre as Hunt for the Skin Walker: This New York Times bestseller, Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, is a gripping work of literary nonfiction that delves into the untold story of Dead Mountain through unprecedented access to the hikers’ own journals and photographs, rarely seen government records, dozens of interviews, and the author’s retracing of the hikers’ fateful journey in the Russian winter. You’ll love this real-life tale: Dead Mountain is a fascinating portrait of young adventurers in the Soviet era, and a skillful interweaving of the hikers’ narrative, the investigators’ efforts, and the author’s investigations. Here for the first time is a historical nonfiction bestseller with the real story of what happened that night on Dead Mountain.

From the co-founder of the International Guide of Knot Tyers, comes an oversize, easy-to follow guide perfect for sailers, campers, fishermen, climbers, and everyone else who might want or need to tie a solid, useful knot This beautifully illustrated, full-color guide unties the mysteries of more than eighty knots. Using clear photographs and diagrams, as well as straightforward, easy-to-follow instructions, any reader can master knots for fishing, boating, climbing, crafts, and household uses. Climbers will feel safer knowing they have tied the perfect Water or Tape knot. Home decorators will enjoy trying their hand at the beautiful and elaborate Chinese Cloverleaf. Fishermen will fight big fish with more confidence. Filled with fascinating knot lore, The Ultimate Book of Everyday Knots is perfect for anyone wishing to learn advanced knotting techniques for any purpose at all. Featuring illustrations throughout, sections include: Overhand knots Figure of eight knots Bowlines and sheet bends Crossing knots And other useful knots Whether for practical use or just for fun, this is a great place to start knotting–so grab a piece of rope, sit back, and enjoy!

Over 100K copies sold * The official navigation textbook used in outdoor education courses by thousands of students * Map and compass skills remain the foundation for traveling safely in the wilderness This new third edition is a major and complete update of the popular textbook: * Improved throughout for clarity, with chapter objectives presented at the beginning of each chapter and summaries, “skills check” mini-quizzes, and practice problems listed at the end * Updated descriptions of the most current maps, compasses, altimeters, and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers * Updated declination maps for the United States and the world (declination changes over time and compasses must be adjusted for a specific location to provide correct readings) * Much-expanded GPS chapter, including interfacing the GPS receiver with the home computer, maximizing battery life, and using the GPS function on a “smart” phones (along with a description of their limitations) * Additional information on non-GPS navigational techniques * Recommended websites, apps, and other sources of useful navigational information