In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods

by Galen A. Rowell

A member of an American mountaineering team that set off in 1975 to climb the world's second highest peak in Pakistan's Karakoram range tells of the successes and failures that have marked various expeditions

Genres: Nonfiction, Mountaineering, Travel, Adventure, Climbing, Pakistan, Biography

326 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 1977

About the author

Galen Avery Rowell (August 23, 1940 – August 11, 2002) was a wilderness photographer, adventure photojournalist and mountaineer. Born in Oakland, California, he became a full-time photographer in 1972.

Reviews

[Mazola1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The official summary calls this book an account of the 1985 unsuccessful American attempt to climb K2. Not only is that factually incorrect, it's also misleadingly incomplete. More correctly, In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods is a gripping account of the troubled and unsuccessful 1975 American expedition to K2, set in the context of the history of climbing on K2, and the history and people of the surrounding area.

The book is like a fine dinner with multiple courses. It is best read slowly, so each of its parts can be savored. It is beautifully illustrated with magnificent color and black and white photographs, which alone make the book worth reading. The central tale is that of the 1975 expedition, which was famously plagued by problems ranging from porter strikes to interpersonal conflicts and jealousies among the members. Rowell includes material from the journals of several of the expeditition's members. In doing so, he is able to avoid giving a one-sided view of the conflicts which nearly caused a premature end to the expeditition. All in all, he provides a revealing and realistic picture of the frustrations, joys and stresses of a Himalayan expedition.

Rowell briefly sketches the history of prior expeditions, successful and unsuccessful, to K2, as well as the history of the region, and its people and wildlife. This material is intermixed with episodes from the expedition. While this slows the narrative of the expedition, it also places it in context. It also creates just the right psychological pace, because a full scale Himalayan expedition proceeds neither smoothly nor quickly. In that sense, this is a good book to read slowly, bit by bit, piece by piece. The story is a good one, with mounting tension, and a resolution. While the expedition it narrates was not successful in reaching its goal, the same cannot be said of the book.

[Clara Mazzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Galen Rowell ha partecipato alla spedizione americana al K2 (fallita) più al vitriolo di sempre: quella del 1973. In questo suo libro intende raccontarla anche se francamente non se ne capisce bene il perché. Parrebbe voglia spifferare tutti i retroscena, svelando segretissimi gossip quando invece sfrutta sì i diari personali dei compagni, ma solo per mostrare i vari punti di vista rispetto a determinate discussioni. Un Rashomon himalayano, insomma. Dal momento in cui però le discussioni vertevamo sulle molteplici beghe coi portatori (che hanno scioperato a più riprese per ottenere aumenti di paga) o a frizioni tra i vari membri come credo ci siano da mille altre parti, il lavoro risulta piuttosto insoddisfacente dal punto di vista del pettegolezzo (in alcuni punti sembrava una lista di piagnistei da parte dei vari componenti, tanti omoni, tutti intenti a giocare a chi era il più forte per finire sempre imbronciati da sembrare una classe della scuola materna). A lavoro completato l’editore o forse Galen stesso, si sono resi conto che il libro così non stava in piedi. Aveva bisogno di essere rimpolpato. Sfruttando allora il suo incarico di fotografo ufficiale per il National Geographic, Rowel inserisce nel libro tante belle foto (davvero), articoli sulla situazione geo-socio-economica di Skardu abbastanza interessanti (ma nulla di trascendentale) e capitoli dedicati invece alla storia delle spedizioni al K2 – questa invece ben fatta. Conclude con un finale potenzialmente a suspence (ma ormai il lettore è fiaccato): l’indagine della CIA sui vari membri della spedizione per sospetti contatti segreti con la Cina che viene presto ad insaccarsi per insufficienza di prove e rivela persino il delatore: un’accusa soffiata da un alpinista che avrebbe voluto partecipare alla spedizione ma che era stato scartato alle selezioni. Un lavoro che non sa se essere un articolo per una rivista specializzata di viaggi o un manuale di storia dell’alpinismo himalayiano e che si perde in un elenco noioso di beghe scritte da un alpinista poco convincente sia dal punto di vista sportivo che umano e che pare sia stato scritto fondamentalmente per giustificare sé stesso (Galen Rowell) dalle accuse di essere un opportunista e di aver collaborato poco alla spedizione, ma non ce la fa: alla fin fine Rowell non mi ha convinta. Mi è sembrato un gran lecchino e un paraculo che mentre “fingeva” di essere super partes nel raccontare le varie tensioni della spedizione, parlava male dei capi e si assurgeva a ruolo di mediatore eccelso.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fascinating reading. I found out about this book from the Newsweek magazine on books, from an article about the fun of re-reading favorite books. Since I am a fervent and dedicated re-reader, and since the author talked about Jane Austen being a favorite for re-readers (how true! She is a delicious re-read!), I gave his opinions high regard. He mentioned this book as one of his favorite re-reads. I read it over 3 or 4 days, couldn't put it down. I read it while sitting in my screened-in porch in a comfortable chair, with birds at the feeder and flowers in my garden in view. My pores dripped with schadenfreude (pleasure at the misfortune of others - and oh man did these guys have some misfortune!) as I read. This book is a true account of the 1975 American expedition to climb K2. The expedition mushrooms from a great idea into a nightmare of the first water (or should I say "ice"?) as everthing that possibly can goes wrong with the expedition. Smugly reading about their misfortunes - some of which I can righteously enjoy from the lofty vantage point of having a smaller or at least less-threatened ego - is endlessly entertaining. Galen Rowell, the author, also describes other failed - and some successful - climbs of this and similar mountains, and the photographs are breathtaking. I will re-read this soon!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As happens periodically, I go on a jag where I read a lot of books/memoirs about expeditions: mountain climbing and polar. This is about the 6th book in a row I've read about Himalayan and Karakoram journeys. This book by the late, esteemed photographer Galen Rowell, was published in 1977, two years after the group's infamous and unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the second-highest mountain in the world. Rowell's photographs are liberally sprinkled through the book, and that is always a delight. Rowell also briefly summarizes earlier attempts on K2 throughout the decades alternated with chapters on what happened on the expedition of which he is a part. I have to say I felt much of it was tedious, although fairly well written. I'd just finished reading a history of climbs on K2, so much of what Rowell wrote about those was familiar to me. And the disharmony, whining, and kvetching he details about the 1975 trip just got old. I did enjoy his extensive discussion about the Karakoram mountain range, which I was much less familiar with than the Everest region of the Himalaya. A pretty good book that I think I would have enjoyed more had I not recently done so much reading on the same subject.

[Mihai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I had expected this to be a classic of mountaineering literature, it completely exceed my expectations. The writing is polished and coherent, and the story of the 1975 American K2 expedition is well put into context with those explorers and climbers that came before them. While this expedition went into the record book as one of the biggest failures in high-altitude mountaineering, Rowell's unflinching narrative, based on first-source material such as members' journals and recorded media, makes a compelling case that the failure could be attributed to a perfect storm of personality conflicts, atrocious weather and lack of logistical precedent following a 13-year closure of the Karakoram region that directly resulted in the local labor force sabotaging the expedition they were hired to support. I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the history of K2 climbing until I came across Throne Room, which gave me such a good recap everything sounded almost new. I admit some of the squabbles among the American team were getting pretty annoying to keep up with by the end, but overall I really enjoyed the text, not to mention Rowell's breathtaking photographs, which complement it extremely well. Highly recommended.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading about mountain climbing, people and travel. The photography in Galen's other books is emphasized more, and a lot of photographs are in black and white..

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic mountaineering book that gives an account of the 1975 American K-2 expedition, beset by personality clashes, porter and transportation issues, and prohibitive weather conditions, that ultimately failed in its quest for the peak, or even in just providing an enjoyable climbing experience. And to add insult to injury, there were rumors and accusations afterwards that their objectives in climbing this mountain were not as "pure" as bagging a peak. But there are some "extras" here that make this much more than one man's account. Every member of the team kept a diary that they turned over to the author at the end so there are many viewpoints from various personalities that are on display. You get a real glimpse into each person's motivations, expectations, and ultimate disappointments. Additional enhancements: Rowell includes stories of previous expeditions to K-2 and neighboring Karakoram peaks, as well as other teams in the area at the time of this expedition. He also includes a great deal of descriptive text about the area - the small villages, the people, the landscape. And in this edition, he has added numerous beautiful color photos. This one is a keeper!

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part of the book were the diary entries from the expedition members. I got frustrated with the constant alternations between the current expedition and historical climbs. It destroyed the momentum for me. I found the historical parts interesting but I have read more thorough accounts of some of those expeditions elsewhere. I enjoyed the unbiased and honest treatment of the roles everyone played on the trip. This was a rare look into the politics and interpersonal conflicts that go on with climbing groups.

[Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason I am drawn to adventure stories, especially of people who deal with extreme cold, such as Arctic and Antarctic explorers and mountain climbers. Maybe because I really do not like the cold and am fascinated by people who seek it out.

Galen Rowell writes a bit of an exposé about an American attempt to climb K2 in 1975. I really enjoyed it because he took the time to put this attempt into context within mountaineering history and I got to know a great deal about the very first climbers, how mountain climbing has evolved (and opinions about those changes), and most interesting of all, the dynamics of this particular "team," warts and all.

The eight men and one woman who undertook the attempt had agreed to keep personal diaries and Rowell drew on them for insights and comparisons of points of view throughout the book. I will never climb a mountain, but I felt like a participant through Rowell's writing. Other contemporary climbing teams were described--sometimes they were on the mountain at the same time--and it was fascinating to have these kinds of insider insights into this unique endeavor.

I might like to visit Base Camp one day, although I don't want to be come part of the "problem" either. We'll have to wait and see. But the book gave me tremendous respect for mountain climbers (or at least for many of them) and for the indigenous people of the Himalayas. It's a real modern challenge, even a dilemma, balancing the need for the cash that mountaineering brings with the disruption to native industry and the environment. Something to keep an eye on for sure.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing wrong with this book is the format but if the format were not what it is, you couldn't appreciate Galen Rowell's photos. If you like climbing books, this one is fascinating.

[Christine H · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better mountaineering adventure books. I liked the inclusion of team members' diary entries.

[Brian Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know what climbing a tall mountain is like, this brutally detailed description is a great place to start.

[Karl B · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the crazy things about these high mountain adventures is that they have the history of the successes, and more importantly, the failures of the past. And yet, they make many of the same mistakes as previous expeditions. The expedition to K2 is unlike any of the attempts at high climbs in Nepal because of the remoteness of the peak. It is over 75 miles to the nearest village which requires them to hire hundreds and hundreds of porters to carry stuff to the camps they will need to set up on the mountain.

Ultimately, this expedition did not reach the peak of K2. All of the expedition team survived, several with great difficulties and illnesses. Communication between the team leader and the rest of the team members proved trying and caused much discord.

I enjoyed reading Galen Rowell's account of the attempt and most of all, his wonderful photographs of the region. He did attempt to show the opinions of all the team members and not inject his own, personal opinion too much.

This book is out of print. I do recommend it if you can find a copy. My copy is hardback and was published by the Sierra Club.

[Mark Klink · Rating 1 out of 5]

How do you write a review of a book you didn't like and never completed? I was reading 2 other books at the same time ("White Spider" and "Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage: The Lonely Challenge" ) and had just finished "No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks" and "Everest: The West Ridge". I probably would have appreciated "In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods" more if i had read it in isolation, but in comparison to the other books, this book was a boring story of failure and background information. To paraphrase... "Our expedition was a failure, but we still wanted to write a book. So we decided to write a more general book with lots of history, cultural references, and references to other expeditions". I liked the photos in "Everest: The West Ridge" better, and it's an adventure to read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought a copy of this book online because it was out of print. Initially I had trouble finding the perfect time to read it because it smells incredibly musty. I usually get the bulk of my reading done in bed... I hadn't wanted to bring this smelly book to bed with me!

Well, I'm glad I got over all that and read it. The story is quite interesting and having the pictures to look at makes everything more vibrant.

[Amar Pai · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big book with a dated feel to it, big time-life style photos w/ that old coloring. I got this for juicy gossip and tales of back stabbing. It was ok but not as juicy or back stabby as I'd heard. Anyway this was one of the first books to talk about that side of mountaineering (as opposed to man's heroic struggle over nature, virtuous alpinist camaraderie, etc) so it was interesting in a historical sense.

[John Mattson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photos make this book a classic, but the story is also very interesting and well written. The human dynamics of a failed attempt on one of the most intense mountains in the world create a story that chronicles an important part of mountaineering history. Rowell's photos and prose allow us to see the very throne room in all it's splendor.

[Deigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very exhaustive review not only of the failed 1975 American K2 expedition but also a comprehensive history of mountaineering in the Karakorum region of Himalaya. It is a brute of a book and not to be tackled if you are only midly interested in this type of literature.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic look into the interpersonal drama that plagues climbing teams. I loved the amazing photos (several in color) and the history of K2.

[Richard Kravitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first mountaineering book, very cool. Amazing photos and a great story, drama, etc.