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Annapurna South Face: The Classic Account of Survival
In 1970, Chris Bonington and his now-legendary team of mountaineers were the first climbers to tackle a big wall at extreme altitude. Their target was the south face of Nepal's Annapurna: 12,000 feet of steep rock and ice leading to a 26, 454-ft. summit. As serious armchair climbers will tell you, Annapurna South Face is better than all but a handful of equally gripping classics. One could also argue that all that has happened in the big mountains in the past 30 years has come out of this expedition and out of this book. Bonington and his team—most of whom subsequently died in the mountains—represented a kind of "greatest generation" of modern mountaineers. They pioneered a new, bolder approach to high altitude climbing, and this book is about how they hit the big time.
424 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2001
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318 people want to read
About the author
Chris Bonington
110 books35 followersChris Bonington was educated at University College School, London and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He was commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment in 1956. He spent three years in North Germany in command of a troop of tanks and then two years at the Army Outward Bound School as a mountaineering instructor.It was during this period that he started climbing in the Alps, making the first British ascent of the South West Pillar of the Drus in 1958 and then the first ascent of the Central Pillar of Freney on the south side of Mont Blanc in 1961 with Don Whillans, Ian Clough and the Pole, Jan Dlugosz. At that time this was one of the most difficult climbs in the Alps and even today is considered one of the great classics of the Mont Blanc region.He made the first British ascent of the North Wall of the Eiger in 1962.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 30, 2022
Fantastic. Loved the detail of the expedition. Just shows what can be achieved by cigar smoking and ‘an average of three pints a night’.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2018
"Our ascent of Annapurna was a breakthrough into a new dimension of Himalayan climbing on the great walls of the highest mountains of the world - this represents the start of an era, not an end. Climbers will turn to other great faces, will perhaps try to reduce the size of the party, escape from the heavy siege tactics that we were forced to employ and make lightweight assaults against these huge mountain problems."
There is only one degree of separation between the author of the book, the famous British mountaineer and adventure writer, Chris Bonington, and myself. He had once made a difficult route in Alps partnering with Jan Wolf, a Polish climber and a friend of mine with whom I worked for four years in the same office in the late 1970s and early 1980s (more about it in this review ) I remember Jan Wolf making fun of Bonington smoking cigarettes while climbing at very high altitude. Anyway, it is not because of the personal connection that I like Annapurna South Face (1971) so much. To me it is the best book about a mountaineering expedition out of about 40 that I have read.
The 1970 Annapurna expedition opened a new chapter in the history of Himalayan mountaineering. Earlier expeditions had aimed at reaching the top using the route that promised the greatest chances of getting there. This is the first major expedition that purposefully selected one of the most difficult routes to the summit. Yet from the organizational point of view the assault resembled previous Himalayan endeavors: it was a monumental logistic undertaking. Let me quote just one number - the total of 240 porters were employed to carry the expedition loads.
Ironically, some of the major difficulties had been encountered before the entire team reached Nepal. Numerous delays caused by unexpected events almost made it impossible to reach the base of the mountain before the beginning of the monsoon season. The account of how Mr. Bonington had to deal with the delays and improvised temporary solutions reads as a suspense story.
The story of the climb itself is plenty suspenseful as well. The logistics of rotation of the climbers' teams to transport loads between the camps (base and six altitude camps) was a monumental task for Mr. Bonington. He writes about the most difficult decision he had to make: which pair of climbers to put in front at the time most opportune for the summit push. He sacrificed the principle of fairness to increased chance of success. And succeed he did. Dougal Haston, one of the two climbers who had made the summit, wrote the chapter recounting the actual summit push.
From 2018 perspective it might seem incredible that many members of the expedition smoked cigarettes at high altitude:
The author provides 108 pages of appendices with detailed statistics of the expedition: data about equipment, bottled oxygen, food, communications, photography, medical issues, and also a nice section on people of Nepal. An informative supplement to the extremely captivating book.
Four stars.
There is only one degree of separation between the author of the book, the famous British mountaineer and adventure writer, Chris Bonington, and myself. He had once made a difficult route in Alps partnering with Jan Wolf, a Polish climber and a friend of mine with whom I worked for four years in the same office in the late 1970s and early 1980s (more about it in this review ) I remember Jan Wolf making fun of Bonington smoking cigarettes while climbing at very high altitude. Anyway, it is not because of the personal connection that I like Annapurna South Face (1971) so much. To me it is the best book about a mountaineering expedition out of about 40 that I have read.
The 1970 Annapurna expedition opened a new chapter in the history of Himalayan mountaineering. Earlier expeditions had aimed at reaching the top using the route that promised the greatest chances of getting there. This is the first major expedition that purposefully selected one of the most difficult routes to the summit. Yet from the organizational point of view the assault resembled previous Himalayan endeavors: it was a monumental logistic undertaking. Let me quote just one number - the total of 240 porters were employed to carry the expedition loads.
Ironically, some of the major difficulties had been encountered before the entire team reached Nepal. Numerous delays caused by unexpected events almost made it impossible to reach the base of the mountain before the beginning of the monsoon season. The account of how Mr. Bonington had to deal with the delays and improvised temporary solutions reads as a suspense story.
The story of the climb itself is plenty suspenseful as well. The logistics of rotation of the climbers' teams to transport loads between the camps (base and six altitude camps) was a monumental task for Mr. Bonington. He writes about the most difficult decision he had to make: which pair of climbers to put in front at the time most opportune for the summit push. He sacrificed the principle of fairness to increased chance of success. And succeed he did. Dougal Haston, one of the two climbers who had made the summit, wrote the chapter recounting the actual summit push.
From 2018 perspective it might seem incredible that many members of the expedition smoked cigarettes at high altitude:
"Mick had a passion for Gauloises and had brought 7,000 with him, most of which he managed to smoke himself."Truly impressive! Most of us, readers, would have extreme difficulty breathing at all at these altitudes while the extreme sportsmen on Bonington's team smoked several packs a day!
The author provides 108 pages of appendices with detailed statistics of the expedition: data about equipment, bottled oxygen, food, communications, photography, medical issues, and also a nice section on people of Nepal. An informative supplement to the extremely captivating book.
Four stars.
August 30, 2017
Far too technical for my tastes!
A classic tale of survival…
In 1970 Chris Bonington led an expedition to Annapurna, for an assault on the unclimbed south face. They managed to place climbers on the summit, but one man was killed not far from Base Camp in an avalanche.
I have been reading stories of survival recently, finding the triumph of the human spirit to be very uplifting. However, this book is more technical. The focus here is on the climb, not the individuals. Thus, I must honestly say I didn’t enjoy it.
I give the book two stars...
Quoth the Raven…
A classic tale of survival…
In 1970 Chris Bonington led an expedition to Annapurna, for an assault on the unclimbed south face. They managed to place climbers on the summit, but one man was killed not far from Base Camp in an avalanche.
I have been reading stories of survival recently, finding the triumph of the human spirit to be very uplifting. However, this book is more technical. The focus here is on the climb, not the individuals. Thus, I must honestly say I didn’t enjoy it.
I give the book two stars...
Quoth the Raven…
September 25, 2020
Read this book thirty years ago in a Penguin paperback while in India. I finished it in two sittings. Sir Chris Bonington, a former margarine salesman as he described himself, went from British crags to the eventual large-scale expeditions to the 8,000 metre peaks. Surprises are a daily feature of life and death is always close by, no matter how skilled the team. This was a top-flight team. A great read.
September 24, 2022
The verdict on what are classic climbing books is still out, for me, which is a reason I keep this blog, but this book is significant for its subject and its approach. Annapurna South Face: The Classic Account of Survival by expedition leader Sir Chris Bonington, published in 1971, broke the mold of what everyone thought an expedition book was supposed to be. And if this isn’t a classic climbing book, it is at least the record of a historic climb.
Although some have found the book tedious with logistical details about climbing expedition management, that is typical of an expedition book. That is, after all, what this book is fundamentally. And Expedition books played an important role; they were the standard way to record explorations into new realms, particularly to guide future explorers and adventurers about what is already known, and, of course, establish a record of one’s accomplishments. Bonington, however, stands out as a writer of an expedition book and a climbing leader, and his book could be a top ten classic climbing book.
First, Bonington is not actually the sole author. As was the case with all expeditions, the leader wrote the chronicle and his (yes, they were all men with few exceptions) team members would attempt the summit. And the underlying idea, from the ethical approach common among big expedition efforts, was that if one person from the team made the summit, the whole expedition was successful. In this case, Bonington included the chapter about the last leg of reaching the summit from the first-person perspective of Dougal Haston who reached the summit with Don Whillians.
These books include a treasure trove of data and stories that is sometimes like going through a box from my grandfather’s business; I found things called paperweights, old photos, hand-written receipts, and correspondence (old fashioned letters hammered out from a typewriter.) For Annapurna South Face, Bonington opened his filing box and spoke about the process of getting official approval from Nepal and traveling, with his team and all of their gear, by boat. Bonington lead a team of team 21 climbers, including Haston, Whillians, Mick Fowler, Tom Frost (the sole American, in case that matters to you,) and several other alpine luminaries. After organizing food and porters to carry their loads, they often slept under the stars.
I don’t know whether to excuse Bonington or call him out for his insensitivity over Nepal’s poverty. During the expedition party’s approach to Annapurna he witnessed the Nepalese children, and observed the fifth and low-quality of living, the poor quality of food, and how their simple, delightful smiles were something noble yet naive to their poverty. The observation was honest, but in fact, he was naive to his party’s own entrance on the scene, which was a juxtaposition of health, fitness and the pursuit of a luxurious challenge.
One of my favorite segments involved Don Whillians during a lonesome wandering on the approach. He returned from reconnoiter as if he had seen a ghost. In fact, he believed he saw an abominable snow monster, the Himalayan Yeti. Whether he had or not, Bonington suspected that Whillians had merely became disoriented, spooked himself, and walked in circles. Whillians long disputed this; it’s worth the your own wandering down a search-engine rabbit hole about this.
Whillians was also handy, and, in order to provide better sleeping accomodations on the wall, Bonington documents the Whillians Box. It was essentially a cube-shaped tent with lumber for support. It could also be described as a port-a-ledge and tent combo. Arguably, it was more protection from falling debris too.
Bonington invited one American on this British expedition. It was good for some added publicity with a news audience across the pond. (Notice I said “news” not media; it was 1970, after all.) But Tom Frost, the American stood out among the team for reasons other than his nationality. The British members drank and smoke regularly. Frost was a teetotaler and didn’t smoke either. It came to blows on the steep flanks, during a multi-day hold up in a tent. The smoke would get to me too; I’ll let you read the book to see how that panned out and affected the rest of the climb with his partners.
Bonington tracked his climbers up their chosen route, starting with a long ice ridge, then an equally long rock face. All combined it took longer than planned: Five weeks followed by three more, respectively. To tell the story of the summit leg, as was the approach in other expedition books like Annapurna, Dougal Haston contributed a chapter with his firsthand account. Haston dropped his personal gear but recovered and persevered. I don’t like to spoil the whole thing, but will say that the story gets better, and there is a tragedy. (Perhaps both are common knowledge among climbers, but reading it first hand yourself is important; it is the primary source, so dive in!)
Bonington was indeed detailed. That is an criticism or a compliment, depending on your opinion. I admit that I appreciated the detail and it wasn’t a dry list, but a rich commentary, with personality, colorful opinions from experience, that was laying evidence for not only what Bonington’s men did but the style, way, and judgments of how they did it. Their gear, the conditions, and the ice ridge and rock face were all subjective to interpretations of strategy. I like to think I was able to see things as the author
Although some have found the book tedious with logistical details about climbing expedition management, that is typical of an expedition book. That is, after all, what this book is fundamentally. And Expedition books played an important role; they were the standard way to record explorations into new realms, particularly to guide future explorers and adventurers about what is already known, and, of course, establish a record of one’s accomplishments. Bonington, however, stands out as a writer of an expedition book and a climbing leader, and his book could be a top ten classic climbing book.
First, Bonington is not actually the sole author. As was the case with all expeditions, the leader wrote the chronicle and his (yes, they were all men with few exceptions) team members would attempt the summit. And the underlying idea, from the ethical approach common among big expedition efforts, was that if one person from the team made the summit, the whole expedition was successful. In this case, Bonington included the chapter about the last leg of reaching the summit from the first-person perspective of Dougal Haston who reached the summit with Don Whillians.
These books include a treasure trove of data and stories that is sometimes like going through a box from my grandfather’s business; I found things called paperweights, old photos, hand-written receipts, and correspondence (old fashioned letters hammered out from a typewriter.) For Annapurna South Face, Bonington opened his filing box and spoke about the process of getting official approval from Nepal and traveling, with his team and all of their gear, by boat. Bonington lead a team of team 21 climbers, including Haston, Whillians, Mick Fowler, Tom Frost (the sole American, in case that matters to you,) and several other alpine luminaries. After organizing food and porters to carry their loads, they often slept under the stars.
I don’t know whether to excuse Bonington or call him out for his insensitivity over Nepal’s poverty. During the expedition party’s approach to Annapurna he witnessed the Nepalese children, and observed the fifth and low-quality of living, the poor quality of food, and how their simple, delightful smiles were something noble yet naive to their poverty. The observation was honest, but in fact, he was naive to his party’s own entrance on the scene, which was a juxtaposition of health, fitness and the pursuit of a luxurious challenge.
One of my favorite segments involved Don Whillians during a lonesome wandering on the approach. He returned from reconnoiter as if he had seen a ghost. In fact, he believed he saw an abominable snow monster, the Himalayan Yeti. Whether he had or not, Bonington suspected that Whillians had merely became disoriented, spooked himself, and walked in circles. Whillians long disputed this; it’s worth the your own wandering down a search-engine rabbit hole about this.
Whillians was also handy, and, in order to provide better sleeping accomodations on the wall, Bonington documents the Whillians Box. It was essentially a cube-shaped tent with lumber for support. It could also be described as a port-a-ledge and tent combo. Arguably, it was more protection from falling debris too.
Bonington invited one American on this British expedition. It was good for some added publicity with a news audience across the pond. (Notice I said “news” not media; it was 1970, after all.) But Tom Frost, the American stood out among the team for reasons other than his nationality. The British members drank and smoke regularly. Frost was a teetotaler and didn’t smoke either. It came to blows on the steep flanks, during a multi-day hold up in a tent. The smoke would get to me too; I’ll let you read the book to see how that panned out and affected the rest of the climb with his partners.
Bonington tracked his climbers up their chosen route, starting with a long ice ridge, then an equally long rock face. All combined it took longer than planned: Five weeks followed by three more, respectively. To tell the story of the summit leg, as was the approach in other expedition books like Annapurna, Dougal Haston contributed a chapter with his firsthand account. Haston dropped his personal gear but recovered and persevered. I don’t like to spoil the whole thing, but will say that the story gets better, and there is a tragedy. (Perhaps both are common knowledge among climbers, but reading it first hand yourself is important; it is the primary source, so dive in!)
Bonington was indeed detailed. That is an criticism or a compliment, depending on your opinion. I admit that I appreciated the detail and it wasn’t a dry list, but a rich commentary, with personality, colorful opinions from experience, that was laying evidence for not only what Bonington’s men did but the style, way, and judgments of how they did it. Their gear, the conditions, and the ice ridge and rock face were all subjective to interpretations of strategy. I like to think I was able to see things as the author
November 25, 2023
I really enjoyed this account of the Chris Bennington lead expedition up the South face of Annapurna.
As well as details of the challenges and risks of the climb and the personalities within the team, it also ncludes some great insight into the people of Nepal and a full inventory of everything they packed….including 12 packets of Spangles!!
As well as details of the challenges and risks of the climb and the personalities within the team, it also ncludes some great insight into the people of Nepal and a full inventory of everything they packed….including 12 packets of Spangles!!
November 26, 2025
A very detailed story of a siege tactics expedition in a new route in Himalayas. Well written even though other people may habe written it in a dull way. The transcriptions from radio discussions are the best of the book. It’s a very real and honest book, and it makes you feel you are right there in the tedious task of carrying loads to higher camps.
November 21, 2019
Paradoxically, although it seemed to drag at times, it was actually a quick read. A tour of some of the trials going through an expedition manager's mind while simultaneously climbing a dangerous mountain that didn't seem to want them there.
August 2, 2018
I am glad I read it, but found swaths of it quite tedious.
March 15, 2020
Good. Very good insight to the detail required to equip and manage a climbing team. A very honest statement by Chris Bonington.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2020
Lots of great details... skipped lots of the prep to get to the most interesting, last chapter. Perhaps I was in too much of a hurry so going back was a bit of a ‘slog up the mountain.’
September 27, 2021
A fascinating read, particularly after having read Herzog's book, and comparing it to what modern-day mountaineering has become.
Read
December 25, 2021Actually read the edition published by Penguin in 1973 reprinted in 1976. Very inspirational pushing oneself to the limit..
January 15, 2013
3rd attempt to write this review. It's deserving a good review, and this outline will get fleshed out to avoid problems hitting wrong buttons. Annapurna South Face is a hallmark book about a hallmark 2nd generation Himalayan climbing expedition.
The most important context and a non-essential prerequisite: Read Herzog Maurice's Annapurna first 8,000 meter peak of 14 peaks total. This was true exploration (local maps lacked all detail). Most English readers don't realize the flawed nature of Herzog's book. A few readers will find David Roberts' True Summit: What Really Happened on the Legendary Ascent on Annapurna.
The next 13 8KM peaks would be climbed in the next decade and less well documented than more armchair climbers would find interesting. The end of the first generation and the beginning of the start of the second generation 1963. Peaks started having 2nd routes, harder routes taken to their summits. Then came a Cold War hiatus of 6 years.
Important during this time was the winter ascent of the 2nd Eiger North Face route (Harlin). This use of expedition fixed routes and load hauling would transition to the Himalaya.
1970: The start of a new generation. Contrast weak head lamps and flashlights and failing ink pens to a new generation warming batteries over the stove.
I read this book when it first came out about 1971 or 1972.
A different age and a different time. Where were the famous Sherpas in all this? Low down.
To understand (and appreciate) this expedition and this book: it took place when one had to raise a lot of money to mount a big expedition (during the Cold War which had an influence on travel hard to appreciate these days). The technical skills required of climbers started to exceed local porter knowledge. At this time, modern lightweight expeditions had barely made their mark (Broad Peak in Pakistan), this will change starting this same year (1970) to the next five years (see Messner at the end of this review). At the time this was Bonnington's 2nd book (after I Chose to Climb), and he's just begun a career as a professional writer (his most historic expedition days are a few years ahead of him (since most non-climbers have only heard of Mt. Everest)).
So the reader needs to keep these old developments in context. This was all before "adventure travel" came into existence.
Second most important team member was Jimmy Roberts (no relation to Dave Roberts), their logistics manager. Roberts appears in English climbing accounts both before and after the Annapurna South Face expedition. His overall knowledge would guide much planning and decision making for two decades of climbers. This was important because the Annapurna South Face expedition was one of the first to make use of computers before the advent of spreadsheets. Roberts' thought about logistics qualitatively.
Realize the English language bias on two levels: English isn't necessarily the first language of climbing and it's important to realize what was happening on other mountains at the same time.
The Japanese were on Everest on the regular route and a new hard route on the SW face eventually also climbed by a Bonington expedition Chris Bonington's Everest The Hard Way. This was also the Miura ski trip of the documentary movie note (6 years later).
But more importantly an expedition was taking place on a peak obscure to most English speakers, Nanga Parbat by the Rupal Flank (unquestionably the tallest face in the world by thousands of meters), with a climber whose name would later mark the 3rd generation with Reinhold Messner starting in 1975 and set off the branch to climb all 8,000 meter peaks and in some case in incomprehensible times (3 days) or without supplemental oxygen (as well as Seven summits or 2nd highest peaks).
So this is a short context of the hallmark of Annapurna South Face. An incredible tale in its own right.
The most important context and a non-essential prerequisite: Read Herzog Maurice's Annapurna first 8,000 meter peak of 14 peaks total. This was true exploration (local maps lacked all detail). Most English readers don't realize the flawed nature of Herzog's book. A few readers will find David Roberts' True Summit: What Really Happened on the Legendary Ascent on Annapurna.
The next 13 8KM peaks would be climbed in the next decade and less well documented than more armchair climbers would find interesting. The end of the first generation and the beginning of the start of the second generation 1963. Peaks started having 2nd routes, harder routes taken to their summits. Then came a Cold War hiatus of 6 years.
Important during this time was the winter ascent of the 2nd Eiger North Face route (Harlin). This use of expedition fixed routes and load hauling would transition to the Himalaya.
1970: The start of a new generation. Contrast weak head lamps and flashlights and failing ink pens to a new generation warming batteries over the stove.
I read this book when it first came out about 1971 or 1972.
A different age and a different time. Where were the famous Sherpas in all this? Low down.
To understand (and appreciate) this expedition and this book: it took place when one had to raise a lot of money to mount a big expedition (during the Cold War which had an influence on travel hard to appreciate these days). The technical skills required of climbers started to exceed local porter knowledge. At this time, modern lightweight expeditions had barely made their mark (Broad Peak in Pakistan), this will change starting this same year (1970) to the next five years (see Messner at the end of this review). At the time this was Bonnington's 2nd book (after I Chose to Climb), and he's just begun a career as a professional writer (his most historic expedition days are a few years ahead of him (since most non-climbers have only heard of Mt. Everest)).
So the reader needs to keep these old developments in context. This was all before "adventure travel" came into existence.
Second most important team member was Jimmy Roberts (no relation to Dave Roberts), their logistics manager. Roberts appears in English climbing accounts both before and after the Annapurna South Face expedition. His overall knowledge would guide much planning and decision making for two decades of climbers. This was important because the Annapurna South Face expedition was one of the first to make use of computers before the advent of spreadsheets. Roberts' thought about logistics qualitatively.
Realize the English language bias on two levels: English isn't necessarily the first language of climbing and it's important to realize what was happening on other mountains at the same time.
The Japanese were on Everest on the regular route and a new hard route on the SW face eventually also climbed by a Bonington expedition Chris Bonington's Everest The Hard Way. This was also the Miura ski trip of the documentary movie note (6 years later).
But more importantly an expedition was taking place on a peak obscure to most English speakers, Nanga Parbat by the Rupal Flank (unquestionably the tallest face in the world by thousands of meters), with a climber whose name would later mark the 3rd generation with Reinhold Messner starting in 1975 and set off the branch to climb all 8,000 meter peaks and in some case in incomprehensible times (3 days) or without supplemental oxygen (as well as Seven summits or 2nd highest peaks).
So this is a short context of the hallmark of Annapurna South Face. An incredible tale in its own right.
December 11, 2014
As soon as the weather drops below zero degrees, I have to pick up a mountaineering book. This one did not disappoint. I read it in a week.
I really appreciated the very British tone, especially in contrast with the American books I've read, and Bonington seems exceedingly even-tempered, generous and truthful. He even made way for some of his co-climbers to add chapters detailing their version of events.
An awe-inspiring story of a group of climbers who set out to climb what was long seen as unclimbable. They fixed all of their own ropes, and most of the team was at altitude for almost a month. The climb necessitated a deep mastery of mountaineering. No Everest snow slog, this. Scaling up sheer faces of ice carrying their own equipment and rations, I have deep respect for them. The lack of personal drama speaks volumes for their dedication and teamwork.
Feeling a chill this winter? Read this and you might stop complaining.
I really appreciated the very British tone, especially in contrast with the American books I've read, and Bonington seems exceedingly even-tempered, generous and truthful. He even made way for some of his co-climbers to add chapters detailing their version of events.
An awe-inspiring story of a group of climbers who set out to climb what was long seen as unclimbable. They fixed all of their own ropes, and most of the team was at altitude for almost a month. The climb necessitated a deep mastery of mountaineering. No Everest snow slog, this. Scaling up sheer faces of ice carrying their own equipment and rations, I have deep respect for them. The lack of personal drama speaks volumes for their dedication and teamwork.
Feeling a chill this winter? Read this and you might stop complaining.
January 11, 2019
The book is about the mostly British, 1970 climb of Annapurna written by the team leader, Chris Bonington. The point of the expedition was definitely about rock climbing skills more than reaching the summit (which 2 of the party did). I liked the detail about selecting members of the party and packing up food and supplies. I also liked the emphasis on how the people got along and on the actual details of the movement up and down from one camp to the other. I am not a climber, but I did like the details about the actual climbing even though I did not always fully understand them. I also was interested in his information on oxygen. The appendices have a lot of detail about supplies, equipment, food, communications and medical issues.
People who are not fascinated by arctic, Antarctic and mountain climbing may find the detail overwhelming.
People who are not fascinated by arctic, Antarctic and mountain climbing may find the detail overwhelming.
August 2, 2007
This is it. The classic book of adventure from Sir Bonnington. I bought the book in Thamel Kathmandu because this is his first writing report as expedition leader.
When you've relay on the British army's hand to do most of the job : Surveying, supplying, carrying heavy climbing gears, that's probably a reason why Bonnington was a very good organizer. He was in the army, learnt using communication radio, and do climbing in the same time. And writing this report as well. He also organized hundreds of porters and yaks to do 6 weeks climbing Annnapurna South Face. A feast that respected by two continent : US and Europe.
The book little bit technical specially strategy and food supplying, medical and drugs for high altitude, but you've must be wonder that happen 30years ago.
When you've relay on the British army's hand to do most of the job : Surveying, supplying, carrying heavy climbing gears, that's probably a reason why Bonnington was a very good organizer. He was in the army, learnt using communication radio, and do climbing in the same time. And writing this report as well. He also organized hundreds of porters and yaks to do 6 weeks climbing Annnapurna South Face. A feast that respected by two continent : US and Europe.
The book little bit technical specially strategy and food supplying, medical and drugs for high altitude, but you've must be wonder that happen 30years ago.
January 29, 2009
Classic mountaineering tale, with Bonington's ego controlled by his personal ultimate failure to achieve the summit. Appendices for trip planning rather interesting, in the least as a significant deviation from a standard mountainering text.
Read
June 1, 2013I skimmed a lot of the early stages of climbing--a little too technical for me. The end had some good moments.
January 21, 2016
Written more for the climber.
January 21, 2018
A great book from 1971 about the first ascent of the South West face of Annapurna 1 a 8,091 metre (26,545 feet) mountain in the Himalayas. Chris Bonington (now Sir Chris) is a great British mountaineer who has led several groundbreaking expeditions and first ascents. I read a couple of his other books a long time ago but I think this one might be his best effort. The dangers the team faced are so well described it's almost like being there and I really got to know the members of the team. Even if you're not much interested in mountaineering I think you'd enjoy it. If you are interested in how a large expedition was set up in the 70's there are extensive appendices that are chock full of information.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews