by Palisades79 » Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:50 pm
by nattfodd » Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:15 am
MarthaP wrote:I'm pretty sure you're right. I think that's Abruzzi Ridge right below the shoulder. Correct me if I'm wrong...but it's awe-inspiring to say the least!
by bajaandy » Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:35 pm
by Arthur Digbee » Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:37 pm
I wrote:An interesting but uneven narrative of six dramatic seasons on K2
In this book, well-known mountaineer Ed Viesturs and sidekick tell the story of six dramatic seasons on K2, the world's highest peak: 1938, 1939, 1953, 1954, 1986, and 2008. Viesturs has climbed K2 himself, as part of his successful campaign to climb all 14 of the world's 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. He evaluates the many disasters on this mountain to try to find their "lessons."
Those lessons are pretty scattered, and don't add up to any overriding themes. Of course the main theme is one familiar to readers of Viesturs: be willing to turn back, and "getting down is mandatory."
The book can also be read as a history of these seasons, which include several disasters and one successfully-avoided near-disaster (the "miracle belay"). Viesturs isn't much of a historian, but he's a heckuva mountaineer. His histories work best when he knows some of the people involved - - especially 1986 and 2008, but OK in 1953-54. The 1938-39 chapters were just weaker narratives.
If you haven't read "No Shortcuts," read that one first. If you have read it, and have an interest in K2, then this one is OK but not overly compelling.
by D Watson » Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:19 pm
nattfodd wrote:MarthaP wrote:I'm pretty sure you're right. I think that's Abruzzi Ridge right below the shoulder. Correct me if I'm wrong...but it's awe-inspiring to say the least!
I've actually read several times that this is the bottleneck, which would mean that there are fixed ropes (at least in the latest years, maybe not in 1992 when this photo was taken).
by jspeigl » Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:32 am
by drjohnso1182 » Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:44 am
Arthur Digbee wrote:In this book, well-known mountaineer Ed Viesturs and sidekick tell the story of six dramatic seasons on K2
by D Watson » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:03 am
jspeigl wrote:Dave,
Thanks for this picture! I'm reading the book, and it is hard to picture what Viesturs is describing in the different accounts of the climbs. This picture really helps. So the highest camp on the shoulder must be camp 4, and the big serac above is the "Motivator." Where would House's chimney be? Thanks.
by Scott » Sun Nov 15, 2009 5:33 pm
by Arthur Digbee » Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:23 pm
drjohnso1182 wrote:Arthur Digbee wrote:In this book, well-known mountaineer Ed Viesturs and sidekick tell the story of six dramatic seasons on K2
...did you refer to David Roberts as Ed Viesturs' sidekick?
by stamina » Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:18 pm
by Misha » Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:07 am
by Sam Page » Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:57 pm
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