A must have for any aspiring Mountainperson

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Product Description

The "climber's bible"--now updated in a new 7th edition

From choosing equipment to how to tie a particular knot; from basic rappelling technique to planning an expedition; it's all here in this essential mountaineering reference.

· More than 500,000 copies sold in previous editions
· Written by a team of more than 40 experts
· Fully revised to reflect evolution in mountaineering equipment and technique
· Expanded Ten Essentials list
· All 415 illustrations updated and redrawn
· New chapters on: waterfall ice climbing and mixed climbing, physical conditioning, access and land stewardship, and much more
· Now includes a glossary of climbing terms

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4120 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 575 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780898868289
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
This sixth revised edition of the mountaineering classic is an essential reference for novices and experts alike. Chapters are devoted to in-depth discussions of outdoors fundamentals; climbing techniques for rock, snow, and ice; safety procedures and emergency response; geology and weather; and appendices for climb ratings and supplementary reading, among other topics. Detailed sections on navigation, ropes, knots, and protection include drawings, diagrams, and maps. Enjoy the freedom of the hills to the fullest with this thorough guide.

From Publishers Weekly
This hefty tome, first published in 1960, was the book that started The Mountaineers Books. Known as "the climber's bible," it covers virtually all aspects of climbing, from choosing equipment and tying knots to basic rappelling techniques and expedition planning. There are sections on rock climbing, alpine climbing, emergency prevention and response and snow cycles, along with appendices on wind chill temperatures and suggestions for further reading. This seventh edition, written by a team of more than 40 expert climbers, reflects changes in equipment and technique, with new chapters on waterfall ice climbing and mixed climbing, physical conditioning, and land stewardship issues. It's also enhanced with 415 new illustrations depicting the "chimney technique" and the "twin-rope technique," among other maneuvers, and a new "ten essentials" list. Although the prose is workmanlike at best ("understanding fall factor and how it determines impact forces is fundamental to safe leading"), this work remains a must-have for climbing enthusiasts.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This fifth edition of the all-time best mountaineering "textbook" is certainly no disappointment. (The last edition was published in 1982.) Some 550 pages and approximately 400 illustrations help make it the most comprehensive book in its class. The writing is clear and the book is organized logically. Chapters deal with clothing, route-finding and navigation, camping, climbing fundamentals (ropes, knots, belaying, rappelling), rock climbing techniques, and snow and ice climbing. There are also appendixes on avalanche, lightning, and rock climb rating systems. This edition includes the latest updates on equipment improvements and a new chapter on expedition climbing. This single book adequately covers a wide range of mountaineering skills, and libraries could easily spend five times as much to get the same coverage. Highly recommended for all libraries.
- Thomas K. Fry, UCLA Libs.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Customer Reviews

The Absolute Pinnacle of Mountaineering Information
With over 1/2 a million copies sold, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills truly is "the bible" of safe and efficient climbing. With the book measuring in at over one inch thick, it would be impossible to accurately give it justice in the space provided here. Therefore, I'll hit the highlights. The 6th edition, which I have, is divided up into 6 parts:

-outdoor fundamentals...covers things such as clothing/equipment/land nav/food

-climbing fundamentals...knot tying/rappelling info

-rock climbing...footholds/shoes/leading on rock

-snow, ice, and Alpine climbing...the in's and outs of ice and snow climbs (includes various rescues)

-emergency prevention and response...leading in a crisis situation/first aid

-the mountain enviroment..mountain geology/snow cycles/cloud types (neat pics!!)

The book ends with a nice list of additional reading (like you'd really need to with all the info in this book!). As you can see, there's really one word to describe this book- COMPLETE. So, if you're looking for a mountaineering resource to put on your shelf for when some questions come to mind- GET IT! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that interferes with your climbing.

This is one of the best safety devices you can use climbing
In mountaineering it is far better to be good enough at a lot of things than it is to be really great at just one thing. For instance, a great rock climber can still make fatal mistakes navigating a glaicer.

If you follow the statistics, most mountaineering accidents are caused by two things: the first is ignorance, lacking enough knowledge to properly judge conditions or use equipment. The second is huburis, or taking on a climb that is above ones level.

The solution to huburis lies within us, while the solution to ignorance lies in study, practice, and this book.

Although it doesn't make up for practice and experience, there are scores of chapters covering virtualy everything from ice climbing to meteorology to wilderness navigation. Some may be disappointed that it doesn't cover many advanced techniques, however, successfull climbers are well-rounded, multi-talented ones.

So don't buy this book to just learn about one field that it talks about (such as rock-climbing or navigation) because there are far more detailed books on each individual subject, but instead buy this book to be a safe mountaineer, who needs sufficient knowledge on all the subjects.

In the end, the broad range of skills involved are what make mountaineering both fun and fatal, both challenging and rewarding. It's the broad range of skill covered in this book that make it such a rewarding book, well matched to the breadth and balance of mountaineering itself.

if you own no other climbing book, own this one
This book has managed to condense all the fundamentals of (outdoor) climbing - from rock to ice- and to present them in an easily understandable and concise format. I found it invaluable as a beginner and have continued using it as a reference book. If you take climbing seriously, you will probably buy some other books on more specialized techniques down the line, but this book is where you should start. Nothing essential is missing. The book is also very good at pointing out all the ways you could possibly make mistakes, so you don't make them.

FYI, this book does not go so much into training for climbing as it does the skills and knowledge you will need to climb. (For rock climbing, the best book on *training* I've found is "Performance Rock Climbing".) It also does not go too much into first aid, but the publisher of this book also puts out a book on wilderness medicine if you are interested...