Near Death in the Mountains: True Stories of Disaster and Survival (Vintage Departures Original)

“He wrapped the rope around his body, got ready to rappel and leaned back. Standing about five feet from him, I heard a sharp scraping, Suddenly Ed was flying. I could see him fall, wordless, fifty feet free, then strike the steep ice below...he was sliding and bouncing down. He passed out of sight, but I heard his body bouncing. There wasn't a chance of his stopping for 4,000 feet.”—From David Robert's The Mountain of My Fear In these thrillingly true tales of narrow brushes with death, Cecil Kuhne has amassed a wide range of stories that show the awesome power of the mountains. Spanning five continents, from the frosty tip of Mount McKinley in the dead of the winter, to the unexplored vastness of the Himalayas and beyond, this is a pulse-pounding collection of disaster and survival at the top of the world.Also featuring:• Joe Simpson's Touching the Void—An inspiring story of a climber who topples into a icy crevasse and, though crippled, starving and frostbitten, still manages to crawl to rescue.• Jon Krakauer's Eiger Dreams—Reaching the limits of his own climbing skills, the author makes a crucial decision whether to brave the treacherous higher altitudes or return to base.• Nando Parrado's Miracle in the Andes—The stunning first-person account of a Peruvian rugby team's airplane crash in the Chilean Andes and their harrowing journey down the mountain for help.

“he Wrapped The Rope Around His Body, Got Ready To Rappel And Leaned Back. Standing About Five Feet From Him, I Heard A Sharp Scraping, Suddenly Ed Was Flying. I Could See Him Fall, Wordless, Fifty Feet Free, Then Strike The Steep Ice Below…he Was Sliding And Bouncing Down. He Passed Out Of Sight, But I Heard His Body Bouncing. There Wasn't A Chance Of His Stopping For 4,000 Feet.”
—from David Robert's the Mountain Of My Fear

in These Thrillingly True Tales Of Narrow Brushes With Death, Cecil Kuhne Has Amassed A Wide Range Of Stories That Show The Awesome Power Of The Mountains. Spanning Five Continents, From The Frosty Tip Of Mount Mckinley In The Dead Of The Winter, To The Unexplored Vastness Of The Himalayas And Beyond, This Is A Pulse-pounding Collection Of Disaster And Survival At The Top Of The World.

also Featuring:

• Joe Simpson's touching The Void—an Inspiring Story Of A Climber Who Topples Into A Icy Crevasse And, Though Crippled, Starving And Frostbitten, Still Manages To Crawl To Rescue.

• Jon Krakauer's eiger Dreams—reaching The Limits Of His Own Climbing Skills, The Author Makes A Crucial Decision Whether To Brave The Treacherous Higher Altitudes Or Return To Base.

• Nando Parrado's miracle In The Andes—the Stunning First-person Account Of A Peruvian Rugby Team's Airplane Crash In The Chilean Andes And Their Harrowing Journey Down The Mountain For Help.

kliatt

cecil Kuhne Is Back With Another Thrill-packed Anthology Of Adventure Stories, This Time In The Highest Mountains In The World. Just As In His near Death On The High Seas, This Book Consists Of Memories, Articles And Book Excerpts Describing True, First Person Experiences. No Two Climbing Expeditions Are Ever The Same, And These Stories Are Surprisingly Varied In Setting And Mood. One Selection Was Written By An Angst-ridden Frenchman Who Identified A Little Too Closely With An Alpine Mountain; Another Is About Four Harvard Students Who Really Had No Business Climbing A Mountain In Alaska. Perhaps The Most Entertaining Yarn Is By Three Ww Ii Italian Pows Held Captive By British Forces In Africa—mountaineers All, They Broke Out Of Their Prison Compound, Hiked To Mount Kenya And Climbed To The Top Where They Planted A Defiant Homemade Italian Flag At The Peak. Their Adventure Over, They Descended And Phlegmatically Marched Themselves Back To Captivity. One Naturally Tries To Avoid Using The Term Cliffhangers In A Review Of This Sort, But In This Case The Temptation Is Severe. Throughout The Book The Descriptions Of Impossible Chasms And Snow Fields, Vertical Granite Walls And Ice-covered Cliffs Can't Help But Grip Readers' Interest. Numerous Slips And Sudden Plunges, Unexpected Snowstorms And Loose Pitons Will Keep Them Turning The Pages: These Stories Contain Some Of The Best Mountain Writing Ever Published. Mountain Climbers Are Keen Students Of Geology, And Are Skilled Craftsmen When It Comes To Rope And Harness Techniques. Sometimes The Writing Becomes Highly Technical, But It All Underscores The Intricate Training Required For Successful Rock Climbing. In Truth, Theseserious Climbers Are Anything But Daredevils. Readers Of All Ages Will Enjoy This Book. Reviewer: Raymond Puffer, Ph.d.

Jon Krakauer Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer -- Maurice Herzog Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer -- Maurice Herzog -- Thomas F. Hornbein Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer -- Maurice Herzog -- Thomas F. Hornbein -- Nando Parrado Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer -- Maurice Herzog -- Thomas F. Hornbein -- Nando Parrado -- Peter Potterfield Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer -- Maurice Herzog -- Thomas F. Hornbein -- Nando Parrado -- Peter Potterfield -- David Roberts Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer -- Maurice Herzog -- Thomas F. Hornbein -- Nando Parrado -- Peter Potterfield -- David Roberts -- John Roskelley Jon Krakauer -- Felice Benuzzi -- Walter Bonatti -- Art Davidson -- Heinrich Harrer -- Maurice Herzog -- Thomas F. Hornbein -- Nando Parrado -- Peter Potterfield -- David Roberts -- John Roskelley -- Joe Simpson Jon Krakauer-- Felice Benuzzi-- Walter Bonatti-- Art Davidson-- Heinrich Harrer-- Maurice Herzog-- Thomas F. Hornbein-- Nando Parrado-- Peter Potterfield-- David Roberts-- John Roskelley-- Joe Simpson-- Joe Tasker. He wrapped the rope around his body, got ready to rappel and leaned back. Standing about five feet from him, I heard a sharp scraping, Suddenly Ed was flying. I could see him fall, wordless, fifty feet free, then strike the steep ice belowhe was sliding and bouncing down. He passed out of sight, but I heard his body bouncing. There wasn't a chance of his stopping for 4,000 feet. From David Robert's The Mountain of My Fear In these thrillingly true tales of narrow brushes with death, Cecil Kuhne has amassed a wide range of stories that show the awesome power of the mountains. Spanning five continents, from the frosty tip of Mount McKinley in the dead of the winter, to the unexplored vastness of the Himalayas and beyond, this is a pulse-pounding collection of disaster and survival at the top of the world. Also Joe Simpson's Touching the Void An inspiring story of a climber who topples into a icy crevasse and, though crippled, starving and frostbitten, still manages to crawl to rescue. Jon Krakauer's Eiger Dreams Reaching the limits of his own climbing skills, the author makes a crucial decision whether to brave the treacherous higher altitudes or return to base. Nando Parrado's Miracle in the Andes The stunning first-person account of a Peruvian rugby team's airplane crash in the Chilean Andes and their harrowing journey down the mountain for help.