Everest, the West Ridge

Rating:
Summary: best literary exposition of the drama of climbing
Review: "Everest : The West Ridge" by Thomas F. Hornbein is an extremely well written book. A lot of climbers in their books are trying to explain why they climb - Hornbein gives one of the most honest, eloquent and convincing account; almost as good's as Mallory, who just said "because it is there".

The book takes an honest, and sometime humorous account of foundational days of American Everest mountaineering; in sometimes naive ways the climbers are trying to vote themselves off the mountain; filling up psychological surveys in high camps, using a little robot to haul up food. In a matter-of-fact way Hornbein describes how they climbed beyond the point of safe return on the West Ridge, have to descend down the unknown to them side of the mountain, bivouac at 8500 meters .. and help their fellow climbers down the South Col route.

Now, 40 years after the climb, the book and the events are as true to the times and the spirit of climbing as ever. And besides, to the best of my knowledge, Hornbein and Unsoeld's is still the only traverse in Everest history.

Rating:
Summary: Everest The West Ridge
Review: A detailed account of a great mountaineering feat. The tensions between the team is fascinating. Because the sheets the mountaineers were required to fill in about what they were feeling by the team psycologist were left behind before the final push the most interesting part of the account is related in the thinest detail. A shame cos it knocks the gloss off what would otherwise be truly a 5 star book.

Rating:
Summary: Really - a must read
Review: Hornbein's epic tale really is a must read for those looking for insights into the personal struggles of Everest climbers. Griping story about a new, challenging ascent and the details that must be attended to in order to even attempt a summit like Everest. The story flows nicely with very few and short slow points.

Rating:
Summary: A Truly Inspirational Book
Review: I first read this book in the summer of 1969, and it is anything but dry or boring. Hornbein's matter-of-fact narrative does nothing to diminish the drama and the risk inhering in any attempt on Everest, but especially one in which the climbers descend by a route which is completely new to them. Hornbein also worked very hard to select incredibly beautiful photographs and inspirational quotations from some of the most famous mountaineers of all time. These, combined with the narrative of his own personal odyssey on the West Ridge, make this book into a truly inspirational piece of literature. Those who require sensationalism and hyperbole will not like this book, but those who recognize the drama inhering in any "point of no return" decision to continue going on up will see that no hyperbole is required. The narrative of events is compelling, especially if one has ventured into the high mountains and feels their majesty with both awe and respect--and sometimes terror. For some reason this book changed my life, and those who respond to challenges with the desire to do something worthwhile with their own lives will see in mountaineering a metaphor for every great and risky enterprise.

Rating:
Summary: A Truly Inspirational Book
Review: I first read this book in the summer of 1969, and it is anything but dry or boring. Hornbein's matter-of-fact narrative does nothing to diminish the drama and the risk inhering in any attempt on Everest, but especially one in which the climbers descend by a route which is completely new to them. Hornbein also worked very hard to select incredibly beautiful photographs and inspirational quotations from some of the most famous mountaineers of all time. These, combined with the narrative of his own personal odyssey on the West Ridge, make this book into a truly inspirational piece of literature. Those who require sensationalism and hyperbole will not like this book, but those who recognize the drama inhering in any "point of no return" decision to continue going on up will see that no hyperbole is required. The narrative of events is compelling, especially if one has ventured into the high mountains and feels their majesty with both awe and respect--and sometimes terror. For some reason this book changed my life, and those who respond to challenges with the desire to do something worthwhile with their own lives will see in mountaineering a metaphor for every great and risky enterprise.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic, Yes, But Somewhat Dated . . .
Review: Jon Krakauer's provocative critique of the 1996 storm deaths on Everest aroused in many an insatiable interest in the mountain. For others, like me, who are in this position and who would like to extend their knowledge of the mountain and its climbs further back in history, I recommend Dr. Hornbein's account of his climb and traverse of Everest by the West Ridge. Dr. Hornbein was part of the first American expedition to Everest in the 1960s and, together with Willi Unsoeld, was the first to climb Everest by the west route.

The historical nature of Dr. Hornbein's account is both its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. Because The West Ridge was written in the mid-1960s, its perspective is very different from the post-1996 Everest books, providing insight into the minds, drives, and cultural attitudes of the true mountaineers who "opened" Everest, rather than the "me-too" climbers who have come after. For this and for Hornbein's direct, spare narrative style, Everest: The West Ridge is exciting and well worth the read.

On the other hand, the book suffers from a stoic heroicism which feels dated and which robs the story of some its narrative power. During the climb, Hornbein experienced a dramatic storm high up on Everest's west ridge and later, on the descent after his summit, was forced to spend the night high above the South Col. Although these events are included in the narrative, they are recorded in a such a matter-of-fact fashion that one unfamiliar with the modern Everest literature would not understand Hornbein's incredible feat in surviving these adventures. While a reluctance to describe these events may evidence an admirable modesty, it does not make for the best possible story. However, neither this nor some shortcomings in the editing alter the significance of Dr. Hornbein's accomplishment or diminish the excitement of the tale that he tells. The book is a terrific addition to any Everest library.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic, Yes, But Somewhat Dated . . .
Review: Jon Krakauer's provocative critique of the 1996 storm deaths on Everest aroused in many an insatiable interest in the mountain. For others, like me, who are in this position and who would like to extend their knowledge of the mountain and its climbs further back in history, I recommend Dr. Hornbein's account of his climb and traverse of Everest by the West Ridge. Dr. Hornbein was part of the first American expedition to Everest in the 1960s and, together with Willi Unsoeld, was the first to climb Everest by the west route.

The historical nature of Dr. Hornbein's account is both its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. Because The West Ridge was written in the mid-1960s, its perspective is very different from the post-1996 Everest books, providing insight into the minds, drives, and cultural attitudes of the true mountaineers who "opened" Everest, rather than the "me-too" climbers who have come after. For this and for Hornbein's direct, spare narrative style, Everest: The West Ridge is exciting and well worth the read.

On the other hand, the book suffers from a stoic heroicism which feels dated and which robs the story of some its narrative power. During the climb, Hornbein experienced a dramatic storm high up on Everest's west ridge and later, on the descent after his summit, was forced to spend the night high above the South Col. Although these events are included in the narrative, they are recorded in a such a matter-of-fact fashion that one unfamiliar with the modern Everest literature would not understand Hornbein's incredible feat in surviving these adventures. While a reluctance to describe these events may evidence an admirable modesty, it does not make for the best possible story. However, neither this nor some shortcomings in the editing alter the significance of Dr. Hornbein's accomplishment or diminish the excitement of the tale that he tells. The book is a terrific addition to any Everest library.

Rating:
Summary: A CLASSIC MOUNTAINEERING BOOK
Review: This book tells the history of the 1.st ascent via West Ridge of Mount Everest by Thomas Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld, both members of the 1963 american expedition lidered by Norman Dyhrenfurth that also putted the first american(Jim Whittaker) on top of Mount Everest.

They set out to climb Everest by the traditional route via South Col, but somewhere along the journey to base camp a group of climbers decided that a new route would be the biggest thing still to be accomplished in Himalayan mountaineering, among them were Hornbein and Unsoeld.

Hornbein became a fanatic about summiting Everest via The West Ridge through a couloir and with the support of Unsoeld, Barry Corbert,Al Auten, Dick Emerson and some good sherpas, he did it.Corbert and Auten pioneered a route to Camp 5W, followed by some sherpas and by Hornbein, Unsoeld and Emerson. From camp 5W Hornbein and Unsoeld attacked the summit, summiting it at 6:15 p.m. on may 22 1963, them they traversed the mountain and descented via the south col route at night. On the descent they actually found two other climbers(Barry Bishop and Lute Jerstad - that summited that same day)and spent the night out with them at 8000 mt. The rest is mountaineering history.

This classic book is a must have in any mountaineering collection and a must read to anyone who is interested in this subject.

Note: The only fatality during the expedition was Jake Breitenbach who died in the khumbu icefalls while leading a reconnaissance team. The couloir that Unsoeld and Horbein used to reach the summit is still known as the Hornbein Couloir.

Rating:
Summary: A DRAMATIC , EVEREST ADVENTURE DRYLY TOLD...ZZZZZZZ
Review: This is the story of the 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition which made mountaineering history. It saw the first Americans summit Everest via the South Col. It also saw the first climb of Everest by anyone via the West Ridge route, previously believed to be unclimbable.

Not only did Thomas Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld summit Everest via the West Ridge, they traversed the mountain and descended via the South Col route. They were, however, forced to bivouac in the death zone at 28,000 feet without any food, supplemental oxygen, or shelter.

One would think that such a dramatic turn of events high on Everest would be riveting to read. Wrong! Unfortunately, this is the one problem with this book. The story is told in a very dry, dull fashion. It is as if Hornbein were talking about flossing one's teeth rather than about a segment of mountaineering history of which he was an integral part.

Nevertheless, this is a high quality paperback with forty eight terrific photographs which are sure to delight Everest junkies everywhere. No mountaineering library should be without this book which recounts with detail one of the most significant climbs in the history of the Himalayas.