[.ca] Everest - Alone at the Summit (ISBN 0952937506)

Rescue Ethics:
This is a rather amusing book, until one thinks of the context of what's been happening on Everest. I DO climb alot, and have summited Everest myself. Every year, someone needs to be rescued from the mountain, endangering themselves and the people who have to rescue them. Sure, there's a difference between being rescued at the summit or base of Mt. Everest, which is where Ventables was when he finally got evacuated, but given that the base is at 17,000 feet, Venables was still endangering lives at worst, or putting someone else's expedition at risk at best. This is not the sort of thing to be making childish jokes about in print, as Mr. Venables does--especially as he subsequently has gone on to make a virtual career out of getting rescued on other mountains and then coming back down to pound his chest in print some more. Yes, I know much about climbing mountains, and it's not always pretty, but I would say that the climbing community is pretty sick and tired of people messing up in the High Himalayas, risking other peoples' lives and resources to getting back down, and then going right back up and doing it again. One reviewer wrote that they look forward to the "Stephen Venables Grows Up" book. I'm just looking forward to the "Stephen Venables Retires and Quits Putting Everyone Else At Risk" book.

True Adventure and Survival Story:
"Alone at the Summit" is a fantastic book about a team of four climbers on the tallest mountain in the world. Against all odds, this team pioneered a route that was one of the last "frontiers" of mountaineering. Much has been said and written about the author's actions and the way he describes the events on Everest. First of all, read the book and you will be pleased to find that Venables WAS NOT rescued at the summit of Everest-the ending has not been spoiled. Second, he and the other members of his team overcame a great deal of adversity on this climb-including Venables' bivouac that has kiled a great number of people on Everest. Lastly, everyone involved in mountaineering (climbers, rescuers, etc.) is aware of the great risk involved in the activity. Individuals make a concsious decision to strap on their crampons and head up the mountain. There is no excuse for adding unneccesary risk in this sport, nor is there much room for hubris. "Alone at the Summit" fulfills these requirements. Venables has the right mix of self-responsibility, humor and frustration to make this a balanced book. This one of a few books I recommend for dealing with the power of determination in overcoming adversity.

Mountaineering isn't always pretty.:
Many of the reviews of this book berate it because the author got injured and had to be rescued from the base of the mountain. Well, I assume many of these people havn't done much mountain climbing. The whole lure of mountain climbing is the risk involved. If nothing could ever go wrong when climbing a mountain, then what's the point of doing it? It's the thrill of danger and the challenge of staying a live that makes it so attractive. Stephen Venables met this challenge head on. He had to fight through injuries, exhaustion and the elements to get down the mountain alive and so did his friends. That's nothing to put down, that is what happens when mountaineering. And this was down the East face, the hardest part of Everest to climb. I thought this was a great book. The author really shows what pushing yourself to the limits in life threatening conditions feels like. This book will go on the shelf with my other top adventure books. I must add that the author was not rescued at the top of the mountain as people seem to be saying. He was rescued at the base of the mountain in the valley, after climbing down the mountain himself. There's a big big difference there.

Blowing it at the summit:
Having read this book in one setting, and indeed having laughed a couple of times, I can't help but to agree with most of the reviewers here. There's no honor at having to get rescued from the top of Mount Everest, and even less about joking about it when you risk other people's lives, too.

A Well-Written Story:
"Alone at the Summit" is an enjoyable read. The first 1/3 is a little slow, but I was totally drawn in as Venables and his team mates move up the mountain. Venables includes a history of Himalayan climbing at the back. The history is interesting and provides good perspective for understanding both the philosophy behind this 1988 expedition and its historical context. If you like to read climbing expedition books, I recommend that you read "Alone at the Summit."