A Mountaineer's Life

Download A Mountaineer's Life PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781938340703
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (47 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Mountaineer's Life by : Allen Steck

Download or read book A Mountaineer's Life written by Allen Steck and published by . This book was released on 2017-10-24 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Sixteen-year-old Allen Steck made his initial climb, a first ascent of Mount Maclure in the Sierras, with no hardware, no ropes, no experience. but the event turned his into a mountaineer's life. Over seventy years later, Steck has had a prolific climbing career, including a 1954 expedition to Makalu, a 1963 first ascent of the south face of the Clyde Minaret, and a 1965 first ascent of the Hummingbird Ridge on Mount Logan...These are stories from the days when mountain climbing was discovery, when men like Steck forged new routes, both literal and literary. With dry humor and detailed recall, he captures the excitement and intrigue of a time when there were few rules and no guidelines... With amazing photographs, many published for the first time, this memoir is a treasure, and inspiration, and an anchor to the foundation of the life-changing sport of alpine climbing." --

The Sharp End of Life

Download The Sharp End of Life PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Mountaineers Books
ISBN 13 : 1680512439
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (85 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Sharp End of Life by : Dierdre Wolownick

Download or read book The Sharp End of Life written by Dierdre Wolownick and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wife and mother. Teacher and musician. Marathoner and rock climber. At 66, Dierdre Wolownick-Honnold became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite--and in The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story, she shares her intimate journey, revealing how her climbing achievement reflects a broader story of courage and persistence. Dierdre grew up under the watchful eyes of a domineering mother and realized early on that her parents’ plans for her future weren’t what she wanted for herself. Later, what seemed like a storybook romance brought escape, with new experiences and eye-opening travel, but she quickly discovered that her husband was not the happy-go-lucky man he had first appeared. Adapting as best she could, Dierdre juggled work and raising two young children, encouraging them to be fearlessly confident. She noted with delight how her “little lady” Stasia took it upon herself to look out for her baby brother, and watched in amazement as Alex (Honnold of "Free Solo" fame) started climbing practically before he could crawl. After years of struggle in her marriage and her ultimate divorce, Dierdre found inspiration in her now-adult children’s passions, as well as new depths within herself. At Stasia’s urging, she took up running at age 54 and soon completed several marathons. Then at age 58, Alex led her on her first rock climbs. A world of friendship and support suddenly opened up to her within the climbing “tribe,” culminating in her record-setting ascent of El Cap with her son. From confused young wife and busy but lonely mother to confident middle-aged athlete, Dierdre brings the reader along as she finds new strength, happiness, and community in the outdoors--and a life of learning, acceptance, and spirit.

Reinhold Messner My Life at the - ebook

Download Reinhold Messner My Life at the - ebook PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Mountaineers Books
ISBN 13 : 1594858535
Total Pages : 251 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (948 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Reinhold Messner My Life at the - ebook by : Reinhold Messner

Download or read book Reinhold Messner My Life at the - ebook written by Reinhold Messner and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2014-09-19 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: •*Reveals the long view from an icon who, with age, has added wisdom to his list of accomplishments •*Messner climbing firsts: the world’s fourteen peaks taller than 8000 meters; Everest solo; Everest without supplemental oxygen •*Author of more than 60 books Reinhold Messner: My Life at the Limit, the newest book by the famed mountaineer, is a conversation between Messner and interviewer Thomas Hüetlin, an award-winning German journalist. It reveals a more thoughtful and conversational Messner than one finds in his previous books, with the “talk” between Messner and Hüetlin covering not only the highlights of Messner’s climbing career, but also his treks across Tibet, the Gobi, and Antarctica; his five-year-stint as a member of the European Parliament; his encounter with and study of the yeti; his thoughts on traditional male/female roles; and much more. Readers learn about Messner’s childhood, his thoughts about eating ice cream with girls (against), politics (mostly liberal), and his technique for killing chickens (sharp scissors). Messner is known as one of history’s greatest Himalayan mountaineers, a man who pushed back the frontiers of the possible for a whole generation of climbers. While the interest in My Life at the Limit is that it exposes much more of the man than his climbing career, that career is still utterly remarkable——and Mountaineers Books is proud to present this book, which is core to our mission, to audiences across North America. ***For a limited time, donors to our Legends and Lore series will receive a signed copy of My Life at the Limit. Click here > to learn more.***

Edge of the Map

Download Edge of the Map PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Mountaineers Books
ISBN 13 : 1680512897
Total Pages : 269 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (85 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Edge of the Map by : Johanna Garton

Download or read book Edge of the Map written by Johanna Garton and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2020-04-01 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Edge of the Map is equal parts inspiring, dramatic, and heartbreaking. One of America’s greatest high altitude mountaineers, Christine Boskoff was at the top of her career when she and her partner died in an avalanche in 2006. Charismatic, principled, and humble, Boskoff was also a deeply loved role model to her climbing partners and the Sherpa community. Edge of the Map traces the sharp twists and turns in Boskoff’s life, from her early years as a Lockheed engineer, through her first successes in the climbing world, to her purchase of Seattle-based Mountain Madness after owner and climber Scott Fischer died in the 1996 Everest disaster. Her life was one of constant achievement mixed with personal tragedy. The story follows Boskoff as she perseveres and moves on to even bigger peaks, earning acclaim as a world-class mountaineer, then later as she finds an alpine partnership with legendary Colorado climber Charlie Fowler.

Life and Death on Mt. Everest

Download Life and Death on Mt. Everest PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691211779
Total Pages : 396 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (912 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Life and Death on Mt. Everest by : Sherry B. Ortner

Download or read book Life and Death on Mt. Everest written by Sherry B. Ortner and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-31 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Sherpas were dead, two more victims of an attempt to scale Mt. Everest. Members of a French climbing expedition, sensitive perhaps about leaving the bodies where they could not be recovered, rolled them off a steep mountain face. One body, however, crashed to a stop near Sherpas on a separate expedition far below. They stared at the frozen corpse, stunned. They said nothing, but an American climber observing the scene interpreted their thoughts: Nobody would throw the body of a white climber off Mt. Everest. For more than a century, climbers from around the world have journ-eyed to test themselves on Everest's treacherous slopes, enlisting the expert aid of the Sherpas who live in the area. Drawing on years of field research in the Himalayas, renowned anthropologist Sherry Ortner presents a compelling account of the evolving relationship between the mountaineers and the Sherpas, a relationship of mutual dependence and cultural conflict played out in an environment of mortal risk. Ortner explores this relationship partly through gripping accounts of expeditions--often in the climbers' own words--ranging from nineteenth-century forays by the British through the historic ascent of Hillary and Tenzing to the disasters described in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. She reveals the climbers, or "sahibs," to use the Sherpas' phrase, as countercultural romantics, seeking to transcend the vulgarity and materialism of modernity through the rigor and beauty of mountaineering. She shows how climbers' behavior toward the Sherpas has ranged from kindness to cruelty, from cultural sensitivity to derision. Ortner traces the political and economic factors that led the Sherpas to join expeditions and examines the impact of climbing on their traditional culture, religion, and identity. She examines Sherpas' attitude toward death, the implications of the shared masculinity of Sherpas and sahibs, and the relationship between Sherpas and the increasing number of women climbers. Ortner also tackles debates about whether the Sherpas have been "spoiled" by mountaineering and whether climbing itself has been spoiled by commercialism.

The Mountains of My Life

Download The Mountains of My Life PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Random House Digital, Inc.
ISBN 13 : 037575640X
Total Pages : 496 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (757 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Mountains of My Life by : Walter Bonatti

Download or read book The Mountains of My Life written by Walter Bonatti and published by Random House Digital, Inc.. This book was released on 2001 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The legendary mountaineer describes his adventures in such ranges as the Alps and Himalayas, and provides details of what really happened during a controversial 1954 Italian expedition that made the first ascent of K2.

Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills

Download Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Mountaineers Books
ISBN 13 : 1680510053
Total Pages : 1174 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (85 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills by : The Mountaineers

Download or read book Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills written by The Mountaineers and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2017-10-05 with total page 1174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “The definitive guide to mountains and climbing . . .”—Conrad Anker For nearly 60 years it’s been revered as the “bible” of mountaineering–and now it’s even better than ever The best-selling instructional text for new and intermediate climbers for more than half a century New edition—fully updated techniques and all-new illustrations Researched and written by a team of expert climbers Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is the text beloved by generations of new climbers—the standard for climbing education around the world where it has been translated into 12 languages. For the all-new 9th Edition, committees comprosed of active climbers and climbing educators reviewed every chapter of instruction, and discussed updates with staff from the American Alpine Club (AAC), the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), and the Access Fund. They also worked with professional members of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), to review their work and ensure that the updated textbook includes the most current best practices for both alpine and rock climbing instruction. From gear selection to belay and repel techniques, from glacier travel to rope work, to safety, safety, and more safety—there is no more comprehensive and thoroughly vetted training manual for climbing than the standard set by Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th Edition. Significant updates to this edition include: • New alignment with AAC’s nationwide universal belay standard • Expanded and more detailed avalanche safety info, including how to better understand avalanches, evaluate hazards, travel safely in avy terrain, and locate and rescue a fellow climber in an avalanche • Newly revamped chapters on clothing and camping • All-new illustrations reflecting the latest gear and techniques—created by artist John McMullen, former art director of Climbing magazine • Review of and contributions to multiple sections by AMGA-certified guides • Fresh approach to the Ten Essentials—now making the iconic list easier to recall

Queen of the Mountaineers

Download Queen of the Mountaineers PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Chicago Review Press
ISBN 13 : 1613739583
Total Pages : 320 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (137 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Queen of the Mountaineers by : Cathryn Prince

Download or read book Queen of the Mountaineers written by Cathryn Prince and published by Chicago Review Press. This book was released on 2019-05-07 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fanny Bullock Workman was a complicated and restless woman who defied the rigid Victorian morals she found as restrictive as a corset. With her frizzy brown hair tucked under a topee, Workman was a force on the mountain and off. Instrumental in breaking the British stranglehold on Himalayan mountain climbing, this American woman climbed more peaks than any of her peers, became the first woman to map the far reaches of the Himalayas, the first woman to lecture at the Sorbonne and the second to address the Royal Geographic Society of London, whose members included Charles Darwin, Richard Francis Burton, and David Livingstone. Her books, replete with photographs, illustrations and descriptions of meteorological conditions, glaciology and the effect of high altitudes on humans, remained useful decades after their publication. Paving the way for a legion of female climbers, her legacy lives on in scholarship prizes at Wellesley, Smith, Radcliffe and Bryn Mawr.Author and journalist Cathryn J. Prince brings Fanny Bullock Workman to life and deftly shows how she negotiated the male-dominated world of alpine clubs and adventure societies as nimbly as she negotiated the deep crevasses and icy granite walls of the Himalayas. It's the story of the role one woman played in science and exploration, in breaking boundaries and frontiers for women everywhere.

The Climbers

Download The Climbers PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781680510836
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (18 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Climbers by :

Download or read book The Climbers written by and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Twenty years in the making, The Climbers shares a stunning collection of images of some of the icons of mountaineering *Portraits that reveal the core of their remarkable subjects *A visual history of special significance to climbers of all ages *Beautifully packaged in a cloth slip case to enhance its collectability. For nearly 2 decades, professional photographer Jim Herrington has been working on a portrait series of influential rock and mountain climbers. The Climbers documents these rugged individualists who, from roughly the 1930s to 1970s, used primitive gear along with their considerable wits, talent, and fortitude to tackle unscaled peaks around the world. Today, these men and women are renowned for their past accomplishments and, in many cases, are the last of the remaining practitioners from the so-called Golden Age of 20th century climbing."--

Free Spirit, Revised Edition

Download Free Spirit, Revised Edition PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Mountaineers Books
ISBN 13 : 1594858551
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (948 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Free Spirit, Revised Edition by : Reinhold Messner

Download or read book Free Spirit, Revised Edition written by Reinhold Messner and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2014-07-17 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: * A mountaineering classic re-released in the Legends and Lore series * Two new chapters In Free Spirit Reinhold Messner describes the forces and events that have shaped him as a climber as famous for his discipline as for his innovative spirit. Messner evolved his philosophy of the single free-climbing line with its uncompromising purity of style in the Dolomites and, as equipment and technique developed, he was in the forefront of the transference of fast lightweight alpine methods to the great ranges. Here, he takes us from the days of his first climb (at the age of five) with his father to his brother’s tragic death on Nanga Parbat in 1970 to his later move away from the overcrowded Alps and 8000-meter peaks. He sought fulfillment, instead, in new challenges in lesser known parts of the world, such as crossing the expanse of Antarctica. Free Spirit is an exciting account of the career of a mountain pioneer.

K2

Download K2 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Crown
ISBN 13 : 0767932609
Total Pages : 354 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (679 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis K2 by : Ed Viesturs

Download or read book K2 written by Ed Viesturs and published by Crown. This book was released on 2010-08-03 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A thrilling chronicle of the tragedy-ridden history of climbing the world's most difficult and unpredictable mountain, by the bestselling authors of The Mountain and No Shortcuts to the Top “Gripping . . . reveals a good deal about the rarefied noble-gonzo world of high-altitude mountaineering.”—The New York Times Ed Viesturs, one of the world's premier high-altitude mountaineers, explores the remarkable history of K2 and of those who have attempted to conquer it. At the same time, he probes the mountain's most memorable sagas in order to illustrate lessons about the fundamental questions mountaineering raises—questions of risk, ambition, loyalty to one's teammates, self-sacrifice, and the price of glory. Viesturs knows the mountain firsthand. He and renowned alpinist Scott Fischer climbed it in 1992 and got caught in an avalanche that sent them sliding to almost certain death before Ed managed to get into a self-arrest position with his ice ax and stop both his fall and Scott's. Focusing on seven of the mountain's most dramatic campaigns, from his own troubled ascent to the 2008 tragedy, Viesturs crafts an edge-of-your-seat narrative that climbers and armchair travelers alike will find unforgettably compelling. With photographs from Viesturs's personal collection and from historical sources, this is the definitive account of the world's ultimate mountain, and of the lessons that can be gleaned from struggling toward its elusive summit.

Stories Behind the Images

Download Stories Behind the Images PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781680512649
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (126 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Stories Behind the Images by : Corey Rich

Download or read book Stories Behind the Images written by Corey Rich and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From his early days working out of his dorm room and shooting on film to becoming a Nikon ambassador and official photographer of the historic Dawn Wall ascent, Corey Rich has been capturing iconic shots of adventure superstars for more than two decades. Now Corey tells how he got some of his favorite images of climbers, adventurers, skiers, performance artists, and more. He shares insights into the business of photography, photography tips, outdoor lessons, and what he has learned about human nature along the way. Featured outdoor athletes include: Tommy Caldwell Project Bandaloop Beth Rodden Lynn Hill Ashima Shiraishi Kelly Slater Bear Grylls Alex Honnold Fred Beckey and many more

Hermann Buhl

Download Hermann Buhl PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cordee
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 248 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Hermann Buhl by : Reinhold Messner

Download or read book Hermann Buhl written by Reinhold Messner and published by Cordee. This book was released on 2000 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Rising

Download Rising PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781680512625
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (126 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rising by : Sharon Wood

Download or read book Rising written by Sharon Wood and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inspirational life story of personal growth and achievement by the first North American woman to reach the summit of Mount EverestIn 1986, Sharon Wood was part of a self-supported Canadian team with big ambitions: they were attempting to reach the summit of Everest via a variation on the dangerous West Ridge. And they intended that Wood would be the first North American woman to reach the summit. At the same time, however, there was an American team on the mountain with a plan to make Annie Whitehouse the first North American woman. The American climbers were attempting an easier route, but their team included, by coincidence, Wood's ex-boyfriend, acclaimed mountaineer Carlos Buhler, now dating Whitehouse - certainly the makings of an exciting adventure and high-altitude drama!But Wood's new memoir offers much more. Fast-paced and highly readable, Rising is a thoughtful literary story redolent with twists and turns, relatable characters and dialogue, and mental and emotional conflicts. Although Everest casts a long shadow, the mountain serves here as a stage for a more humane story, not one of conquest.

The Stettner Way

Download The Stettner Way PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Colorado Mountain Club Press
ISBN 13 : 9780972441308
Total Pages : 212 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (413 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Stettner Way by : John D. Gorby

Download or read book The Stettner Way written by John D. Gorby and published by Colorado Mountain Club Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Joe and Paul Stettner have been called the first truesport climbers in America; contemporary and fellow legendPaul Petzoldt called them "the human flies" for theirbold and acrobatic style. Legends in the earlymountaineering community, they put up some of the mostdifficult routes in North America during a career thatspanned the ......

On Belay

Download On Belay PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Mountaineers Books
ISBN 13 : 159485825X
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (948 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis On Belay by : Raye Ringholz

Download or read book On Belay written by Raye Ringholz and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2000-05-31 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: * Paul Petzoldt was a pioneering North American climber and founder of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) * Details an adventurous, wild, and long life * Drawn from 30 years of personal association and extensive interviews There are old climbers and there are bold climbers, but there are no old, bold climbers. This familiar saying, coined by legendary climber Paul Petzoldt, is one he lived to disprove. When he passed away at the age of 91, Petzoldt's career was marked by decades of achievement in climbing, incomparable passion for outdoor education, wanderlust, and a relentless drive for adventure. Petzoldt's name is synonymous with the Grand Tetons and NOLS, the highly respected outdoor school that he founded. Blazing the trail for an international code of wilderness ethics and safe climbing techniques, Petzoldt devised the voice signaling system that begins with On belay! This intimate biography details Petzoldt's climbing career, including many first ascents in the Tetons, the first American expedition to K2, and the extraordinary leadership accomplishments that made him legendary. This title is part of our LEGENDS AND LORE series. Click here > to learn more.

Into Thin Air

Download Into Thin Air PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Anchor
ISBN 13 : 0679462716
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (794 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Into Thin Air by : Jon Krakauer

Download or read book Into Thin Air written by Jon Krakauer and published by Anchor. This book was released on 1998-11-12 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The epic account of the storm on the summit of Mt. Everest that claimed five lives and left countless more—including Krakauer's—in guilt-ridden disarray. "A harrowing tale of the perils of high-altitude climbing, a story of bad luck and worse judgment and of heartbreaking heroism." —PEOPLE A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. By writing Into Thin Air, Krakauer may have hoped to exorcise some of his own demons and lay to rest some of the painful questions that still surround the event. He takes great pains to provide a balanced picture of the people and events he witnessed and gives due credit to the tireless and dedicated Sherpas. He also avoids blasting easy targets such as Sandy Pittman, the wealthy socialite who brought an espresso maker along on the expedition. Krakauer's highly personal inquiry into the catastrophe provides a great deal of insight into what went wrong. But for Krakauer himself, further interviews and investigations only lead him to the conclusion that his perceived failures were directly responsible for a fellow climber's death. Clearly, Krakauer remains haunted by the disaster, and although he relates a number of incidents in which he acted selflessly and even heroically, he seems unable to view those instances objectively. In the end, despite his evenhanded and even generous assessment of others' actions, he reserves a full measure of vitriol for himself. This updated trade paperback edition of Into Thin Air includes an extensive new postscript that sheds fascinating light on the acrimonious debate that flared between Krakauer and Everest guide Anatoli Boukreev in the wake of the tragedy. "I have no doubt that Boukreev's intentions were good on summit day," writes Krakauer in the postscript, dated August 1999. "What disturbs me, though, was Boukreev's refusal to acknowledge the possibility that he made even a single poor decision. Never did he indicate that perhaps it wasn't the best choice to climb without gas or go down ahead of his clients." As usual, Krakauer supports his points with dogged research and a good dose of humility. But rather than continue the heated discourse that has raged since Into Thin Air's denouncement of guide Boukreev, Krakauer's tone is conciliatory; he points most of his criticism at G. Weston De Walt, who coauthored The Climb, Boukreev's version of events. And in a touching conclusion, Krakauer recounts his last conversation with the late Boukreev, in which the two weathered climbers agreed to disagree about certain points. Krakauer had great hopes to patch things up with Boukreev, but the Russian later died in an avalanche on another Himalayan peak, Annapurna I. In 1999, Krakauer received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters--a prestigious prize intended "to honor writers of exceptional accomplishment." According to the Academy's citation, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer. His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport; while his account of the life and death of Christopher McCandless, who died of starvation after challenging the Alaskan wilderness, delves even more deeply and disturbingly into the fascination of nature and the devastating effects of its lure on a young and curious mind."