The Mountain

Mt. Everest- the world’s tallest peak. A climber’s holy grail- as it takes strength, determination, guts and smarts to climb Mt.Everest and live to tell the tale. Ed Viesturs is this kind of person. When you have climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter peaks, as a climber, you need a challenge. Something to work hard for. Mt.Everest hears Ed’s need for a challenge and gladly supplied said challenge.

Ed, with eleven expeditions to Mt. Everest, has successfully reached the summit 7 times. One might wonder what type of skill Ed has or is it luck? In The Mountain, luck is not a word that used. And Ed, well he’s different. Unlike other climbers, he’s been able to avoid some of the physical ailments (frostbite, pulmonary edema or cerebral edema) that can take a mountain climb from dangerous to deadly. Ed comments on the differences of his physicality, but also remarks that before a climb- he goes through  rigorous conditioning.

As Ed Viesturs talks about climbing, the reader begins to understand that making it to the top is not all Ed wants. He doesn’t want to the be the person who made it, then die the next day because he ignored conditions or gut feelings. His goal is to safely make it there and back- and not to have an obsession with the mountain. One might think, though, with 11 expeditions to Mt.Everest, he has a slight obsession. Maybe, maybe not. It should be noted that that in his 11 expeditions, he only reached the summit 7 times- which might have something to say about the conditions Ed was facing or a feeling he had.

Ed tell stories of the Everest International Peace Climb- the pit falls, the hard work, and more of working with climbers from different countries in this event. Ed also mixes in accounts of his climbs to Everest- stories of people who did it before, some with fatal consequences.

Ed Viesturs has had many successes at Mt. Everest- but the mountain has also taught him many lessons. Each story, as Ed writes, is written with the respect and awe that Everest not only deserves, but is entitled to.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts

The Mountain by Ed Viesturs is a book that is awe inspiring. His stories, his pictures- together, they make the book pop. Ed has great respect for Mt. Everest and it shows in his story. Whether a person is a climber or just fancies reading stories of others climb, this book, The Mountain, would make an excellent read.

The Mountain was provided by Touchstone Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review. Above thoughts and opinions are mine alone.