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No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

Name: No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks
Brand: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
SKU: 9780767924719
Price: 12.99 USD
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Contributors:

Ed Viesturs, David Roberts

Publisher:

Crown Publishing Group (NY)

Binding:

Paperback

Book Category:

Biography & Autobiography, Sports & Recreation

Book Subcategory:

Sports, Mountaineering, Personal Memoirs

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The product is eligible for a complimentary return within 30 days from the date of purchase. Furthermore, individual items are shipped within 24 hours of receiving the order.

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Specifications +

Release Date:

2007-11-27

ISBN 13:

9780767924719

Weight:

0.61 lbs

Size:

7.92 x 5.28 x 0.78 inches

Pages:

384

Mint Condition +

product description

Description

National Bestseller: Ed Viesturs' Triumphant Mountaineering Memoir

No Shortcuts to the Top chronicles Ed Viesturs' eighteen-year pursuit to become the first American to summit all fourteen of the world's 8,000-meter peaks without bottled oxygen. This gripping memoir delivers both raw excitement and intimate insight into one of mountaineering's most significant achievements.

The Climber Behind the Achievement

Ed Viesturs reveals himself as a preternaturally cautious climber who once turned back just 300 feet from Everest's summit, yet would not shrink from Annapurna—a peak that claims one climber for every two who reach its summit. His unyielding motto guides every ascent: "Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory."

Inside the 1996 Everest Disaster

For the first time, Viesturs details his pivotal and heroic role in the 1996 Everest disaster made famous in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. He vividly describes fatal errors in judgment made by fellow climbers, his own close calls, and gallant rescues that tested his philosophy and skill at 26,000 feet.

What Makes This Memoir Stand Out

This book balances the drama of extreme altitude climbing with the reality of making a living as a professional mountaineer. Viesturs portrays a man torn between the flat, safe world he shares with loved ones and the majestic, deadly places where only he can go. The narrative includes humorous moments revealing camaraderie between climbers, making it more than just a climbing account—it's a portrait of a devoted family man pursuing one of the most perilous accomplishments of our time.

Co-Authored by David Roberts

Written with David Roberts, acclaimed author of more than twenty books on mountaineering and adventure who contributed to publications including National Geographic and Smithsonian, this memoir combines Viesturs' firsthand experience with expert storytelling.

In May 2005, Ed Viesturs completed his quest, standing atop all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks. This paperback edition from Crown Publishing Group captures the complete story of his stunning achievement and the philosophy that made it possible.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - This gripping and triumphant memoir from the author of The Mountain follows a living legend of extreme mountaineering as he makes his assault on history, one 8,000-meter summit at a time.

"From the drama of the peaks, to the struggle of making a living as a professional climber, to the basic how-tos of life at 26,000 feet, No Shortcuts to the Top is fascinating reading."--Aron Ralston, author of Between a Rock and a Hard Place and subject of the film 127 Hours

For eighteen years Ed Viesturs pursued climbing's holy grail: to stand atop the world's fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, without the aid of bottled oxygen. But No Shortcuts to the Top is as much about the man who would become the first American to achieve that goal as it is about his stunning quest. As Viesturs recounts the stories of his most harrowing climbs, he reveals a man torn between the flat, safe world he and his loved ones share and the majestic and deadly places where only he can go.

A preternaturally cautious climber who once turned back 300 feet from the top of Everest but who would not shrink from a peak (Annapurna) known to claim the life of one climber for every two who reached its summit, Viesturs lives by an unyielding motto, "Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory." It is with this philosophy that he vividly describes fatal errors in judgment made by his fellow climbers as well as a few of his own close calls and gallant rescues. And, for the first time, he details his own pivotal and heroic role in the 1996 Everest disaster made famous in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air.

In addition to the raw excitement of Viesturs's odyssey, No Shortcuts to the Top is leavened with many funny moments revealing the camaraderie between climbers. It is more than the first full account of one of the staggering accomplishments of our time; it is a portrait of a brave and devoted family man and his beliefs that shaped this most perilous and magnificent pursuit.

About the Author
In May 2005 Ed Viesturs became the first American to ascend all fourteen of the world's 8,000-meter peaks. He lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington, with his wife and three children. He still climbs and seeks out new adventures.

David Roberts was the author of more than twenty books on mountaineering, adventure, and history, including No Shortcuts to the Top, K2, and The Will to Climb, which he co-wrote with Ed Viesturs and a memoir On The Ridge Between Life and Death. He has written for National Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, and Smithsonian. David Roberts passed away in 2021.