The Climb Up to Hell
by Jack Olsen
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Description
In the heart of the Swiss Alps stand the three majestic peaks of the Bernese Oberland, Europe's most famous mountain range. The highest, at 13,638 feet, is the Jungfrau. Next is the Mönch, at 13,465 feet. But it is the smallest, the Eiger, rising 13,038 feet above sea level, that is by far the deadliest. Called a "living" mountain for its constantly changing conditions-unpredictable weather, disintegrating limestone surfaces, and continuously falling rock and ice-its mile-high north wallis show more perhaps the most dangerous climb in the world. And that may be just what beckons elite Alpinists to scale the treacherous peak against the odds. In 1957, nearly forty years before the well-known Mount Everest tragedy, two teams of confident climbers set out to summit the north wall of the Eiger Mountain. Not long into their journey, onlookers could tell that the four men were headed for disaster. Soon rescue teams from all over Europe raced toward the Eiger-yet only one of the four climbers survived to face unfounded international accusations. In a story as fascinating as any novel, Jack Olsen creates a riveting account of daring adventure, heroic rescue, and one of the most baffling mysteries in the history of mountain climbing. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This was a very interesting book about the 1957 rescue of Claudio Corti from the north wall of Mt. Eiger. The descriptions of the climb and the rescue were very good and I could imagine being there myself.
Olsen authors a very concise and gripping account of a tragedy on the Eigerwand from 1957. Harrowing stuff.
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Author Information
44+ Works 2,118 Members
Jack Olsen is the author of thirty-one books & the winner of many awards, including the Edgar & the National Headliners Awards. A former bureau chief for "Time," he has written for "Vanity Fair," "Life," "People," "Paris Match," "The New York Times," & "Reader's Digest." He lives on an island in Puget Sound with his wife & children. (Bowker Author show more Biography) show less
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Climb Up to Hell
- Original publication date
- 1962
- People/Characters
- Lionel Terray; Fritz von Almen; Claudio Corti; Gunther Nothdurft; Alfred Hellepart; Ludwig Grammiger (show all 11); Carlo Mauri; Riccardo Cassin; Robert Seiler; Christian Rubi; Stefano Longi
- Important places
- Eiger; Alps; Switzerland
- Dedication
- For Eula and Trip Child
and my son,
Alan - First words
- Fritz von Almen, thirty-nine years old, serious of mien, conservative of dress, walked onto a tiny side porch of his family's hotel, 6,700 feet up in the Swiss Alps, and sat in front of a swivel-mounted pair of binoculars aim... (show all)ed at a towering mountain wall across the meadows.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)We are all children, but we are not all brave.
Classifications
- Genres
- Sports and Leisure, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Travel, Biography & Memoir
- DDC/MDS
- 796 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Sports
- LCC
- GV199.44 .S92 .E546 — Geography, Anthropology and Recreation Recreation. Leisure Recreation. Leisure Outdoor life. Outdoor recreation Hiking. Pedestrian tours
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 107
- Popularity
- 302,108
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.78)
- Languages
- English, French, Hungarian, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 7
