This intermediate-level guide addresses tools, skills, and techniques used in alpine terrain including rock, snow, ice, and glaciers at moderate altitude--approximately 5000 meters and lower. The technical protection systems are covered, of course. But 30 years of alpine climbing experience has convinced the authors that mastery--and safety--lie in the far more difficult task of knowing exactly which techniques to use, where and when. Therefore, they teach step-by-step decision making skills, providing scenarios, checklists, and self-posed questions to inform the decision process. Alpine Climbing assumes some prior knowledge, primarily in rock climbing skills and techniques. Basic knots, belaying, rappelling, building rock anchors, leading, placing rock protection, and movement skills on rock: variations of these skills that are of particular value in the alpine environment are addressed in this book.
Alpine Climbing
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Every backcountry skier and ski mountaineer should have a copy of Alpine Climbing." -- Backcountry Magazine
"It's organized, step-by-step presentation of information on climbing techniques and strategies provides an effective learning experience." -- Rock & Ice
Outstanding technical guidance...concisely written, with little fluff to sidetrack the reader. -- Reno Gazette-Journal
[T]his book will help accelerate the learning process and good judgment learned through many days...spent in the mountains. -- Outside Bozeman
"It's organized, step-by-step presentation of information on climbing techniques and strategies provides an effective learning experience." -- Rock & Ice
Outstanding technical guidance...concisely written, with little fluff to sidetrack the reader. -- Reno Gazette-Journal
[T]his book will help accelerate the learning process and good judgment learned through many days...spent in the mountains. -- Outside Bozeman
About the Author
Kathy Cosley and Mark Houston have been guides and climbing instructors for more than 20 years. In 1988, Kathy was the first American woman to climb the Eiger's North Face. Mark was among the first guides certified by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association. Together, they made a lightweight and fast ascent of the South Face of Aconcagua.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By Ohio climber
Format:Paperback
This book hits the sweet spot between Freedom of the Hills and Mark Twight. Finally, a book for those of us who know the basics, maybe have done some guided mountaineering trips or novice routes, and already know how to rock climb, but need to know more in order to venture further on our own. The authors frame everything in terms of making decisions, which is very helpful when you are doing things for the first time. Good discussions of equipment, hazards, weather, navigation, and protective systems. The approach is very down to earth and practical.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
...but not to the extreme.
This book is the second chapter in an aspiring alpinists handbook. I found myself over the years amassing a pile of pooks on running, fittness*, nutrition*, supplements*, advanced rock climbing, ice climbing, crevasse rescue, orienteering*, navigation*, avalanche evaluation, etc. This book would have saved me a few bucks by putting alot of this in one place.
* = These are covered well in this book.
If you know Freedom of the Hills like the back ouf your hand, have Extreme Alpinism and a good book on slightly more advanced rock skills, don't bother. If not, get it.
Even with this book, you need a resource of some sort in avy eval and advanced rock/rope skills.
This book is the second chapter in an aspiring alpinists handbook. I found myself over the years amassing a pile of pooks on running, fittness*, nutrition*, supplements*, advanced rock climbing, ice climbing, crevasse rescue, orienteering*, navigation*, avalanche evaluation, etc. This book would have saved me a few bucks by putting alot of this in one place.
* = These are covered well in this book.
If you know Freedom of the Hills like the back ouf your hand, have Extreme Alpinism and a good book on slightly more advanced rock skills, don't bother. If not, get it.
Even with this book, you need a resource of some sort in avy eval and advanced rock/rope skills.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Read some
Format:Paperback
I agree with the reviewers above (below) that this book complements "Freedom of the Hills". In particular it focuses more on the decision making process than most books of these types. Although I've never traveled with either of the authors, they seem like lovely people and the stories they tell flesh them out for the reader. They also answered a question I had when I wrote them via email. In all, a solid book that it would do to put on your bookshelf.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome follup to Freedom of the Hills
This book is a fantastic followup to The Freedom of the Hills. It introduces alpine techniques in a way that makes sense to the inexperienced. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Scot
5.0 out of 5 stars
very nice
Best of the Mountaineers Outdoors Series that I have read so far. Nice follow up to Freedom of the Hills. Read more
Published 2 months ago by TK
1.0 out of 5 stars
Poorly Written
This book is poorly written and organized. Very little useful information in it at all. "We expect you to already know this", "Read this book to learn about this", and from what... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Wasted my money
5.0 out of 5 stars
ALPINE CLIMBING: Techniques to Take You Higher
I purchased this book when I took an intermediate climbing class. It was the perfect next step instructional material. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Lisa Berntsen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good intro to alpine climbing
I liked this book, it has a lot of overlap with Freedom of the Hills and other basic books. The chapters in snow climbing are pretty good. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Jake
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect for an aspiring alpinist.
This is the book to buy after Mountaineering: Freedom of the hills. It doesn't cover hard rock and ice technique, but it covers allot of alpine specific techniques. Read more
Published on January 11, 2011 by W. Shafer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best book on mountaineering out there
I have read them all and have been climbing for 13 years - this book is more up to date and applicable than Freedom of the Hills and delivers more practical how-to technique and... Read more
Published on February 22, 2010 by D. SHUTT
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
I bought this book as a gift for my brother in law at his request. He is not a frequent climber but a skilled one. He is very happy with the book. Read more
Published on January 30, 2009 by BoyzMom
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great skills book!
This is a great intstructional manual from the novice to the more experienced. Much better than Freedom of the Hills, which I also own. Read more
Published on May 2, 2008 by C. D. Lo
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book is well researched and easy to read
I bought this book because I had been out of alpine climbing for 10 years and I wanted to get back into it. Read more
Published on December 19, 2007 by M. Palmer
