Extreme Alpinism: Climbing Light, Fast, and High (Paperback)

by Mark F. Twight (Author), Don Graydon (Editor), James Martin (Collaborator) "Climbing is a mental game..." (more)
Key Phrases: cardiovascular power endurance, north buttress, fat rope, Mark Twight, Mount Hunter, Black Diamond (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
...another quality mountaineering book from the sport's preeminent publisher, Mountaineers Books...entertaining reading. -- Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

Everyone from the hardened extremist to the aspiring tiger to the weekend punter will learn from this book -- Climbing magazine

Twight has been one of America's boldest alpine climbers for a couple of decades, and his book is a primer for serious mountaineers.(The Times-News (Twin Falls, ID)) -- (The Times-News (Twin Falls, ID))

Product Description
Big, high routes at the edge of a climber's ability are not the places for inventing technique or relying on old habits. Complacency can lead to fatal errors. So where does the hard-core aspirant or dreamer turn? The only master class in print, Extreme Alpinism delivers an expert dose of reality and practical techniques for advanced climbers.

Focusing on how top alpine climbers approach the world's most difficult routes, Twight centers his instruction on the ethos of climbing the hardest routes with the least amount of gear and the most speed. Throughout, Twight makes it clear that the two things he refuses to compromise are safety and his climbing ethics. In addition to the extensive chapters on advanced techniques and skills, Twight also discusses mental preparedness and attitude; strength and cardiovascular training; good nutrition; and tips on equipment and clothing.

Illustrated throughout with full-color photos.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 1st edition (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898866545
• ISBN-13: 978-0898866544
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #101,800 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Also for the not so extreme alpinists..., July 5, 2002

By	K. H. Kikstra "7summits.com" (Amsterdam, Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mark Twight has not written an instruction book filled with clear drawings about how to tie a clove hitch. Beginning climbers looking for basic technique info should buy "Mountaineering: the Freedom of the hills" and go on a course first, but this does not mean that Twight's book is for extreme climbers only.

Any climber that knows these basic techniques benefits from his thoughs and experience. The book is divided in 4 parts:

(1) Approach: about 12 pages about your mental state of mind, very useful for the climber and anyone who wants to achieve specific goals as his thoughts about self-knowledge, focus, confidence, suffering, failure and learning can be applied to a broader range of goals.

(2) Training: this is the first time I have seen a real mountaineering training program in a book like this. He covers a 20 week training cycle in detail, with chapters on mental training, strength, endurance and importantly, nutrition. This really helps set a goal and work towards it. It's impossible to climb any mountain unprepared and unfit and depending on your goal you can adjust his schedule.

(3) Equipment: Clothing, Gear and Potection.
Twight has become (in)famous for refusing the accepted 3 layering system as it's too bulky, warm and heavy. He stresses the lightweight system which was an eye opener for me. Although his thoughts are not applicable for every mountain area (if you wait in Scotland for the rain to stop before climbing, you might as well not come at all...), it helped me to better pack my stuff for my trips: lighter and more useful.
His thoughts about gear are just very useful, learn from the expert, not from someone who is trying to sell the stuff...

(4) Technique:
No it will not teach you to climb a 5.14 at -40 degrees, but it covers things mostly overlooked in other books:
- Staying Alive
- Partners
- Going up
- Bivouacs
- Going down
Especially the latter 2 are things mostly ignored in climbing books (and some courses!), but these are things that also come in handy when lost in a not so extreme environment.

Overall I could not put this book down until I finished it.
The book is filled with experiences, good as well as bad. No drawings, but quite a lot of pictures, some of them useful for understanding the text, some just funny or cool to look at and dream away...
If you own Mountaineering: the Freedom of the Hills and you are not a complete beginner, buy this before you go higher, even if it's not extreme.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insight by one of the world top alpine climbers, November 18, 1999

By A Customer

This is THE best book I have ever read regardging climbing, period! It not only gives practical insights in to climbing but the nuts and bolts on training, gear selection and route selection for you ability. I especially found the sections on training to be extremely insightful. This is a topic never discussed in detail by any of the worlds top climbers. This book, the text and the pictures has done more to motivate me than all books combined. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am ready and capable to move my climbing to a new level!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Alpine Bible?, September 26, 2000

By	joan collins (UK) - See all my reviews

This book tells you everything experienced alpinist Mark Twight has learned 'climbing light, fast and high'. For those who want it, there's plenty of detail here, all delivered in an uncompromising style. Some of it's highly technical and probably only relevant to elite climbers, but even armchair alpinists could benefit from the nutrition, training and psychology advice.

Plenty of his advice contradicts the 'rules' - not taking waterproofs, placing protection with bare hands. But these practices have kept Twight alive during some of the hardest climbs ever done. And he readily admits that not everything works all the time, and you have to find your own solutions. But there's a lot of practical, sensible advice here, and at the very least it should make you question your own assumptions.

Easily the best book on alpine-style climbing available.