Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills (Paperback)

~ The Mountaineers (Author), (Editor), (Editor)
Key Phrases: basic safety system, applying friction, special rescue situations, Leave No Trace, United States, Equalizing Multiple Anchors (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This sixth revised edition of the mountaineering classic is an essential reference for novices and experts alike. Chapters are devoted to in-depth discussions of outdoors fundamentals; climbing techniques for rock, snow, and ice; safety procedures and emergency response; geology and weather; and appendices for climb ratings and supplementary reading, among other topics. Detailed sections on navigation, ropes, knots, and protection include drawings, diagrams, and maps. Enjoy the freedom of the hills to the fullest with this thorough guide. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

This hefty tome, first published in 1960, was the book that started The Mountaineers Books. Known as "the climber's bible," it covers virtually all aspects of climbing, from choosing equipment and tying knots to basic rappelling techniques and expedition planning. There are sections on rock climbing, alpine climbing, emergency prevention and response and snow cycles, along with appendices on wind chill temperatures and suggestions for further reading. This seventh edition, written by a team of more than 40 expert climbers, reflects changes in equipment and technique, with new chapters on waterfall ice climbing and mixed climbing, physical conditioning, and land stewardship issues. It's also enhanced with 415 new illustrations depicting the "chimney technique" and the "twin-rope technique," among other maneuvers, and a new "ten essentials" list. Although the prose is workmanlike at best ("understanding fall factor and how it determines impact forces is fundamental to safe leading"), this work remains a must-have for climbing enthusiasts.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 575 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 7 edition (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898868289
• ISBN-13: 978-0898868289
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,359 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Absolute Pinnacle of Mountaineering Information, October 31, 2008

By	Pierre Y. - See all my reviews

With over 1/2 a million copies sold, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills truly is "the bible" of safe and efficient climbing. With the book measuring in at over one inch thick, it would be impossible to accurately give it justice in the space provided here. Therefore, I'll hit the highlights. The 6th edition, which I have, is divided up into 6 parts:

-outdoor fundamentals...covers things such as clothing/equipment/land nav/food

-climbing fundamentals...knot tying/rappelling info

-rock climbing...footholds/shoes/leading on rock

-snow, ice, and Alpine climbing...the in's and outs of ice and snow climbs (includes various rescues)

-emergency prevention and response...leading in a crisis situation/first aid

-the mountain enviroment..mountain geology/snow cycles/cloud types (neat pics!!)

The book ends with a nice list of additional reading (like you'd really need to with all the info in this book!). As you can see, there's really one word to describe this book- COMPLETE. So, if you're looking for a mountaineering resource to put on your shelf for when some questions come to mind- GET IT! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that interferes with your climbing.

38 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of the best safety devices you can use climbing, October 14, 2003

By	Austin M. Kramer "Rouge Scholar" (Beijing, PRC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills (Paperback)

In mountaineering it is far better to be good enough at a lot of things than it is to be really great at just one thing. For instance, a great rock climber can still make fatal mistakes navigating a glaicer.

If you follow the statistics, most mountaineering accidents are caused by two things: the first is ignorance, lacking enough knowledge to properly judge conditions or use equipment. The second is huburis, or taking on a climb that is above ones level.

The solution to huburis lies within us, while the solution to ignorance lies in study, practice, and this book.

Although it doesn't make up for practice and experience, there are scores of chapters covering virtualy everything from ice climbing to meteorology to wilderness navigation. Some may be disappointed that it doesn't cover many advanced techniques, however, successfull climbers are well-rounded, multi-talented ones.

So don't buy this book to just learn about one field that it talks about (such as rock-climbing or navigation) because there are far more detailed books on each individual subject, but instead buy this book to be a safe mountaineer, who needs sufficient knowledge on all the subjects.

In the end, the broad range of skills involved are what make mountaineering both fun and fatal, both challenging and rewarding. It's the broad range of skill covered in this book that make it such a rewarding book, well matched to the breadth and balance of mountaineering itself.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars if you own no other climbing book, own this one, January 31, 2005

By	P. Morelli (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills (Hardcover)

This book has managed to condense all the fundamentals of (outdoor) climbing - from rock to ice- and to present them in an easily understandable and concise format. I found it invaluable as a beginner and have continued using it as a reference book. If you take climbing seriously, you will probably buy some other books on more specialized techniques down the line, but this book is where you should start. Nothing essential is missing. The book is also very good at pointing out all the ways you could possibly make mistakes, so you don't make them.

FYI, this book does not go so much into training for climbing as it does the skills and knowledge you will need to climb. (For rock climbing, the best book on *training* I've found is "Performance Rock Climbing".) It also does not go too much into first aid, but the publisher of this book also puts out a book on wilderness medicine if you are interested...