Himalayan Quest: Ed Viesturs Summits All Fourteen 8,000-Meter Giants

This volume should be regarded as an almost essential supplement to Viesturs’  No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks  (2006). The impressive photographs in Himalayan Quest complement the narrative descriptions in No Shortcuts. Viesturs contends that he is just a casual photographer, and that he had to forego many great pictures in order to concentrate on climbing. Nonetheless, his file cabinets are filled with enough slides for a dozen books. From these, Viesturs selected his favorites for this book.Himalayan Quest was published by the National Geographic Society, and reflects their customary fine work with pictorial images. All pictures are in color, and most are large format (there are 32 full page photographs, 6 page-and-a-half photographs, and 27 double-page photographs). Viesturs’ pictures are presented chronologically in 12 chapters, each devoted to a particular mountain or mountains. Each chapter begins with a single page summary of the climbs it covers, and includes small diagram(s) showing the routes planned and completed on particular mountains. There is also a useful two-page map of the Himalayas.Reproduced in this book are panoramic views of the Himalayas’ awesome topography, its massive peaks and precipitous slopes, as well as climbers and porters in action, and the precarious sites on which they pitched their tents. Each photograph is accompanied by a detailed caption describing its location, the activities it shows, and identifying important peaks in the background.Some peaks receive more attention than others. For example, two chapters (and parts of three other chapters) focus on Mt. Everest, two chapters deal with Annapurna, an entire chapter is given to Kanchenjunga and another to K2. In the years after Himalayan Quest was released, Viesturs climbed three more Himalayan peaks (Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, and Annapurna). Thus, these later climbs are not treated in Himalayan Quest. (In No Shortcuts, Viesturs claims that snow conditions prevented him from reaching the summit of Broad Peak in 1997; but in Himalayan Quest, he reports that he reached the top of Broad Peak in 1997. Actually, Viesturs attained the summit ridge in 1997, but not the actual summit. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, he felt obliged to return six years later to conquer the few feet he did not master in 1997.)The value of Himalayan Quest is well summarized by Jim Wickwire: “These images convey better than any words what it is like to experience the outer limits of human endeavor.” If you want to get an idea of what it is like to climb the world’s highest peaks, check out this book.(Amateur photographers may regret the absence of technical details regarding the equipment Viesturs used—for example, the make and model of the camera [the camera that appears in some views seems to be a Canon EOS Elan 35mm film SLR with a zoom lens], whether it had been specially prepared for cold weather operation, and the type and speed of Viesturs’ film, etc.)

This is the second mountaineering book I've read by Ed Viesturs. This 160 page book read fantastic and the pictures of the mountain peaks and people are magnificent. Text was with Peter Potterfield and an Introduction by David Breashears ( done very well).Ed says his primary concern was safety and climbing the world's tallest 8000M mountain peaks not photography. He only used one good camera and one lens as he did not want to lug around a lot of extra weight. Ed's main sentence of wisdom on mountain climbing....Reaching the top is optional, completing the decent is mandatory! I learned most people died on the decent when they were exhausted, ill from altitude sicknesses, and tired thus making mistakes. A few times, Ed only a few hundred feet from the top turned around and descended and listened to his instincts rather than die. He says his biggest mistake was pushing on, making the top of K2 and not listening to his survival instincts to not continue. He made it to the top but almost died on the decent.His pictures were spot on and magnificent. Most in focus and very good. One picture was soft and slightly blurred due to cold and a freezing lens held by one hand with insecure footing.He goes on explaining his accents on the 8000 meter giants. Also some about people of Tibet and Nepal. All the world's 14 8000M mountains including Everest, K2 (hardest climb and most dangerous),Annapurna, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum 1 & 2, and the rest are in a giant crescent in the Himalayas in and around Nepal, Pakistan etc. when continental drift ....the subcontinent of India millions and millions of years ago smashed into Asia/China, creating the magnificent fourteen 8000 meter mountain peaks.He shows the Imax camera expedition, huge amounts of spent oxygen cylinders on Everest and the tragic deaths that happened on some of the expeditions.This book was wonderful. I just wish Ed would of went a little deeper explaining the different expeditions in Himalayan Quest. However in another of his books... No Shortcuts To The Top.... Ed does explain more. Since Himalayan Quest was in conjunction with National Geographic, 50% or more of the 160 page book was magnificent pictures. I am not really complaining.A great book on the conquest of the world's 8000 meter mountain peaks, great pictures, good description of the climbing and more. 5 stars and proudly added to our family library!

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Excellent

Bought this while reading Viesturs' No Shortcuts to the Top, Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks, which was awesome, detailed and descriptive. This book contains stunning pictures from these adventures, with short write ups, and supplements well with photographs the breathtaking views and various encounters narrated in that book. A great book to have in collection.

This coffee table book is not just about the American mountaineering legend Ed Viesturs quest of all 14 eight thousand metres Himalayan giants.... but also an inspiration for those who dream of such exemplary feats but do not dare to take a step further and overcome their inner fears. The never dying spirit and remarkable ability of getting acclamitized with so high altitudes repetitively which Ed Viesturs possess is what impressed the most. Supported by stunning photographs of these remarkable expeditions, this book is a prized collection for all adventure lovers...

Ed Viesturs hat mich mit seinen Büchern 'No Shortcuts To The Top" und seinem Bericht über seine K2-Besteigung gefesselt. Unter vielen Egozentrikern und Egomanen, die sich auf die höchsten Berge dieses Planeten bemühen, vermittelt Viesturs einen durchweg symphatischen und im Umgang mit der Ntur äußerst respektvollen und vor allem reflektierenden Eindruck. Da ist jemand dankbar, extreme Natur auf sehr bescheidene Weise erleben zu dürfen. Unterstützt von David Roberts erzählt Viesturs fesselnd zu seinen Expeditionen auf der Welt höchste Aussichtspunkte.Dieser Bildband unterstützt die Lektüre seiner packenden Berichte. Hier findet sich erstklassiges Bildmaterial zu allen Achttausendern. Auch rare Photos von alten Weggefährten wie Rob Hall, Scott Fisher und Veikka Gustafsson sind enthalten. Gut aufgemacht und visuell vielleicht nur durch Kaltenbrunner's "2 x 14 Achttausender" getoppt.