The Soul of Mountaineering

The stories in this book tell of the first successful ascents of Europe’s most iconic mountains, combined with personal experiences and images of climbing these attractive peaks in the twenty-first century. The mountains are always changing and so are the people who climb them. Two hundred and fifty years ago, the early climbers were mainly driven by faith, fame and fortune or the urge to unravel the secrets of science. Later mountain climbing became more of a leisure activity and people moved into the mountains for personal and spiritual reasons. This is where the true soul of alpinism originates. It is an inner call to go into the mountains and soar high above the rest of the world in order to be forced to a different, broader view of life.

This book can be an inspiration to many of you. Whether you are interested in the history of mountaineering or want to climb one of these eye-catching peaks yourself. With the help of this book, specific training, quality equipment and the availability of professional mountaineering guides, the iconic peaks described in The Soul of Mountaineering can be added to the bucket list of anyone willing to invest in proper equipment and fitness. Dedicating yourself to reaching the top of one of Europe’s most iconic mountains can be an enriching and even life-changing experience.

English