Sign-In
Cart
No Way Down
Paperback
Adventurers & ExplorersHiking & ClimbingSoutheast Asia
ISBN13: 9780061834790
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Published: May 24 2011
Pages: 304
Weight: 0.54
Height: 0.73 Width: 5.37 Depth: 8.01
Language: English
New York Times Bestseller
A refreshingly unadorned account of the true brutality of climbing K2, where heroes emerge and egos are stripped down, and the only thing achieving immortality is the cold ruthless mountain. -- Norman Ollestad, author of Crazy for the Storm
In this riveting work of narrative nonfiction, New York Times journalist Graham Bowley re-creates one of the most dramatic tales of death and survival in high-altitude mountaineering history--the 2008 K2 ascent that claimed the lives of eleven climbers
In the tradition of Into Thin Air and Touching the Void, No Way Down is a harrowing true story of survival and the worst mountain climbing disaster on K2, second to Everest in height. . . but second to no peak in terms of danger. On August 1, 2008, no fewer than eight international teams of mountain climbers--some experienced, others less prepared--ascended K2, the world's second-highest mountain, with the last group reaching the summit at 8 p.m. Then disaster struck. A huge ice chunk came loose above a deadly three-hundred-foot avalanche-prone gully, destroying the fixed guide ropes. More than a dozen climbers--many without oxygen and some with no headlamps--faced the nearly impossible task of descending in the blackness with no guideline and no protection. Over the course of the chaotic night, some would miraculously make it back. Others would not.
From tragic deaths to unbelievable stories of heroism and survival, No Way Down is an amazing feat of storytelling and adventure writing, a definitive work of mountaineering history and, in the words of explorer and author Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the closest you can come to being on the summit of K2 on that fateful day.
Based on hundreds of interviews with the survivors, No Way Down meticulously reconstructs the minute-by-minute chaos of the deadliest day on the world's most dangerous mountain:
- The Death Zone: What happens when a serac collapse above 26,000 feet severs the guide ropes, trapping more than a dozen climbers in darkness with no way down and dwindling oxygen.
- A Cascade of Errors: An unflinching investigation into the fateful decisions and delays--from late ascents to forgotten equipment--that compounded the tragedy as eight international teams converged on the summit.
- Heroism and Survival: The unbelievable true stories of those who fought their way back from the brink, and the harrowing accounts of the eleven climbers who would never return.
- Meticulous Reconstruction: Drawing on extensive interviews with the survivors and their families, Bowley pieces together a definitive, moment-by-moment account of one of mountaineering's worst disasters.
1 different editions
Also available
Also in
Hiking & Climbing
60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Minneapolis and St. Paul: Includes Hikes in and Around the Twin Cities
Watson, Tom
Watson, Tom
Paperback
The Everest Mystery: Sandy Irvine, George Mallory, and the Truth Still Buried on Everest
Summers, Julie
Hemmleb, Jochen
Hardcover
Fire, Water, Shelter: A Guide to Modern Bushcraft Skills for Surviving and Enjoying the Great Outdoors
Marshall, Ryan
Paperback
Canning & Preserving: The Techniques, Equipment, and Recipes to Get Started
Harmeling, Michele
Paperback
Hike Strong: The Complete Guide to Building Mountain Strength, Endurance, and Confidence for Hiking and Backpacking
Appleton, James
Paperback
Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
Montgomery, Ben
Paperback
The Emergency Playbook: A Bunker-Free Guide to Disaster Preparation
Edelman, Amy
Begley, Chris
Paperback
SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere
Wiseman, John 'Lofty'
Paperback
Tree Finder: Identifying Trees by Their Leaves in Eastern North America
Watts, May Theilgaard
Paperback
Gun Trader's Guide, Forty-Fifth Edition: A Comprehensive, Fully Illustrated Guide to Modern Collectible Firearms with Market Values
Sadowski, Robert A.
Paperback
The Trails of M-22: 48 of the Most Beautiful Paths Along Michigan's Most Beautiful Highway
DuFresne, Jim
Paperback
Women Who Hike National Parks: Walking with America's Most Inspiring Adventurers
Rochfort, Heather Balogh
Paperback
The Bushcraft Boxed Set: Bushcraft 101; Advanced Bushcraft; The Bushcraft Field Guide to Trapping, Gathering, & Cooking in the Wild; Bushcraft First A
Canterbury, Dave
Hunt, Jason A.
Hardcover
The Secret World of Weather: How to Read Signs in Every Cloud, Breeze, Hill, Street, Plant, Animal, and Dewdrop
Gooley, Tristan
Paperback
Winter Tree Finder: Identifying Deciduous Trees of Eastern North America by Their Bark and Twigs
Watts, May Theilgaard
Paperback
Mushrooming Without Fear: The Beginner's Guide to Collecting Safe and Delicious Mushrooms
Schwab, Alexander
Paperback
Outdoor Kids in an Inside World: Getting Your Family Out of the House and Radically Engaged with Nature
Rinella, Steven
Paperback
How to Survive in the Woods: Camping, Fires, Trailing, Tramping, Getting Lost, and Finding Your Way Home
Verrill, A. Hyatt
Paperback
Lonely Planet New Zealand: Plan the Trip of a Lifetime Detailed Itineraries & Maps Insider Tips Covers Auckland, Queenstown, Wellington, Taranaki and
Atkinson, Brett
Carlson Liz, Dragicevich
Peter, Fea
Paperback
Modern Bushcraft: The Complete Guide to Outdoor Survival, Shelter, Firecraft, Foraging, and More
Macwelch, Tim
Hardcover
Camping and Woodcraft: A Handbook for Vacation Campers and Travelers in the Wilderness
Kephart, Horace
Paperback
Surviving the Trail: Five Essential Skills to Prepare Every Hiker for Adventure's Most Common Perils
Scanlon, Rob
Paperback
Cascadia Revealed: A Guide to the Plants, Animals, and Geology of the Pacific Northwest Mountains
Mathews, Daniel
Paperback
Trekking the Tour Du Mont Blanc: Classic 170km Hut-To-Hut Hike with Two-Way Route Description
Reynolds, Kev
Paperback
How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere
Angier, Bradford
Hardcover
Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete
House, Steve
Johnston, Scott
Paperback
Fern Finder: Identifying Native Ferns of Central and Northeastern North America
Hallowell, Anne C.
Hallowell, Barbara G.
Paperback
Miscalculated Risks: Attacked, Crippled, Paralyzed, Drowning, Unconscious and Freezing in The Wild (Just Not All at Once)
Cooper, Michael
Paperback
Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women's Ascent of Denali
Randall, Cassidy
Hardcover
Moon Best of California State Parks: Top 50 Parks in the Golden State
Moon Travel Guides
Blough, Jenna
Anderson, Kayla
Paperback
Dog Hiking New England: 45 Dog-Friendly Trails in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island
Valenti, Kristen
McMahon, Jill
Paperback
Crisis on Mount Hood: Stories from a Hundred Years of Mountain Rescue
Van Tilburg, Christopher
Paperback
Emergency Communication 101: The Essential Guide to Maintaining Contact During and After Any Disaster Scenario
Stewart, Creek
Bassett, Joe
Paperback
Hike Strong: The Complete Guide to Building Mountain Strength, Endurance, and Confidence for Hiking and Backpacking
Appleton, James
Hardcover
The Ultimate Guide to Wilderness Living: Surviving with Nothing But Your Bare Hands and What You Find in the Woods
McPherson, John
McPherson, Geri
Paperback
Best Rail Trails Wisconsin: More Than 70 Rail Trails Throughout the State
Revolinski, Kevin
Paperback
Urban Trails: San Francisco: Coastal Bluffs/ The Presidio/ Hilltop Parks & Stairways
Kenin, Alexandra
Paperback
The Official U.S. Army Survival Manual Updated
Underwood, Peter T.
U S Department of the Army
Paperback
Essential Knots: Secure Your Gear When Camping, Hiking, Fishing, and Playing Outdoors
Berger, Karen
Paperback
The Natural Navigator: The Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature Be Your Guide
Gooley, Tristan
Paperback
Lonely Planet Nepal: Plan the Trip of a Lifetime Detailed Itineraries & Maps Insider Tips Covers Kathmandu, Himalayas, Trekking and More
Bindloss, Joe
Fegent-Brown, Lindsay
Mayhew, Bradley
Paperback
The Cotswold Way: National Trail Two-Way Trail Guide - Chipping Campden to Bath
Reynolds, Kev
Paperback
Beer Hiking Pacific Northwest 2nd Edition: The Tastiest Way to Discover Washington, Oregon and British Columbia
Fralic, Brandon
Wood, Rachel
Paperback
Advanced Bushcraft: An Expert Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival
Canterbury, Dave
Paperback
The Outdoor Archive: The Ultimate Collection of Adventure & Sporting Graphics, Illustrations and Gear
Pumphrey, Clint
Anderson, Chase
Hardcover
Hiking the Appalachian Trail Through Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee: The Mile-By-Mile Guide to 471 Miles of the Southern Region of the Appalac
Niven, Joshua
Niven, Amber Adams
Paperback
Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire
Howe, Nicholas
Paperback
Moon 101 Great Hikes San Francisco Bay Area: Plus the Best Places to Eat, Drink, and Camp Nearby
Brown, Ann Marie
Moon Travel Guides
Paperback
Bushcraft First Aid: A Field Guide to Wilderness Emergency Care
Hunt, Jason A.
Canterbury, Dave
Paperback
Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship
Ryan, Tom
Paperback
Beer Hiking Chicago: The Tastiest Way to Discover the Windy City
Ochwat, Dan
Sedgwick, Jessica
Paperback
Foraging for Wild Edible Foods: A Folding Pocket Guide to Sustainable Practices & Harvesting Techniques
Kavanagh, James
Paperback
Western Washington and Oregon in Bloom: Find and Identify the 150 Most Common Wildflowers
Turner, Mark
Kuhlmann, Ellen
Paperback
Wild Wonders: The Untamed and Enigmatic Animals That Inhabit Yellowstone National Park
Cook, Julia
Hardcover
The Climbing Bible: Practical Exercises: Technique and Strength Training for Climbing
Christophersen, Stian
Mobråten, Martin
Paperback
The Prepper's Water Survival Guide: Harvest, Treat, and Store Your Most Vital Resource
Luther, Daisy
Paperback
Berry Finder: Identifying Native Plants with Fleshy Fruits in Eastern North America
Miller, Dorcas S.
Paperback
The Camino Portugués: From Lisbon and Porto to Santiago - Central, Coastal and Spiritual Caminos
Miller, Howard
Davis, Kat
Paperback
How to Eat in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Foraging, Trapping, Fishing, and Finding Sustenance in the Wild
Angier, Bradford
Hardcover