Stephen Venables At Book Club

Originally uploaded by American Alpine Club Photo Library

Aaron Miller, one of the members of the AAC’s Book Club Fight Club, went out on a limb and invited Stephen Venables to come sit in on book club, and he was gracious enough to accept! We met in the Mountaineering Museum, sitting next to the giant model of Everest, and surrounded by the history of the giants of climbing, we got to talk to Stephen about his books and his life. Click on the image to see more photos from the event.

And get ready for December 8th: Annapurna, by Maurice Herzog!

Nicholas Clinch sends this book review for your perusal.  Please feel free to add your comments! (This book is currently on order and will be available in the library soon!)

Himalayan Playground: Adventures on The Roof of the World, 1942-72.  Trevor Braham.  Glasgow, In Pinn Press, 2008.  107 pages, colored plates.  Softcover.  $20.00 

A former editor of the Himalayan Journal and the Swiss Chronique Himalayenne, Trevor Braham’s knowledge of the Himalaya is unsurpassed.  Moreover, for over half a lifetime, he has traveled, climbed and explored those mountains from Chitral to Sikkim.  He related his adventures in 1974 in his book Himalayan Odyssey.  Although most of the stories in Himalayan Playground have been covered in his previous book, it is an augmentation and not just a duplication of the earlier work.

It is fascinating to read the two books side by side.  Himalayan Odyssey is a like a slide lecture, an accurate narrative of fresh events.  Himalayan Playground is a story told before a fire with a glass of wine; while accurate, it conveys a feeling of bygone days.  The tale is mellowed by the passing of years and the gaining of a greater perspective.  Braham’s descriptions reflect what it was like to go into those mountain regions at that time, the challenges of the terrain, the weather, and the relationship with the local people.  The book invokes memories in those who also have been there at that time. To others, it provides an insight about what it was like to go wandering in the Himalaya “in those days.”

Although Braham describes such expeditions such as the 1947 Swiss expedition to the Garhwal, the first European party to climb in the Himalaya after World War II, and an attempt on Minapin in the Karakoram in 1958 on which the two climbers disappeared during a summit attempt, most of the stories are about Shiptonian style trips to areas such as Spiti and Sikkim, which are still off the main mountaineering track.  

Braham begins by recounting a trip to the Garwhal in 1947 in the company of the Swiss expedition.  Then he takes us to Sikkim in 1949 when with one Western companion and four Sherpas led by Angtharkey he explores the glaciers and mountains in its northeast corner.  Next, he recounts his expedition to Minapin in 1958, followed by a light trip in 1962 to attempt Falek Ser, the highest peak in Swat.  Besides a few friends, he had six porters and an armed escort.  Swat was dangerous even then.  After relating some stories about excursions into the tribal country of the Northwest Frontier, he ends by describing three trips to the relatively unknown Kaghan Valley, between Kohistan and Kashmir.

It was a simpler time, but simple did not mean lack of adventure.  As the Swat trip showed, just getting into the mountains was exciting.  The lack of transportation and communications, not to mention the absence of helicopters, lent a spice of excitement to everything. There were a lot of charming as well as challenging peaks available to curious mountaineers, mountains one would like to have in one’s own backyard. The reader is taken into remote corners of little known regions, climbing peaks which seem to be little more than pyramid symbols on exotic maps.  Braham also conveys the flavor of what the inhabitants as well as the country were like.  From the Sherpas of Nepal to the Pathans of the Northwest Frontier, the diversified character of these people stands out.

As intriguing as the descriptions of travel and climbing in the remote Himalaya are, one of the most interesting parts of this modest book is about climbing in the Northwest Frontier.  Some of these stories did not appear in Himalayan Odyssey.  All of them are timely as this now is the land of the Taliban.  Much has been written about it, but these brief accounts gives one a feeling of the culture of these tribesman.  It is wild country.

While the maps in Himalayan Odyssey are better than the maps in Himalayan Playground, the latter are adequate to orient the reader.  On the other hand, the illustrations in this book are far superior to the pictures in the earlier one.  Although there is considerable history and facts in the book, it is best used not for information but for a pleasant and nostalgic read of distant lands in olden times.  Perhaps the good old days weren’t so bad after all.

Tuesday night is Book Club Fight Club – 6-8pm, and we’ll have a special guest to discuss Stephen Venables Everest: Alone at the Summit.  Don’t miss it!  (and if you want your copy of the book autographed, just drop it off at the library with a small donation and we’ll get it done!)  RSVP for this event please: aacbookclub [at] gmail [dot] com

On Wednesday, Marmot and the AAC present Sean Swarner, Cancer Climber

6:00pm Pre-Party w/ Sean
$15 AAC members / $25 non members
(includes beer, wine, apps, and admission to presentation)
RSVP By Nov 3 to Dana Richardson (303) 384-0110 x10.

7:30pm Presentation
$5 AAC members / $10 non members
No need to RSVP for presentation.

Pay at the door for both. All proceeds benefit the Cancer Climber Association.

Two-time cancer survivor Sean Swarner is living proof of triumph against all odds. At age 13, then age 15, he was diagnosed with cancer and given only weeks to live. Both times he beat the disease and nearly 15 years later he climbed to the summit of Mount Everest with only one
fully-functioning lung.

The library will be open today with regular hours, noon to 5pm.

Don’t forget to check out our Skiing DVDs!

av F 912 .M2 W47

Wilcox, Rick. West buttress, Mt. McKinley ski ascent. [United States]: Rick

Wilcox, [199u].

av GV 706.4 .K56 1992

Strassman, Michael A. Know limits : the extreme in sports. [S.l.]: Range of

Light Productions, [1992].

av GV 841 .B43 1996

Bibby, Alan. Beating the odds. Calgary, Alberta: YAK Alpine Enterprises, [1996].

av GV 854 .B39 CMC

Butler, Shelly. Beyond the groomed : off piste skiing for the free heel skier.

Curlew, WA: Free Heels, [199-?].

av GV 854 .B44 H3 2008

Hall, Tanner. Believe. Studio 411, Redbull, Oakley, [2008].

av GV 854 .B742 1998

Tejada-Flores, Lito. Breakthrough on skis. Sedona, AZ: Western Eye, [1998].

av GV 854 .G76 1999

Strassman, Michael. Groms. 1 videocassette (30 min.): sd., col, [1/2 in].

av GV 854 .R43

RedTape. Plehouse films, [2004].

av GV 854.1 .M65 1982

Legends of American skiing. Killington, VT: Killington Video Productions,

[1982].

av GV 854.33 .H47 2007

Meier, Monte. Heroes of the slopes. Widescreen ed. [United States]: One Track

Productions, [2007].

av GV 854.7 .C66 1996

Collins, Dirk. The continuum. Teton Village, WY: Teton Gravity Research, [1996].

av GV 854.85 .T45 1993 CMC

Tejada-Flores, Lito. Breakthrough on skis : how to get out of the intermediate

rut. Telluride, CO: Western Eye, [1993].

av GV 854.85 .T451 1993 CM

Tejada-Flores, Lito. Breakthrough on skis II : bumps & powder simplified.

Telluride, CO: Western Eye, [1993].

av GV 854.9 .C7 B32

Shaw, James E. Backcountry celebration. Aspen, Colo: Film Ranch, [198-].

av GV 854.9 .C7 B33 1993 C

Viehman, John. Backcountry skiing in Colorado. Stamford, CT: Capital Cities/ABC

Video Publishing, [1993].

av GV 854.9 .E85 B554 1988

The blizzard of AAHHH’S : a true story. Portland, Me: Delamo Films, Ltd, [1988].

av GV 854.9 .F74 F7 2002

Free time : techniques for modern freeheel skiing. [s.l.]: Unparalleled

Productions, [2002].

av GV 854.9 .F74 F7 2002d

Free time : techniques for modern freeheel skiing. [s.l.]: Unparalleled

Productions, [2002].

av GV 854.9 .L68 2007

Jones, Steve. Lost and found. Teton Village, WY: Teton Gravity Research, [2007].

av GV 854.9 .S49 2007

Wais, Murray. Seven sunny days. Crested Butte, Colo: Matchstick Productions,

[2007].

av GV 854.9 .S56 H56 2001d

Sting (Musician). Shishapangma, a celebration of life : Himalaya, descending

India. [United States]: North Face.

av GV 854.9 .S56 S55 2000

Wilcox, John. Shishapangma : a celebration of life. United States: American

Adventure Productions, Inc. Distributed by Video Action Sports, Inc, [2000].

av GV 854.9 .T44 F74 2000

Larsen, Nils. Freedom of the heels. Curlew, WA : Free Heels, [2000?].

av GV 854.9 .T44 P69 2006

Howell, Noah. PW06 : a telemark ski film. United States: Powderwhore

Comprehensive Productions, [2006].

av GV 854.9 .T44 R38 1989

Fuller, John. Revenge of the telemarkers. Waitsfield, Vt: Telemark Movies,

[1989].

av GV 854.9 .T44 T35 1987

Fuller, John. The telemark movie. Waitsfield, VT: Telemark Movies, Inc, [1987].

av GV 854.9 .T44 T443 1992

Telemark workshop. Waitsfield, VT: Telemark Movies, [1992].

av GV 854.9 .T44 T352 1995

Chrzanowski, Peter. Telemark one. North Vancouver, B.C: Zinc Films, [1995].

av GV 854.9 .T44 U57 2002d

Kern, Wilson. Unparalleled : a journey from the roots of telemark skiing.

[S.l.]: Unparalleled Productions, [2002].

av GV 854.9 .T44 U58 2001

Kern, Wilson. Unparalleled II : free world. [Homewood, Calif.]: Unparalleled

Productions, [2001?].

av GV 854.9 .T44 U59 2002

Catton, Kraig S. Unparalleled 03 : soul slide. [Homewood, Calif.]: Unparalleled

Productions, [2002].

av GV 854.9 A77 2006

The art of nordic skiing. xczone.tv, [2006].

av GV 854.9 F86 2006

Fundamentals of cross-country skiing technique. XCZone.tv, [2006].

av GV 854.9 L42 2006

Learn to Nordic Ski. XCzone.tv, [2006].

av GV 855.2 .S75 2002

O’Leske, Dave. Spirit of snow : a look into the ethereal beauty of backcountry

skiing. [Colo.?]: Through a Child’s Eyes Productions, [2002].

av QC 929 .A8 W45 2007

Walsh, Marni. White book : the movie. Teton Village, WY: Teton Gravity Research,

[2007].

photo and pizza by Adam McFarren

On October 26, you are invited to eat some free pizza in the library before the Eldo Canyon guidebook slideshow.  The only catch is…we give you pizza, you give us some brain time.

In our continued effort to make this climbing library serve climbers in the best way possible, we want to hear your ideas and get you involved.  So, from 5-6:30, come talk to Gary Landeck, Library Director, and Beth Heller, Preservation Librarian, and help us brainstorm.  Bring a friend or two.  RSVP to us if you can at library [at] americanalpineclub [dot] org.

Afterwards,  go to the booksigning and slideshow upstairs in the Foss Auditorium at 7p.

ACE proudly joins Sharp End Publishing to bring you the latest  climbing guide for Eldorado Canyon State Park. This full color, 450 plus page guide is available electronically, NOW.  Pre-pay for the electronic and hard copy book and Sharp End will donate a portion of each sale to ACE for trail maintenance and fixed gear replacement.

Please join ACE and author Steve Levin for a slide show and book signing party at the American Mountain Center, Golden CO on October 26 at 7 PM.

Climb Locally!

Jim Moss, the AAC’s book club volunteer facilitator, sends this missive:

Photograph by Stephen Venables: Click through to his website

“The next meeting will be the FIRST Tuesday of November, November 3^rd.  The reason for the date change is that we will be having a special guest.

The book for the November meeting is Everest: Alone at the Summit. The library has several copies available for check-out to AAC and FOL members, and Museum’s  Basecamp giftshop has copies available for purchase.

Everest: Alone at the Summit(US Edition)( ·  ISBN-10: 1560252898  ISBN-13: 978-1560252894) or Everest: Kangshung Face (UK edition) (ISBN: 9780340423660).

Feel free to bring your friends to the next Book club meeting!  Please RSVP so we know how many people are coming.  RSVP to aacbookclub [at] gmail [dot] com

The December book will be Annapurna by Maurice Herzog, and there will be related ephemera from a private collection to look at.

The last discussion was really great, funny and interesting discussing the different ways people had read and interpreted “The Fall.” A very entertaining book.

Look forward to seeing everyone November 3^rd at the next meeting.”

The Mountaineering Museum, American Alpine Club Library and Sherpa House present:

YETI NIGHT @ the Museum!

October 15th, 2009 5:30-9pm

Join us for the first annual YETI night in the Museum! This is a fun event for YETIs of all ages and includes storytelling for the little YETIs and $1 drinks and live music for the over 21 YETIs!

Come get your YETI on, dress up for the costume contest, and win prizes!

Children and adult Yeti storytelling!

See a Yeti footprint!

Bring a children’s book for the Magic Yeti children’s Library in Nepal!

After you get your YETI on at the museum, join us at Sherpa’s (15th and Washington) for buy one – get one drinks, discounted dinner and free chai!

This event is supported by: American Mountaineering Museum, Vibram, YETI Coolers, American Alpine Club Library, Sherpa House, Colorado Mountain Club Youth Education Program and the SCFD.

We’re busy getting ready for the next exhibit at the Mountaineering Museum – Thin Air: An Exhibit on Altitude and Oxygen, November 3-May30, 2009.  “Getting ready” means combing through the library and archives looking for supporting material and images.  Here is one treasure from the John M. Boyle Himalayan Library:

Apparently, cutting-edge high altitude science as reported in the New York Tribune in 1924 included the belief that smoking cigarettes improved performance.  Captain George Finch remarked of the 1923 expedition “Evidently there is apower in the cigarette and pipe which acts as a nerve stimulant in place of carbon dioxide…” and that when they ran out of cigarettes they resorted to their oxygen stash as second choice.    The 1924 expedition was apparently well-provisioned with cigarettes so that a study could be made!

Player’s printed a set of 20 cigarette cards with photographs of the expedition.

All of the cards and the article can be viewed in the rare books room of the AAC Library, and of course these and many other interesting things will be part of the Thin Air exhibit.