Celebrating a tradition of bravery, thirst for knowledge, and pursuit of glory, this book tells the stories of the most famous mountaineers in history and explores the climbs that they conquered.

Mountaineers is filled with stirring tales of adventure and intriguing characters, from the Brits who insisted on hauling cases of vintage champagne up to Everest base camp in 1924, to the Italian Duke of the Abruzzi who took 10 iron bedsteads up Alaska's Malaspina glacier. It chronicles the stories of the pioneers who first conquered the heights of this planet, from Otzi the Iceman to Edmund Hillary, important scientific discoveries that were made along the way, and accounts of
great bravery, fellowship, altruism, and humour in the face of adversity.

The book features fact files for over 100 famous mountaineers and stunning photography of the mountains they scaled, and contains rare artefacts that were found on their journeys, previously unpublished photographs, and specially commissioned route maps to recreate history's greatest ascents. The book also charts the development of technology, equipment, and techniques from the tweed hacking jackets and pipe-smoking of the early mountaineers to the sophisticated kit being used today.

About the Author

The Royal Geographic Society is the world's most learned and prestigious body for geography and exploration. Founded in 1830, its aim is to advance geographic research, nationally and globally, and to improve understanding of the connected world.

The Alpine Club is the world's first mountaineering club and the only national club for alpinists in the UK. For a century and a half its members - most of the leading British mountaineers of each generation - have been at the forefront of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration.