A magisterial history of the Himalaya: an epic story of peoples, cultures, and adventures among the world’s highest mountains. For centuries, the unique and astonishing geography of the Himalaya has attracted those in search of spiritual and literal elevation: pilgrims, adventurers, and mountaineers seeking to test themselves among the world’s most spectacular and challenging peaks. But far from being wild and barren, the Himalaya has been home to a diversity of indigenous and local cultures, a crucible of world religions, a crossroads for trade, and a meeting point and conflict zone for empires past and present. In this landmark work, nearly two decades in the making, Ed Douglas makes a thrilling case for the Himalaya’s importance in global history and offers a soaring account of life at the "roof of the world." Spanning millennia, from the earliest inhabitants to the present conflicts over Tibet and Everest, Himalaya explores history, culture, climate, geography, and politics. Douglas profiles the great kings of Kathmandu and Nepal; he describes the architects who built the towering white Stupas that distinguish Himalayan architecture; and he traces the flourishing evolution of Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism that brought Himalayan spirituality to the world. He also depicts with great drama the story of how the East India Company grappled for dominance with China’s emperors, how India fought Mao’s Communists, and how mass tourism and ecological transformation are obscuring the bloody legacy of the Cold War. Himalaya is history written on the grandest yet also the most human scale—encompassing geology and genetics, botany and art, and bursting with stories of courage and resourcefulness.

This stunning guide is an essential sourcebook for anyone contemplating a venture into India's wild and mighty Himalaya, taking the trekker and climber from the famous forests and rhododendrons of Sikkim on the borders of Bhutan, China and Myanmar. The wide variety of treks includes some newly charted expedition-style routes, while the peaks featured are chosen as a natural highpoint of trekking in a high-altitude region. In addition, there is information on trekking and climbing styles, ecological concerns and health and safety.

In the first comprehensive history of Himalayan mountaineering in 50 years, the authors offer detailed, original accounts of the most significant climbs since the 1890s, and they compellingly evoke the social and cultural worlds that gave rise to those expeditions.

Gerry Galligan's first book is a bold and expansive travel diary recounting his assembling of a small team of Irish mountaineers and their attempts on unclimbed mountains and unexplored valleys in the remote corners of the Indian Himalaya. Getting there, the team see the hardships of the sub-continent, while in the mountains they experience storms, dangers and failure before ultimately, success and contentment. But it is when Gerry returns to the mountains alone and his subsequent experiences overlanding across Asia and Europe back to Ireland that we start to get a glimpse of the big, wide world out there. A world of temples, festivals, holy cows, Kalashnikovs, donkey herders, corruption, opportunists, stoners and sages. Gerry gives us an insight into the day-to-day lives of mountain peoples, the dysfunctional functionality of India. He finds charm and tolerance in Pakistan and a surprising openness in today's Iran. We travel across rural Turkey and work our way back to the efficient and affluent West, where right on cue Gerry meets his first breakdown on a German train. Climbing Ramabang; One man's understanding of mountains, myth and mayhem.

A compelling account, presented by an accomplished climber who was the first Briton to reach the top of Everest without oxygen, details two climbs in Kashmir, which helped form today's small-sized, elite mountaineering expeditions, and reveals how a skillful, bold, and creative mountaineer can overcome and survive disastrous situations. Original.

The historical archives of Elizabeth Hawley-for more than 40 years the meticulous chronicler of mountaineering expeditions in Nepal-are now available on this searchable CD.

"Embark on an exhilarating journey to the awe-inspiring heights of the Himalaya and beyond with Norman Collie in 'Climbing on the Himalaya and Other Mountain Ranges.' Penned with passion and expertise, this mountaineering narrative, crafted in the early 20th century, shares Collie's thrilling adventures scaling some of the world's most challenging peaks. As Collie conquers towering summits, braving treacherous terrains and unpredictable weather, he unfolds tales of resilience, camaraderie, and the breathtaking beauty that only mountain landscapes can offer. 'Climbing on the Himalaya and Other Mountain Ranges' is more than a mountaineering chronicle; it's a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who seek to touch the sky. Join Collie on this literary ascent where each page reveals a new chapter of high-altitude adventure, making 'Climbing on the Himalaya and Other Mountain Ranges' a must-read for enthusiasts of mountaineering and the allure of Earth's loftiest peaks."