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High Summits

Hardcover – October 4th, 2013

Hardcover | $49.95UPDF eBook | $19.95

A Rich and Compelling History of Mountaineering ….At Your Fingertips. High Summits is the result of over 30 years of research into the fascinating world of international mountaineering. An essential guide to mountaineering history, this year-by-year account spans all seven continents and dates from 450 B.C. through 2011. In it you’ll find everything from the monumental to the hard-to-find-trivia including:

  • The most significant 370 Peak First Ascents as well as over 600 other types of first ascents on mountain faces and ridges.
  • 345 detailed listings of major advancements in mountaineering gear, clothing, and climbing equipment.
  • 171 references to the development of various climbing techniques on snow, rock, and ice.
  • 58 hand-drawn maps and 57 carefully chosen photographs to accompany over 2,800 climbing events around the world.
  • Appendices that include 17 unique mountain summit collections and the author’s ten most significant events in mountaineering history. Taken from expedition accounts, biographies and autobiographies, climbing journals and diaries, mountaineering museums, magazines and newspapers, films, documentaries, newsletters, and interviews,

High Summits is one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind. A must-have reference book for anyone interested in mountaineering, from the aficionado and weekend climber to anyone who just likes to read about the majesty and allure of climbing the most significant peaks in the world.

“Wolfe’s meticulous compilation of this much mountaineering history and lore into one volume is simply a stunning achievement that makes for an invaluable reference as well as an entertaining read.” Walter R. Borneman Historian and co-author of 100 Years Up High: Colorado Mountains and Mountaineers “Fred Wolfe’s exhaustive research teases out the details of mountaineering’s entire, worldwide history. High Summits is a reference I will always keep handy.” Phil Powers Executive Director American Alpine Club

$49.95

Title: High Summits: 370 Famous Peak First Ascents and Other Significant Events in Mountaineering History
Author: Frederick L. Wolfe
ISBN – Case Bound Hardback: 978-1-936449-35-4
BISAC: Sports & Recreation : Mountaineering, Sports & Recreation : History, History : World – General
LOCCN: 2013946278
Pages: 716
Price: Case Bound Hardback – $49.95, Paperback – $34.95, eBook-UPDF – $19.95
Trim: 8.5×11
Publication date: October 4th, 2013

 

Bestseller Status:  Amazon Best Seller – #66 in Mountaineering
2014 CIPA EVVY Award:  1st Place – History, Merit – Academic Reference

HS-1st-PLace-CIPA-Evvy-History150 HS-Merit-CIPA-Evvy-Academic-Reference150

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Editorial Review

“Great things are done when men and mountains meet,” wrote English poet William Blake in 1808. A goodly share of those great things are annotated in Fred Wolfe’s labor of love of mountains. High Summits is a monumental effort, in which Wolfe covers an expanding universe of major moments of mountaineering history, seasoned by a rucksack full of fascinating miscellanea about the explorers and their sometimes curious ways.

Dr. Thomas Hornbein
First ascent of Mount Everest’s West Ridge in 1963
Author of Everest, The West Ridge
2011 Inductee to the American Alpine Club’s Hall of Mountaineering Excellence

 

“Wolfe has opened the door on a vast and intriguing history of international mountaineering and has done it well.”

Robert Craig
Founder of Colorado’s Keystone Center
Past President of the American Alpine Club
Member of the 1953 American K2 Expedition
2010 Inductee to the American Alpine Club’s Hall of Mountaineering Excellence

 

“Fred Wolfe has given mountaineers, mountaineering aficionados, and mountain historians both an invaluable reference and a fascinating compendium of mountaineering activities. Included are not only well-known ascents of major peaks, but a unique and useful chronology of mountaineering miscellanea. A rare achievement.”

John Evans
First ascents of Antarctica’s Mounts Vinson and Tyree

 

“Fred Wolfe has created the ultimate reference for climbers, for those who love the mountains, for history buffs, and for anyone with a curiosity about climbing, mountaineering and the events surrounding these adventures. The changes associated with mountaineering are all here: clothing, equipment, techniques, routes, new innovations, as well as important medical discoveries from the beginning of time. Researching and collating these facts must have been as arduous and thrilling as climbing an 8,000 meter peak successfully. What an achievement!”

Dr. Benjamin Honigman
Medical Director of the Altitude Medicine Clinic,
University of Colorado Hospital

 

“In High Summits, Fred Wolfe has scaled his own 8,000 meter peak. Tenaciously combing through detailed information, moving forward and upward through the vast accumulation of multiple ascents over time, Fred has produced a magnum opus for the mountaineering world. Truly a herculean effort, High Summits is an authoritative guide to first ascents of all kinds and to the rich history of one of the world’s most precious resources—it’s high peaks and alpine terrain.”

Tony Lewis
Executive Director
Donnell-Kay Foundation, Denver, Colorado

 

“Fred Wolfe has assembled and organized a mountaineering reference book like no other. He has gone beyond merely listing events on a timeline. He puts them into context and brings life to them with added bits of history. In addition to the history, Fred has included a huge number of maps and spreadsheets. This book is a keeper.”

Gary Neptune
Neptune Mountaineering and Ski Museum, Boulder, Colorado

 

Fred Wolfe’s exhaustive research teases out the details of mountaineering’s entire, worldwide history. High Summits is a reference I will always keep handy.”

Phil Powers
Executive Director, American Alpine Club

 

“Mountaineers and writers are driven by passion and persistence and Fred Wolfe’ remarkable history of mountaineering, High Summits, has been driven by a passion for mountaineering and the persistence to spend years collecting the information for this amazing reference book. Not only is it a remarkable collection of valuable information, but it is fascinating reading. Every page contains a jewel of history that the reader did not know—a name, a climb, a date, perhaps a memory. This book should be bedside every climber’s reading chair. It will be in constant use.

Dr. Bruce Paton
Former Chairman-Board of Trustees, Colorado Outward Bound School and President of the Wilderness Medical Society

 

“High Summits is the result of Fred Wolfe’s interest and enthusiasm for mountaineering coupled with meticulous research and record keeping. This unique book is extremely readable and serves as a very useful reference book. High Summits is an invaluable addition to the library of every climber.”

Dick Pownall
Grand Teton mountain guide and member of the 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition

 

“Wolfe’s meticulous compilation of this much mountaineering history and lore into one volume is simply a stunning achievement that makes for an invaluable reference as well as an entertaining read.”

Walter R. Borneman
Historian and co-author of A Climbing Guide to Colorado Fourteeners and
100 Years Up High: Colorado Mountains and Mountaineers.

 

5.0 out of 5 stars - Superbly interesting and detailed
By Cheryl Shaw on May 17, 2014

Though I do not consider myself a serious mountaineer, I found the author's thorough detail and descriptions to be fascinating as an historical account. I cannot imagine the time and personal research that must have been done to compile this beautifully detailed account. Well done!

 

5.0 out of 5 stars - Triumph
By Jim Scott on October 8, 2013

This is the most comprehensive history book on mountaineering I have seen. A real triumph- the author's detail of each climb is amazing. Great addition to any climber's library.

 

5.0 out of 5 stars - Mountaineers must have
By Kwolfe on October 5, 2013

Wow. I have been climbing and hiking for a long time and am very passionate about my mountaineering book collection. For the true mountain enthusiast, this book is a must have. This book outlines the history of climbing continent by continent and peak by peak from BC. It is absolutely fascinating. And the book itself is beautifully put together. Every map and picture is hand drawn, making it a great gift even for those who are passionate at lower altitudes. I believe it took the author 10 years to compile all of the information and you can tell. His passion for the hills flows through the pages. It's a work of art and is definitely a collectors dream.