See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.

10 used & new from £5.85
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Climb up to Hell
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

The Climb up to Hell (Paperback)

by Jack Olsen (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


4 new from £13.90 6 used from £5.85
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Paperback 5 used & new from £1.51

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
Climbing Holds
   www.wallclimber.co.uk    Full range from Core Climbing Holds, Volumes & Fingerboards 
Arctic Gap Year 2010
   www.bses.org.uk    Learn winter mountaineering skills Aged 18-23? No experience necessary 
Rock Climbing Courses
   www.ExpeditionGuide.com    Beginner to lead climbing courses Courses & Guiding in Snowdonia 
  
 

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The White Spider

The White Spider

by Heinrich Harrer
4.1 out of 5 stars (19)  £6.99
Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains

Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains

by Jon Krakauer
4.3 out of 5 stars (10)  £6.99
Touching The Void [DVD] [2003]

Touching The Void [DVD] [2003]

DVD ~ Brendan Mackey
4.9 out of 5 stars (31) 
The Beckoning Silence [DVD]

The Beckoning Silence [DVD]

DVD ~ Louise Osmond
5.0 out of 5 stars (7)  £13.98
The Eiger Sanction [DVD] [1975]

The Eiger Sanction [DVD] [1975]

DVD ~ Clint Eastwood
4.7 out of 5 stars (3)  £4.98
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Saint Martin's Press Inc.; 1st St. Martin's Griffin Ed edition (30 Nov 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0312194501
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312194505
  • Product Dimensions: 20.6 x 13.8 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 296,312 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #81 in  Books > Travel & Holiday > Countries & Regions > Europe > Switzerland

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

  • See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

Review
"To experience the Eiger one can climb the mountain, stand in the graveyard near the base of the North Wall, or read "The Climb Up To Hell," Jack Olsen's account of the ill-fated 1957 mountaineering expedition is a chronicle so graphic that it will cause a visceral response in those who read it." --Ruth Anne Kocour, author of "Facing the Extreme"
"This account of the most dramatic mountain rescue there has ever been is accurate enough to satisfy any mountaineer, and yet simple enough to enthrall anyone like myself who does most of his mountaineering from the bottom." --David Howarth, author of "We Die Alone" and "D-Day: The Sixth of June, 1944"
"Of all the stories of the Eiger there is only one tale which combines extreme foolhardiness, mystery and the unsurpassed courage of men of many different nations who tried . . . to save four lives. How well Olsen has succeeded." --Christopher Brasher, British journalist and Olympic Gold Medal Winner
"Olsen's interesting account reads like a novel." --"Library Journal"
"One of the best accounts of true high mountain adventure ever written." --Trevanian, bestselling author of "The Eiger Sanction"
"One of the most dramatic rescues in mountaineering history." --Jim Wickwire, Everest climber and coauthor of "Addicted to Danger"


Synopsis
IN

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Climb up to Hell
66% buy the item featured on this page:
The Climb up to Hell 3.8 out of 5 stars (4)
The White Spider
19% buy
The White Spider 4.1 out of 5 stars (19)
£6.99
The Beckoning Silence
16% buy
The Beckoning Silence 4.1 out of 5 stars (27)
£6.29
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars THE CLIMB UP TO HELL...MAKES FOR HEAVENLY READING..., 1 Dec 2002
By Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)   
This book chronicles the dramatic 1957 rescue of an Italian, amateur mountain climber from the north face of the Eiger. It is written in somewhat of a potboiler style, which makes it a real easy reading, page turner.

It is filled with facts and names from mountaineering history that will delight climbing enthusiasts. The famous Chamonix guide and one of the four climbers who figured prominently in the successful, yet tragic 1950 French conquest of Annapurna, Lionel Terray, figures prominently in the rescue portion of this narrative.

The account focuses on a somewhat inept, amateur mountaineer, Claudio Corti, from the Lecco region of Italy. Having lost a number of his roping partners to the grim reaper on prior ascents with him on various mountains, he naturally encountered some difficulty in finding one to accompany him on an expedition to climb the nearly vertical, north face of the Eiger. He finally inveigled Stefano Lhongi, a very inexperienced climber, to accompany him and attempt one of the most perilous ascents in the world.

This two man rope team was simply not prepared to make this ascent properly. Along their way up the north face of Eiger, they encountered two very experienced German climbers also making the ascent of the Eiger's north face. What happened during their encounter, when disaster struck, makes for some riveting reading.

While Claudio Corti comes across as a thoroughly despicable buffoon, one's heart cannot help but break for the hapless Stefano Longhi and the poignancy of his tragic end on the brink of rescue. The rescue itself is an amazing account of courage, bravado, and confusion, as a multitude of mountaineers converge upon Eiger in order to try and save the four mountaineers who had not returned.

While the rescue efforts account for the fate of the two Italians, the fate of the two German climbers was not ascertained until years later. This made for a mystery that for years caused members of the climbing community and journalists all over the world to heap opprobrium upon Corti, who proved himself to be simply an utter idiot. I leave if for readers of this book to discover for themselves what became of them.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a real page-turner..., 29 Jun 1999
By A Customer
Having recently visited the Bernese Alps, I found this account of the dramatic 1957 rescue mission especially gripping. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to just about anyone, particularly those with an interest in mountain climbing or Switzerland.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars This one was boring, 14 Jul 1999
By A Customer
I noticed that the other reviews were 5 stars on this one when I looked. I just could not give this one more than two. It was too long in tooth, too long in words, and hardly gripping. It spent too much time talking, and too little time describing action. It seemed to be more about the rescue clubs than about the rescue iitself. I did not find it to be particularily interesting in an fashion. I was disappointed when placed again such books as into thin air, and the other side of everest. These are my opinions, but I could not even finish the book. It seemed likeone of those adventure books that had been translated, and something was lost in the translation.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The politics of the mountains
I got to this book having recently read Into Thin Air (Krakauer), Death Zone (Dickinson) and Touching the Void (Simpson). Read more
Published on 22 Dec 1998

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]

   

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject



















i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Climb: Stories of Survival from...

Climb: Stories of...

From the rigours and risks of high-altitude climbing on Everest to the... Read more
£9.99 £8.99

›Find similar items

 

More From Jack Olsen

"I": The...

"I": The Creation of a Serial Killer

Drawing on interviews, diaries, court records and the criminal... Read more
£6.99

 

Up to 53% off Braun Series Shavers

Braun Series 3 390cc Clean & Renew System Rechargeable Foil Electric Shaver
Get in touch with your smooth side with Braun Series shavers, now with Gillette blade technology.

›Discover Braun Series at Amazon.co.uk

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates