Fatal Mountaineer: The High-Altitude Life and Death of Willi Unsoeld, American Himalayan Legend

“Vivid characterization, gripping accounts of extreme mountaineering . . . [and] cultural historical and philosophical reflection. . . . a rich tapestry.” —San Francisco Chronicle

Robert Roper’s Fatal Mountaineer is a riveting look at Willi Unsoeld and the epic climbs that defined him—a classic narrative blending action with ethics, fame with tragedy, a man’s ambition with a father’s anguish.

In 1963, Willi Unsoeld became an international hero for his conquest of the West Ridge of Everest. A charismatic professor of philosophy, Unsoeld was one of the greatest climbers of the twentieth century, a man whose raw physical power and casual fearlessness inspired a generation of adventurers.

In 1976, during an expedition to Nanda Devi, the tallest peak in India, Unsoeld’s philosophy of spiritual growth through mortal risk was tragically tested. The outcome of that expedition continues to fuel one of the most fascinating debates in mountaineering history.

“A provocative look at a still-legendary climber.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] cautionary tale of how pursuit of a mountain at any cost and in any weather can have deadly consequences.” —Lynn Arave, Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT)

“The book’s greatest accomplishment is in the light it sheds on the shadows of mountain climbing and the impossible ideals of a hero.” —Mark Larabee, The Oregonian

© 2024 St. Martin's Press (E-bog): 9781429979894

Release date

E-bog: 1. maj 2024