Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills

by The Mountaineers

Overview

“The definitive guide to mountains and climbing . . .”—Conrad Anker

For nearly 60 years it’s been revered as the “bible” of mountaineering–and now it’s even better than ever

• The best-selling instructional text for new and intermediate climbers for more than half a century
• New edition—fully updated techniques and all-new illustrations
• Researched and written by a team of expert climbers

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is the text beloved by generations of new climbers—the standard for climbing education around the world where it has been translated into 12 languages. For the all-new 9th Edition, committees comprosed of active climbers and climbing educators reviewed every chapter of instruction, and discussed updates with staff from the American Alpine Club (AAC), the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), and the Access Fund. They also worked with professional members of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), to review their work and ensure that the updated textbook includes the most current best practices for both alpine and rock climbing instruction.

From gear selection to belay and repel techniques, from glacier travel to rope work, to safety, safety, and more safety—there is no more comprehensive and thoroughly vetted training manual for climbing than the standard set by Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th Edition.

Significant updates to this edition include:
• New alignment with AAC’s nationwide universal belay standard
• Expanded and more detailed avalanche safety info, including how to better understand avalanches, evaluate hazards, travel safely in avy terrain, and locate and rescue a fellow climber in an avalanche
• Newly revamped chapters on clothing and camping
• All-new illustrations reflecting the latest gear and techniques—created by artist John McMullen, former art director of Climbing magazine
• Review of and contributions to multiple sections by AMGA-certified guides
• Fresh approach to the Ten Essentials—now making the iconic list easier to recall

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781680510041
Publisher:	Mountaineers Books, The
Publication date:	10/05/2017
Edition description:	9th ed.
Pages:	624
Sales rank:	123,576
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

The Mountaineers was established in 1906 in Washington, a state with inspiring and abundant mountain peaks. In addition to the community of outdoor enthusiasts it fosters, the organization’s mission is to teach outdoor skills. Over the years, hundreds of thousands have learned outdoor safety and skills from The Mountaineers, ranging from climbing to skiing to kayaking, and much more. Some of the world’s most elite climbers have been and continue to be members of The Mountaineers.

Table of Contents

Preface 9

Part I Outdoor Fundamentals

Chapter 1 First Steps 14

Chapter 2 Clothing and Equipment 17

Chapter 3 Camping, Food, and Water 46

Chapter 4 Physical Conditioning 79

Chapter 5 Navigation 90

Chapter 6 Wilderness Travel 128

Chapter 7 Leave No Trace 138

Chapter 8 Access and Stewardship 146

Part II Climbing Fundamentals

Chapter 9 Basic Safety System 150

Chapter 10 Belaying 172

Chapter 11 Rappelling 202

Part III Rock Climbing

Chapter 12 Alpine Rock Climbing 224

Chapter 13 Rock Protection 252

Chapter 14 Leading on Rock 267

Chapter 15 Aid and Big Wall Climbing 288

Part IV Snow, Ice, and Alpine Climbing

Chapter 16 Snow Travel and Climbing 330

Chapter 17 Avalanche Safety 366

Chapter 18 Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue 390

Chapter 19 Alpine Ice Climbing 419

Chapter 20 Waterfall Ice and Mixed Climbing 448

Chapter 21 Expedition Climbing 463

Part V Leadership, Safety, and Rescue

Chapter 22 Leadership 480

Chapter 23 Safety 493

Chapter 24 First Aid 500

Chapter 25 Alpine Rescue 522

Part VI The Mountain Environment

Chapter 26 Mountain Geology 540

Chapter 27 The Cycle of Snow 548

Chapter 28 Mountain Weather 558

Appendix: Rating Systems 569

Glossary 577

Resources 583

Index 591

Brand Names and Trademarks 603

Editorial Reviews

The 2nd edition of Freedom of the Hills jump-started my climbing education. The manual’s content has kept pace with the evolution of the sport and should be considered mandatory reading for every mountain climber. This truly remarkable resource has no equal in any language.

Mark Twight

Not long after I learned to read, I would grip the flashlight in my teeth and stay awake late into the night scouring my parent’s copy of the 3rd edition of Freedom of the Hills. . . . What this book captured, what it meant, what it hinted at that was so crucial to my fascination with mountaineering was this: Freedom, itself, was the most important thing. Freedom to explore who I am. Freedom afforded by learned skills to explore any mountain wilderness. Freedom to move, to climb. It’s what still drives me today.

Steve House

"The One Book Every New Climber Should Read"

Gripped Magazine

The lessons I learned in the Mountaineers climbing course in 1945 stood me on the summit of Mount Everest in 1963. To see that knowledge put into a book was wonderful. That it has evolved into the best book on climbing, updated by active climbers, is remarkable. I have told many people, including my sons, ‘If you want to climb mountains, read Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. Then read it again so you know, for sure, how to get down.’

Jim Whittaker

If the mountains are my church, then Freedom is my bible. . . . As a very young climber I read it cover to cover, then dug through it again and again for nuggets of wisdom. I still do.

Will Gadd

Freedom does a remarkable job of staying not just current, but on the cutting edge. Turning on new climbers to this resource is one of the best things I can do to prepare them for life in the big hills.

Dave Hahn

A ‘must have’ for any aspiring mountaineer’s library.

Ed Viesturs

Freedom is truly the Everest of mountaineering texts and a great preparation for a life wandering among high hills, including the big one itself.

Tom Hornbein

A notorious reference for climbers and outdoor enthusiasts!

Lynn Hill

In my early years of heading into the mountains I used Freedom of the Hills to learn how to calculate fuel needs for the backcountry, to study crevasse rescue, and in general to just muse about the alpine craft. Everyone should have a copy of this standard tome.

Kit DesLauriers

"It is fair to say that Freedom is the definitive guide to mountain and climbing."

Conrad Anker

A winning 'bible' that should be required reading before any serious mountain-climbing expedition is assembled.

Midwest Book Review - James A. Cox