Haute Route Trek
Recommended reading
The following books are some of many we would recommend for reading before coming to the Alps. Some are what we would call 'background' reading, some are specific to the trip you will be doing, and all are excellent preparation and fun to read, counting the days before your holiday begins...
History of Mountaineering and Hiking in the Alps
| Killing of Dragons Killing Dragons" is a history of the exploration of the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps from the early 18th century to 1938, when the "last problem of the Alps", the Eiger Nordwand, was finally "solved." The first half of the book discusses the early French and Swiss scientists and adventurers who explored the slopes of Mont Blanc and studied the glaciers of the Bernese Oberland. The 19th century belonged to the eccentric British explorers and scientists and an American expatriate, William Coolidge, who were driven to the mountains by a variety of forces. |
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| Edward Whymper: Scrambles amongst the Alps Whymper's own story about the first ascents in the Alps. Here is a review of a delighted reader: "...Since I first read this little classic, Edward Whymper's book on scrambling in the Alps has always been my favorite mountaineering book. This is Victorian mountain writing at its very best, in an age before high technology and polarfleece added safety and comfort but put some palpable distance between you and the experience and blunted the directness of your perceptions and observations. I've spent many of my own happy hours scrambling in the Alps, but somehow Whymper makes it seem like I'm doing it anew. Sure, it's always interesting to read of the difficulties of Everest or the tales of hardship on Half Dome, but Whymper was among the first, and high technology and modern photography have not allowed us to better put you into the heart of the experience. |
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| Edward Whymper: The Ascent of the Matterhorn Whymper's own account of his first ascent of the Matterhorn, during which three of his comrades fell to their death while descending. |
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Walking guides, Haute Route Trek
Kev Reynolds: Haute Route |
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Hilary Sharp/Victor Saunders: An 'amazon.com' -reviewer writes: "...nice price for a book detailing 22 different Alpine treks. |
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| Lonely Planet: Walking in the Alps This is a general book about walking in the Alps, but gives good information for avid hikers who are planning to come back to the Alps for some more. Book Description Iconic peaks reflected in tranquil mountain lakes, sweeping hillsides blanketed in wild flowers and dramatic, sprawling glaciers characterize the Alps. Discover why this mighty range, the birthplace of modern mountain walking, has enthralled walkers for centuries. * detailed descriptions of 47 walks in the Austrian, French, German, Italian, Slovenian and Swiss Alps * feature coverage of multicountry megawalks, Tour du Mont Blanc and Walkers' Haute Route * two-color maps for every walk * step-by-step introduction to walk-climb hybrid via ferrata * inside information on walkers' accommodation, transport, gear and safety * language section for French, German, Italian and Slovene |
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Alpine Flora
Alpine Flowers of Britain and Europe |
