Beyond Everest: Quest for the Seven Summits

Nora D.S. Robins is co-ordinator of Internal Collections at the
University of Calgary Libraries.

In October 1982, Pat Morrow became the second Canadian to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Four years of preparation had culminated in the greatest achievement for a mountaineer. It had also left him without immediate plans. Just what does a man do after he’s been to the top of the world?

It was at this point that Morrow realized that of the 131 climbers who had reached the summit of Everest, not one had climbed all the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. He, however, had already reached the summits of the highest peaks of three continents — McKinley in North America (1977), Aconcagua in South America (1981), and Asia’s Mount Everest (1982). Then and there Morrow decided to complete the grand slam of mountaineering!

Over the next four years he climbed Elbrus in Europe, Kilimanjaro in Africa, the Vinson Massif in Antarctica, and Carstensz in Australasia. Beyond Everest chronicles eight years of adventure and self-discovery. The author does not pull any punches. The excitement, danger, disappointments, losses, conflicts, and sheer hard work ittook to complete his objectives are told in a straightforward style that tells much about the man himself. Along the way the reader learns about mountains and mountaineering and the individuals for whom living and climbing are inextricably intertwined.

Patrick Morrow is a Canadian photo-journalist who was the official photographer to the Everest expedition. He is a contributing editor to Equinox, Harrowsmith, Ski Canada, and more. He is also the author of The Yukon (Whitecap, 1979). Morrow documents Beyond Everest with over 100 spectacular color photographs. The book is further enhanced by being in 80-pound Jensen gloss paper. It is a very attractive production.

This remarkable adventure story will definitely appeal to mountaineers, armchair and otherwise.