Solo Mountaineer

Solo Mountaineer is Pete Thompson's memoir, in which he describes his solo mountaineering in the Alps, the Himalaya and the Karakoram. After climbing routes such as the Walker Spur during his first season in the Alps in 1980, he decides to focus on solo mountaineering. His first climbs in the Karakoram are the solo first ascent of 6,180-metre Faroling Chhish by a difficult route and a solo alpine-style ascent of 7,266-metre Diran.Next, he decides to try and become the first westerner to cross the off-limits Oprang Pass on the border between Pakistan and China since Colonel Reginald Schomberg in 1934. What could possibly go wrong? Thompson describes the trek and how he ends up in Gilgit Jail.Thompson is lucky to survive the Oprang trek. It is one of fourteen brushes with death he describes in the book. There is never a dull moment as he cartwheels down a mountain in an avalanche, survives a bone-crunching fall in Pembroke and is plucked from the north face of the Eiger by a helicopter.In the Karakoram, Thompson makes the first alpine-style ascent of 7,795-metre Batura Sar with his friends. He also makes the first ascents of unclimbed peaks and undertakes numerous solo climbs. His most ambitious solo climbs end in failure, such as his attempt to make the first ascent of 6,882-metre Beka Brakai Chhok, where he does not see another person for twenty-four days. For Thompson, an uncertain outcome is part of the challenge. The book is illustrated with 105 photographs.