Into the Clouds: The Race to Climb the World's Most Dangerous Mountain by Tod Olson

 

I don't know why, but I am a sucker for a mountain climbing saga. This is the absolutely riveting true story of three separate expeditions taken by Americans in an attempt to be the first to reach the summit of K2. I learned that the mountains of the Himalaya are the highest on earth by far. In fact, the tallest mountain anywhere else on earth (found in South America) would not even be in the top 200 mountains in the Himalayan Range. And K2 is the second highest of them all--but it is actually much more remote and difficult to climb than the more famous Mount Everest. The first journey takes place in 1938. Charlie Houston, a medical student from the United States, and a team of men journey to K2 to scout out a base camp and to work their way up the mountain. They don't reach the summit. The next year Fritz Wiessner leads a team of less experienced climbers to follow in Charlie Houston's footsteps. It's a dramatic mission, but Wiessner is not much of a team player and things go badly. Finally, in 1953, after World War II ends, Charlie Houston tries again. His philosophy is to work as a team and leave no man behind. The conditions on the mountain are brutal and at a high altitude decision-making is impaired. All three expeditions challenge the climbers to the depths of their beings. The questions always seems to be whether it is better to reach the summit at all costs or to bring home all the climbers alive. If you like real life drama, survival, and a well-told story, pick this book up and give it a try. It's unforgettable. I recommend this book for all readers grades 7-adult.