The making of a mountaineer

An autobiographical account traces a climber’s progression from early bush excursions to demanding alpine ascents, mixing personal reminiscence with practical observation. It surveys climbs in Corsica and the Bernese Oberland, extended sketches of Jungfrau and the Tödi, and vivid narratives of ascents on the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, Dent d'Hérens, Mont Blanc and several Chamonix needles. Winter ski journeys, route-finding on ice and rock, and the hazards of cornices, bergschrunds, crevasses and séracs are described alongside daily hut life. Later chapters recount participation in an Everest expedition and conclude with reflections on mountaineering photography, technique and equipment.