This is the tale of Mark Horrell's not-so-nearly ascent of Gasherbrum in Pakistan; of how one man's boredom and frustration is conquered by a gutsy combination of exhaustion, cowardice, and sheer mountaineering incompetence.
Not one, not two, but three intrepid assaults were made on the summits, some of which got quite a distance beyond base camp, and many perilous circumstances were overcome along the way. Joe Simpson may have crawled for five days with a broken leg, but did he ever have to read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown while waiting for a weather window?
But that's enough about the author's attempt; there were some talented climbers on the mountain as well, and this story is also about them. How did they get on? Heroes, villains, oddballs and nutters - 8000 metre peaks attract them all, and drama, intrigue and cock-ups aplenty were inevitable.
Thieves, Liars and Mountaineers is Mark Horrell's travel journal from his experience of joining the 8000 metre peak circus on Gasherbrum in Pakistan, and contains many photographs from his expedition.
Not one, not two, but three intrepid assaults were made on the summits, some of which got quite a distance beyond base camp, and many perilous circumstances were overcome along the way. Joe Simpson may have crawled for five days with a broken leg, but did he ever have to read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown while waiting for a weather window?
But that's enough about the author's attempt; there were some talented climbers on the mountain as well, and this story is also about them. How did they get on? Heroes, villains, oddballs and nutters - 8000 metre peaks attract them all, and drama, intrigue and cock-ups aplenty were inevitable.
Thieves, Liars and Mountaineers is Mark Horrell's travel journal from his experience of joining the 8000 metre peak circus on Gasherbrum in Pakistan, and contains many photographs from his expedition.
