"A magisterial history of the Himalaya: an epic story of peoples, cultures, and adventures among the world's highest mountains. For many years, the unique and astonishing geography of the Himalaya has attracted those in search of spiritual and literal elevation: pilgrims, adventurers, and mountaineers seeking to test themselves among the world's most spectacular and challenging peaks. But far from being wild and barren, the Himalaya has been home...

"Celebrating a rich tradition of bravery, thirst for knowledge, and pursuit of glory, Mountaineers tells the stories of the pioneers who first scaled the heights of this planet."--P. [2] of jacket.