Painted Mountains

<p><em>‘The mountains are crystal under the blue sky as we climb up our untouched peak. This is why we climb.’</em></p><p>In this fast-paced refreshingly honest account <strong>Stephen Venables</strong> invites you on an adventure like no other. Delving deeply into the unknown the unclimbed and the undiscovered <em><strong>Painted Mountains</strong></em> details the stories of two very different expeditions: the first ascent of 6000-metre <strong>Kishtwar-Shivling</strong> in the <strong>Indian Himalaya</strong> alongside Dick Renshaw before embarking on an Indo-British Expedition led by Harish Kapadia to <strong>Rimo</strong>: the Painted Mountain.</p><p><em>‘Most of us are content to settle for some sort of compromise between the desire to survive and the desire to retain an element of uncertainty.’</em></p><p><strong>Venables</strong> – the first Briton to climb <strong>Everest</strong> without oxygen – does not shy away from the obvious challenges that come hand-in-hand with tackling expeditions such as these; this account details the highs and the lows the dropped equipment the toll of <strong>extreme conditions</strong> and the shining successes of reaching a summit – all while retaining a sense of humour and an unwavering enthusiasm for the thrill of the climb. Venables’ get-up-and-go attitude makes this a delightful read; he is never one to shy away from an opportunity be it arisen from a year-long dream or a spontaneous invite.</p><p><strong><em>Painted Mountains</em></strong> is an invaluable education for anyone who is interested in the greater mountain ranges explored in this book as well as an inspirational tale of the commitment to a dream the birth of new friendships and the innumerable rewards of time spent in the mountains.</p>