Summit 8000

Book excerpt: A thrilling memoir of the spectacular high-altitude mountaineering achievements of Andrew Lock: the only Australian to have summited all fourteen 8000-metre peaks in the world, including Mount Everest—twice. We learn ‘why does he do it?’ Why does anyone take on such a challenge, knowing how easily they might be killed? Andrew Lock gives us a gripping account of his death-defying ascents and explains his passion for climbing in small teams, or solo, without Sherpas or bottled oxgyen. His story is one of extraordinary passion, self-motivation, perseverance and resilience, as he leads us through his sixteen-year odyssey to achieve the Grand Slam of Himalayan mountaineering. We are taken through the victories, the near-misses and the tragedies. The intense human drama of the expeditions infuses Summit 8000—funny, fierce and always fascinating stories about survival, climbing rivalries and mountaineering politics. The remote and stunning landscapes and cultures that Andrew encounters on his journeys add rich texture to his tale, culminating in his 2014 trip to Everest, where he was witness to the deadliest avalanche in the peak’s history.