Mountaincraft and Leadership, fourth edition

Quintessentially phenomenal. This text is a must for everyone around the world planning any type of expedition. It is composed very articulately, easy to read, easy to understand, easy to learn and in a very pleasant font. It is packed full with essential information to help the novice such as me, but also a perfect reference text for the seasoned professional. I am still reading this, not quite finished but I absolutely love this. It is my almost definitive source for planning my expeditions.

An excellent guide.

This is a long standing compendium of good advice about mountain craft and leadership. This new edition is an updated version of previous texts. The book still feels like a text book, but underneath the descriptions you can still sense the basic love of the hills that drives its writers. Its chapter on navigation is first class. I think the bit on compass use is slightly long, and I'm not sure it fully gets to grips with the pros and cons of GPS systems which are coming more into use these days. I still like its old fashioned, but entirely correct assertion that accurate use of the map is the key ability for safe hill walking. Issues of speed and accuracy are well covered. How fast can you cover the ground? How fast do groups move? How fast will your particular group go? Issues of dealing with mountain hazards such as stream crossings are well covered. Techniques for support and assistance are well described- but I couldn't help feeling that the basic message coming through was "better still, avoid the hazard- go round it, anticipate it...walk upstream a bit...etc" Issues about group leadership are well covered. the context is very much about leading groups of children and teenagers- but I think its basic rules of party discipline and management are very helpful and sensible, and adaptable to other leadership age ranges and contexts. The key point is that leadership is about the others you are leading, not the leader's own personal growth and development. If the leader is learning anything it's about how to lead the group, not primary knowledge of a new mountain. The leader's basic mountain skills need to be so well honed that they can reliably be taken for granted, and the focus can be on leading the group. This is a classic hillwalking text, obviously aimed at mountain leaders- but with much in it for all of us who enjoy walking the hills. With this book we will know how to do this with more safety and accuracy.

This is an excellent publication and should be on every hill-walkers bookshelf. It is the "bible" for hill-walker and mountain climbing and can be "dipped into" whenever there you have a few minutes spare. It can also be read cover to cover but may be a bit too heavy to take everything in on the first reading.

If you are seriouse about walking in the wild, climbing, treking etc then this is one of, if not the best book on mountaineering info. I bought this for a friend who is going to Killimanjaro. I have a much older version and its excellent.

Quite a metamorphosis from my first edition copy. The material remains eminently readable. There is sufficient practical information without excessive technical explanation. This book remains an ideal source for those with a reasonable degree of experience but I would suggest that absolute beginners might benefit from something a little more straightforward. for old hands like myself there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little revision and this is an excellent resource for just that.

This is an excellent manual for those leading groups the hill and mountains, readable, accurate and up to date.

If you want to know how to enjoy the hills safely, or are wanting to pass the Mountain Leader training this book has it all. A great book for the hill-walker who wants to go into the hills and come back.