Having read a number of books by professional climbers, including Ed Viesturs'
No Shortcut To the Top, it
was an interesting change to read a book by an amateur climber who has done lesser climbs but has great
enthusiasm.
He is someone with good physical conditioning, but definitely not a super-alpinest. He climbs peaks that are
well known, such as the Grand Teton, the Matterhorn, Mount Blanc, and several volcanic peaks in South America.
His book is detailed, and goes into the experience of guided climbs in such a way that would make anyone who
was interested in attempting the same thing have a good idea of what is required. His experiences, not all good,
are well expressed.
It is clear from the book that Len loves climbing and that he feels his life has been enriched by his experiences.
I was particularly interested in his climb in Kenya. It is a climb that I have not read about previously, and
its remoteness is very different from that of such famous mountains as Everest. The native guides certainly are
not as highly regarded, nor paid as well as the Sherpas, which is a shame because it is clear that they truly
know the mountain and can climb it as no one else can.