On The Edge of Europe

Description

Published by Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1993, 1st UK Edition, D/w, Fine.   The Caucasus stretch for 600 miles from the Black Sea to the Caspian, the natural boundary between Europe and Asia, and contain the highest mountains in Europe, including Elbruz.  After the Golden Age of exploration in the Alps, leading climbers starting exploring further afield, with most of the major Caucasus peaks being climbed between 1886 and 1896 by Alpine Club members such as Freshfield, Dent, Donkin, Mummery and Cockin.  Most accounts of Caucasus climbing have been buried in club journals and magazines.  Salkeld has pulled together the best material in the English language through the twentieth century up to and including Mick Fowler’s account of his remarkable new route on Ushba North with Victor Saunders in 1986.  However, the survey of climbing history in the range also gives full recognition to part played by other European climbers, notably the Germans and the Russians.  Contains a very useful chronology and bibliography.