Everest The Hard Way is a book by the British mountaineer Chris Bonington, which recounts the story of the 1975 British expedition that achieved the first ascent of the South West Face of Mount Everest. This climb was considered the "hard way" and had defeated five previous expeditions.
Summary
The Expedition: The book describes the meticulous planning, logistics, teamwork, and execution of the 1975 expedition led by Bonington. The team consisted of some of the best climbers of their generation.
The Ascent: The narrative draws on first-hand accounts and diaries of the climbers, detailing the challenges of the climb, including overcoming the formidable Rock Band, a band of cliffs that was previously unclimbed.
The Achievement: On September 24, 1975, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston became the first Britons to summit Everest, and the first people to successfully climb the South West Face.
The Story: It is described as an absorbing narrative, offering a fascinating and at times tragic story of courage and endurance.