K2 Photo Books

My rating scale: Excellent ; Very Good ; Good ; Fair ; Poor.

1. The Karakoram: Mountains of Pakistan

K2 South Face - The Karakoram: Mountains of Pakistan book cover K2 South Face From K2 Base Camp - The Karakoram: Mountains of Pakistan book K2 Southwest Face From Savoia Glacier - The Karakoram: Mountains of Pakistan book

by Shiro Shirahata. Published 1990. One of Michael Chessler's Best Mountain Photo Books. He may just be the best mountaineering photographer ever. This coffee-table sized book provides stunning large photographs printed on glossy quality paper.

This book contains K2 (cover), Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, Gasherbrum IV, Chogolisa, Nanga Parbat, and Tirich Mir. The photo of Gasherbrum IV on the back cover is stunning.

The photos are excellent. Shirahata just may be the best mountaineering photographer ever.

2. Summit Vittorio Sella: Pioneer Mountaineering Photographer, 1879-1909

Siniolchu Summit From Zemu Glacier 1899 - Summit Vittorio Sella book cover K2 With Porters On Godwin Austen Glacier 1909 - Summit: Vittorio Sella book K2 West Face Camp June 1909 - Summit: Vittorio Sella book K2 From Windy Gap 1909 - Summit: Vittorio Sella book

by Vittorio Sella. Spectacular b/w photos in a coffee table sized book. The chapters are the Alps, the Caucasus in Russia (includes a 4-page fold-out panorama from Elbrus), Mount Saint Elias in Alaska, Ruwenzori in Uganda, K2 and area (includes a 4-page fold-out panorama of K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum IV, Chogolisa, Mitre Peak).

The book includes 30 pages on K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum IV, Chogolisa, Mitre Peak, Muztagh Tower. and Masherbrum.

The photos are spectacular.

3. Himalayan Trails (Sentiers de l'Himalaya)

K2 Sunset From Concordia - Himalayan Trails (Sentiers de l'Himalaya) book cover K2 From Concordia - Himalayan Trails (Sentiers de l'Himalaya) book Concordia Panorama - K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum IV, Baltoro Kangri, Mitre Peak - Himalayan Trails (Sentiers de l'Himalaya) book

by Laurent Doldi. Published 2006. In French and English. A large soft-cover photo book detailing 10 Himalayan treks: K2 Base Camp (12 pages. 23 photos), Ladakh to Zanskar (16 pages, 38 photos), Jeep tour in Kinnaur Spiti and Ladakh (12 pages, 32 photos), the Sources of the Ganges in India (14 pages, 30 photos), Dolpo (18 pages, 36 photos), Around Annapurna (22 pages, 45 photos), Helambu and the sacred lakes of Gosainkund (16 pages, 29 photos), Rolwaling Valley in winter (18 pages, 37 photos), Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes (20 pages, 41 photos), and Kangchenjunga Base Camps in Nepal (21 pages, 44 photos). Each chapter starts with a very brief overview including a map and altitude profile. The front cover is K2. There are 360 colour photos.

This is very good companion book to a trekking guide, enabling you to visualize what you will experience on a trek. The photos are very good.

4. Climb Every Mountain

Drummond Peak in New Zealand - Climb Every Mountain book cover Camel Train Leaving Suget Jangal With Snow Plumes Blowing Off K2 North Face - Climb Every Mountain book K2 North Face From Above Suget Jangal - Climb Every Mountain book

by Colin Monteath. Published 2006. Details 12 of Colin's treks over the years - Greenland, climbing Chongtar near K2 North Face, New Zealand Alps, Everest Kangshung East Face, Mount Kailash and Gurla Mandhata, northern Bhutan. Mongolia's Altai mountains, South Georgia on Shackleton's route, Tibet's Kangri Garpo mountain, ski traverse of Mount McKinley, Nepalese side of Kangchenjunga, and Tiera del Fuego and Patagonia.

There is a 22-page chapter on the trek from Kashkar to attempt the unclimbed three summits of Chongtar, near K2 North Face, in August 1994. Colin Monteath, Lucas Trihey, and  Greg Mortimer climbed the north peak (7250m), with Greg continuing on to climb the Chongtar main summit (7350m), but extreme cold and high winds pushed Greg back from the south summit (7180m)

Greg's photos are excellent.