Under a Sheltering Sky: Journeys to Mountain Heartlands

Whether we are travellers, trekkers and mountaineers or just dreamers, many of us long to make our own journeys to faraway places. Now, through Colin Monteath's superb photographs and spirited, thought-provoking text, we can be transported to the great mountain ranges of the world, to extraordinary landscapes rich in culture and natural beauty. Selected from expeditions Colin has been involved in since 1993, the book's 12 chapters offer rich variety. There are traverses in the polar regions - a crossing of South Georgia following Sir Ernest Shackleton's route and a traverse of Greenland by dog team. Other chapters focus on trans-alpine treks in Nepal and Bhutan. In Tibet, Colin undertakes a journey in the footsteps of the legendary climber George Mallory that probed some of Everest's best-kept secrets. Mountaineers can follow Colin on his expeditions to the highest peaks of Mongolia, on a first ascent of a 7300-metre peak, Chongtar, in the Chinese Karakoram and on two expeditions to high, almost unvisited ranges in Tibet. And skiers will delight in a month-long traverse in Alaska of Denali, North America's highest peak, a ski reconnaissance of Tibet's Kangri Garpo Range - and two ski touring journeys in New Zealand's Southern Alps - the famous Routeburn Track and a circuit of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. Colin also reflects on the pioneering achievements of the early explorers and touches on vital historical and conservation issues. Lists of relevant books at the end of each chapter allow readers to dig deeper into the exploration, current affairs and natural history of these diverse, remote regions.