Thin Air: Encounters in the Himalayas

by Greg Child. First published 1988. Child writes about his expeditions to Shivling (1981), Lobsang Spire and Broad Peak (1983), and Gasherbrum IV (1986). Greg Child, Doug Scott, Georges Bettembourg, and Rick White made the first ascent of Shivling (6543m) East Pillar on June 15, 1981. Greg Child, Doug Scott, and Pete Thexton completed the first ascent of Lobsang Spire (5707m) via the South Pillar on June 13, 1983, with Child using a drill for the last 30m. Greg Child and Pete Thexton were climbing near the summit of Broad Peak when Greg developed symptoms of acute mountain sickness, so they turned back. On the way down Greg got better and Pete got worse, dying of pulmonary oedema in his sleep. Greg Child, Tim Macartney-Snape, and Tom Hargis made the first ascent of the spectacular Northwest Ridge of Gasherbrum IV on June 22, 1986. There are 21 pages of colour photos: 7 of Shivling, 4 Lobsang, 4 Broad Peak, and 6 of Gasherbrum IV. There are 11 pages of b/w photos showing the climbing routes on Shivling, K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and IV, Chogolisa, Muztagh Tower, Masherbrum, Lobsang Spire, Trango and Nameless Towers, and Paiju Peak. The cover is Pete Thexton on Broad Peak with K2 beyond.