Over the weekend, I spent some time in Florida, where the weather was definitely much more conducive to riding roller coasters and enjoying air conditioning than it was to hiking (100 degrees and humid as a sponge on most days) – but I did get to spend some time reading Ed Viesters’ and David Roberts’ new book – K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain.

Viesturs has written about his experience on K2 before, but this book chronicles seven of the mountain’s most dramatic – and often deadly – seasons. Using recently discovered source material along with personal experience and observations, the book is a 325 page collection of moments equally nail-biting and face-slapping, and is energetically told from start to finish.

Even if, like me, you don’t consider yourself much of a mountaineer, there are plenty of lessons here to take with you on your next hiking trip – whether you’re peakbagging or just strolling down a canyon … and if you don’t know that much about K2 other than the fact that it’s the second highest mountain in the world, this book is full of incredible tales of men and women pushing themselves to and beyond their limits – and the great indifference of nature itself.

Here’s Ed himself, talking a bit about his book just after sumitting Mount Everest for a second seventh time:

K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain hits stores today. If you’re looking for a new book to get you fired up about getting outside again, this one fits the bill. Pick it up at your local bookstore or toss Modern Hiker a few cents by snagging it on Amazon below:

Tags: book, ed viesturs, Hiking, k2, mountain climbing, mountaineering, Review, safety