CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

Everest, Inc.is about the aura of the world's tallest mountain and the commercial climbing industry it has spawned

- Shail Desai

There are 14 mountains in the world that stand above 8,000 metres. Only a few of us are likely to rattle off all their names. Most won't go beyond a handful, but almost everyone will name the highest of them all, Mount Everest. A lot remains the same when it comes to the climbing aspirations of the majority today. This, at a time when there is ambiguity over the very definition of mountaineering. Here's why.

There was a time when climbers would stand at the base of a mountain and gaze at it objectively to figure out a feasible route to the summit. These days, behemoths like Everest are roped from bottom to top by high-altitude guides. There's every facility available at a price. And it's accessible for anyone who harbours the dream of standing at the highest point in the world. Welcome to the world of commercial climbing that is at the heart of Everest Inc., American journalist Will Cockrell's first book.