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Cold Wars: Climbing the Line Between Risk and Reality
'I was aware that I was cold - beyond cold. I was a lump of meat left for too long in a freezer, a body trapped beneath the ice, sinking down into the dark. 'I was freezing to death.' In this brilliant sequel to his award-winning debut "Psychovertical", mountaineering stand-up Andy Kirkpatrick has achieved his life's ambition to become one of the world's leading climbers. Pushing himself to new extremes, he embarks on his toughest climbs yet - on big walls in the Alps and Patagonia - in the depths of winter. Kirkpatrick has more success, but the savagery and danger of these encounters comes at huge personal cost. Questioning his commitment to his chosen craft, Kirkpatrick is torn between family life and the dangerous path he has chosen. Written with his trademark wit and honesty, "Cold Wars" is a gripping account of modern adventure.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
12 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Andy Kirkpatrick
32 books36 followers
Andrew Kirkpatrick
is a British mountaineer, author, motivational speaker and monologist. He is best known as a big wall climber, having scaled Yosemite's El Capitan 30+ times, including five solo ascents, and two one day ascents, as well as climbing in Patagonia, Alaska, Antarctica and the Alps. He has also crossed Greenland by ski. In 2014 he guided Alex Jones up Moonlight Buttress, Zion National Park, raising £1.9 million for Sport Relief.
Kirkpatrick has worked in film and TV as a safety advisor and stunt rigger, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as in programs for CBBC, ITN, BBC and BBC Scotland.
Kirkpatrick has worked in film and TV as a safety advisor and stunt rigger, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as in programs for CBBC, ITN, BBC and BBC Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 31, 2020
A very enjoyable read of the life of a brilliant mountaineer. Although it is about climbing, and contains some of the best descriptions of the reality of doing a high level, hard route in winter, it is really about obsession. How the best at anything, climbing being a great example, because of the dedication and the risk, must be obsessive. The book describes that obsession at its peak, and as it wains as Andy ages. I'm not sure how this will read for the non-climber, but for anyone who has climbed this is a very good, at times terrifying and often very funny description of what it's all about.
October 29, 2020
Reading this book gave a feeling that Andy is not a superman but a normal human like us. He too has the problems were mere humans feel. This book was a nice balance between his climbing life and his personal life. It was good learn about his daily push and pull with his daring climbing ambitions and to be there for his family. When people have a good hammer, they see nails everywhere. For Andy, every life situation has some similarity with his rich climbing experiences. In make sense as every human experiences is some what similar and still different by some margin that they were similar. I liked the following paragraphs from the book:
"When they're born, they jump and play all day long, only stopping to drink their mother's milk. We like them because they seem so carefree and happy, they remind us of children, of our own childhood. They one day, overnight, they stop playing and running about. They just stand there, chewing for the rest of their lives, running from labs to sheep. You know that it is that changes in them? Their mothers stop feeding them and they have to stop playing. They have to eat to survive."
" For a moment I find happiness. Maybe that's what this is all about, this alpine winter climbing, the hedonism of suffering, to know that value of things we take for granted: body heat, a peanut, even nothing itself."
"When they're born, they jump and play all day long, only stopping to drink their mother's milk. We like them because they seem so carefree and happy, they remind us of children, of our own childhood. They one day, overnight, they stop playing and running about. They just stand there, chewing for the rest of their lives, running from labs to sheep. You know that it is that changes in them? Their mothers stop feeding them and they have to stop playing. They have to eat to survive."
" For a moment I find happiness. Maybe that's what this is all about, this alpine winter climbing, the hedonism of suffering, to know that value of things we take for granted: body heat, a peanut, even nothing itself."
July 6, 2014
slightly more polished than psychovertical, this book again grips readers with thrilling accounts of near death mountain adventure. maintaining the switch-from-mountain-man-life-to-and-from-home-life Jekyll and Hyde style, we experience further chapters in Andy's uncomfortable life. slightly marred by a Willy Wonka chapter and the book leaves you feeling slightly depressed as accounts of ignominious failure begin to dominate proceedings. I highly recommend this book but don't expect the same feeling of hope and anticipation that psychovertical left you with.
February 8, 2013
Andy has such an easy going and enjoyable style that this book often feels like you are at the pub with a vey interesting friend. Somehow Andy manages to convey how climbing a big wall in freezing conditions feels whilst maintaining its mystique and charm. Coupled with an honest account of balancing ones home life with the pulls of a selfish adventure this book is a great read whether you are into climbing or not.
June 7, 2015
Doskonała książka.
O tym co pasja, osiągnięcia, pragnienia i rodzina robią z życiem. I na czym polega mądrość w tym wszystkim.
O tym co pasja, osiągnięcia, pragnienia i rodzina robią z życiem. I na czym polega mądrość w tym wszystkim.
January 22, 2018
This book had a depressing feel to it, yet managed to be even funnier than the last one. Odd combination.
October 27, 2025
Den Preis des Kletterns zu zeigen, hat er meiner Meinung nach mit diesem Buch nicht geschafft. Aber wer ihn kennt, der weiß ohnehin, welchen Preis er gezahlt hat. Gut, das mag nicht nur am Klettern sondern auch an seiner bestimmt nicht einfachen Persönlichkeit liegen, aber das nur am Rand.
Was er aber sehr schön gezeigt hat ist, wie schwer es ist Klettern mit Familie zu verbinden. Sport und Familie unter einen Hut zu bringen ist nie einfach, aber beim Klettern kommt noch dazu, dass man unter Umständen nicht zurück kommen wird. Das wird auch seinen Kindern immer mehr bewusst, denn gerade der ältere Tochter fällt es immer schwerer ihn gehen zu lassen.
Wie seine Frau dazu steht, darüber schreibt er nichts. Er erwähnt sie nicht oft, aber manchmal hatte ich das Gefühl, er empfindet sie als Belastung. Zu seinen Kindern dagegen kehrt er immer gerne zurück. Aber sie nehmen auch immer mehr Raum in seinen Gedanken ein. Manchmal hängt er an der Wand und überlegt sich was passieren würde, wenn er nicht zurückkommt. Das macht es für ihn immer schwieriger, zu klettern und so entschließt er sich, das Klettern zugunsten dem Schreiben aufzugeben.
Was mich immer wieder verblüfft (und auch ärgert) ist, wie chaotisch er seine Reisen plant. Er ist weder fit, noch organisiert. Das Einzige was ihn antreibt, ist sein unglaublicher Wille. Der hält ihn manchmal länger in der Wand, als es für ihn und seine Kletterpartner gut ist.
Ich hatte mehr Einblick in sein Herz und weniger Routenbeschreibungen erwartet. Das macht er zwar immer noch sehr gut, ist bei diesem Buch für meinen Geschmack aber ein wenig am Thema vorbei gegangen.
Was er aber sehr schön gezeigt hat ist, wie schwer es ist Klettern mit Familie zu verbinden. Sport und Familie unter einen Hut zu bringen ist nie einfach, aber beim Klettern kommt noch dazu, dass man unter Umständen nicht zurück kommen wird. Das wird auch seinen Kindern immer mehr bewusst, denn gerade der ältere Tochter fällt es immer schwerer ihn gehen zu lassen.
Wie seine Frau dazu steht, darüber schreibt er nichts. Er erwähnt sie nicht oft, aber manchmal hatte ich das Gefühl, er empfindet sie als Belastung. Zu seinen Kindern dagegen kehrt er immer gerne zurück. Aber sie nehmen auch immer mehr Raum in seinen Gedanken ein. Manchmal hängt er an der Wand und überlegt sich was passieren würde, wenn er nicht zurückkommt. Das macht es für ihn immer schwieriger, zu klettern und so entschließt er sich, das Klettern zugunsten dem Schreiben aufzugeben.
Was mich immer wieder verblüfft (und auch ärgert) ist, wie chaotisch er seine Reisen plant. Er ist weder fit, noch organisiert. Das Einzige was ihn antreibt, ist sein unglaublicher Wille. Der hält ihn manchmal länger in der Wand, als es für ihn und seine Kletterpartner gut ist.
Ich hatte mehr Einblick in sein Herz und weniger Routenbeschreibungen erwartet. Das macht er zwar immer noch sehr gut, ist bei diesem Buch für meinen Geschmack aber ein wenig am Thema vorbei gegangen.
March 2, 2022
I have always been fascinated by climbers and wondered how their minds operate. How do they take such large risks? I picked up this book trying to answer that question because the author explicitly acknowledged an understanding of the danger. The only rationale I could come up with is that some people must be impervious to the chance of death in the face of their friends and colleagues dying pursuing the same hobby.
Kirkpatrick does not resolve this question for me. His status as a father of (at the time) young children complicates it more. This book is frustrating because of the tension between the awareness of danger and the strain Kirkpatrick puts on his family and his unwillingness to do anything about it.
I'm caught between 3 and 4 stars. On one hand, I was interested enough to tear through this in two days. On the other, I think I'm unlikely to read Kirkpatrick again because I find him unlikeable. He's not achieving the amazing feats of the top alpinists, and while he's introducing some humanity through his doubts and failures there isn't enough illumination there to make it special for me.
Kirkpatrick does not resolve this question for me. His status as a father of (at the time) young children complicates it more. This book is frustrating because of the tension between the awareness of danger and the strain Kirkpatrick puts on his family and his unwillingness to do anything about it.
I'm caught between 3 and 4 stars. On one hand, I was interested enough to tear through this in two days. On the other, I think I'm unlikely to read Kirkpatrick again because I find him unlikeable. He's not achieving the amazing feats of the top alpinists, and while he's introducing some humanity through his doubts and failures there isn't enough illumination there to make it special for me.
July 16, 2023
A worthwhile and entertaining update to Pyschovertical. I re-read the latter first, and was impressed with how much better written Cold Wars is - Kirkpatrick has long struggled with dyslexia, and life and experience and hard work has continued to improve his writing skills. I'm so impressed with his drive and determination - I think it must be hard for many of his loved ones to deal with, but its an amazing demonstration of what you can achieve if you have that level of ambition.
The book was also filled with some incredibly compelling and scary climbs, hideous weather conditions, near-death experiences, and everything else that we've come to expect from Kirkpatrick. I have a very soft spot for this type of British climber and climbing, there is nothing else like it - and he has produced a couple of books that really exemplify the form. Great work!
The book was also filled with some incredibly compelling and scary climbs, hideous weather conditions, near-death experiences, and everything else that we've come to expect from Kirkpatrick. I have a very soft spot for this type of British climber and climbing, there is nothing else like it - and he has produced a couple of books that really exemplify the form. Great work!
January 14, 2024
You don't need to be a master of big wall winter climbing to enjoy this book. In fact you may be more likely to enjoy it if you're the type of person who can enjoy sitting on a sofa, in a warm house and just enjoy being where you are ...oh so close to the next cup of tea, with the peace of mind that you won't have to melt snow to make it - or that the stove doesn't carry a hefty risk of burning holes in your house. Anyway, I'm one of those people and I've given it 4 stars - and next week I'll go do my few hours of indoor climbing training and enjoy not being snowed on.
November 30, 2020
I wasn’t going to give this book very many stars, but then I finished the last few chapters and realised that this is so much more than a series of tales of mountaineering exploits.
I hadn’t read Psychovertical before this, but have heard Andy speak and found him engaging and funny. Hence I was quite disappointed when I found it difficult to sympathise with his attitude at various points in the book. He actually alludes to this at one point himself when he talks about what people say to him. It doesn’t surprise me that people didn’t have much time for it his “I’m a rubbish climber” routine when he climbs such hard routes and is fairly distainful of other elite climbers!
However, when you read the whole book, you eventually see that it is also very much about the development of character and attitudes to risk. It’s very well put together actually so you can “live” that development alongside Andy through short episodes of insight and adventure.
Even the parts that grated on me initially make sense now. It’s a stunningly brave and honest book which will make you think about life, mortality, risk and humanity.
I hadn’t read Psychovertical before this, but have heard Andy speak and found him engaging and funny. Hence I was quite disappointed when I found it difficult to sympathise with his attitude at various points in the book. He actually alludes to this at one point himself when he talks about what people say to him. It doesn’t surprise me that people didn’t have much time for it his “I’m a rubbish climber” routine when he climbs such hard routes and is fairly distainful of other elite climbers!
However, when you read the whole book, you eventually see that it is also very much about the development of character and attitudes to risk. It’s very well put together actually so you can “live” that development alongside Andy through short episodes of insight and adventure.
Even the parts that grated on me initially make sense now. It’s a stunningly brave and honest book which will make you think about life, mortality, risk and humanity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2021
Another incredibly enjoyable book from Andy. So far I have loved everything I’ve read from him, and this book is no less. The way he talks about climbing, his relation with climbing and himself is something I don’t seem to get tired of.
January 2, 2026
A human description of superhuman feats both in climbing and in the contrasting family life. There were times I worried for Andy’s life knowing full well that he was perfectly well!
December 22, 2020
Well-written, but I thought the book was flawed by a lack of content and direction compared to its excellent predecessor Psychovertical. Multiple failed attempts and trouble with the home life wasn't enough material for a good book in my opinion.
November 11, 2012
You don't need to be a master of big wall winter climbing to enjoy this book. In fact you may be more likely to enjoy it if you're the type of person who can enjoy sitting on a sofa, in a warm house and just enjoy being where you are ...oh so close to the next cup of tea, with the peace of mind that you won't have to melt snow to make it - or that the stove doesn't carry a hefty risk of burning holes in your house. Anyway, I'm one of those people and I've given it 4 stars - and next week I'll go do my few hours of indoor climbing training and enjoy not being snowed on.
December 28, 2016
Another great book from Andy K, both funny and somber in equal measure!
If you've ever climbed, then you'll quickly get a feel for the ups and downs of being a 'normal' person and trying to hold down a job and relationships but always feeling the pull of climbing. If you're not a climber, then it will surely give you a wonderfully well described insight into the world of climbing, and on the edge alpinism. The glossary at the back useful for anyone! A great read that had me crying with laughter at points, to tears of sadness at other! 5 stars for this page turner!
If you've ever climbed, then you'll quickly get a feel for the ups and downs of being a 'normal' person and trying to hold down a job and relationships but always feeling the pull of climbing. If you're not a climber, then it will surely give you a wonderfully well described insight into the world of climbing, and on the edge alpinism. The glossary at the back useful for anyone! A great read that had me crying with laughter at points, to tears of sadness at other! 5 stars for this page turner!
February 26, 2012
Great work by Andy. Funny, sad & compelling.
February 13, 2014
A bit more of a downer than Psychovertical, but still a great read. An interesting transformation of a great alpinist over the years, great Kirkpatrick writing as usual.
January 11, 2015
Excellent follow-on to Psychovertical.
June 16, 2015
I love Andy's writing style and generally all he writes about!
May 10, 2015
Bardzo ważna dla mnie książka. Rzadko czytam coś, z czym tak mocno się identyfikuję.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews