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Colliding Continents: A Geological Exploration of the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Tibet
The Himalaya is the greatest mountain range on the highest, longest, youngest, the most tectonically active, and the most spectacular of all. Unimaginable geological forces created these spectacular peaks. Indeed, the crash of the Indian plate into Asia is the biggest known collision in geological history, giving birth to the Himalaya and Karakoram, one of the most remote and savage places on Earth.
In this beautifully illustrated book, featuring spectacular color photographs throughout, one of the most experienced field geologists of our time presents a rich account of the geological forces that were involved in creating these monumental ranges. Over three decades, Mike Searle has transformed our understanding of this vast region. To gather his vital geological evidence, he has had to deploy his superb skills as a mountaineer, spending weeks at time in remote and dangerous locations. Searle weaves his own first-hand tales of discovery with an engaging explanation of the processes that formed these impressive peaks. His narrative roughly follows his career, from his early studies in the north west Himalaya of Ladakh, Zanskar and Kashmir, through several expeditions to the Karakoram ranges (including climbs on K2, Masherbrum, and the Trango Towers, and the crossing of Snow Lake, the world's largest ice cap outside polar regions), to his later explorations around Everest, Makalu,
Sikkim and in Tibet and South East Asia. The book offers a fascinating first-hand account of a major geologist at work-the arduous labor, the eureka moments, and the days of sheer beauty, such as his trek to Kathmandu, over seven days through magnificent rhododendron forests ablaze in pinks, reds and white and through patches of bamboo jungle with hanging mosses.
Filled with satellite images, aerial views, and the author's own photographs of expeditions, Colliding Continents offers a vivid account of the origins and present state of the greatest mountain range on Earth.
In this beautifully illustrated book, featuring spectacular color photographs throughout, one of the most experienced field geologists of our time presents a rich account of the geological forces that were involved in creating these monumental ranges. Over three decades, Mike Searle has transformed our understanding of this vast region. To gather his vital geological evidence, he has had to deploy his superb skills as a mountaineer, spending weeks at time in remote and dangerous locations. Searle weaves his own first-hand tales of discovery with an engaging explanation of the processes that formed these impressive peaks. His narrative roughly follows his career, from his early studies in the north west Himalaya of Ladakh, Zanskar and Kashmir, through several expeditions to the Karakoram ranges (including climbs on K2, Masherbrum, and the Trango Towers, and the crossing of Snow Lake, the world's largest ice cap outside polar regions), to his later explorations around Everest, Makalu,
Sikkim and in Tibet and South East Asia. The book offers a fascinating first-hand account of a major geologist at work-the arduous labor, the eureka moments, and the days of sheer beauty, such as his trek to Kathmandu, over seven days through magnificent rhododendron forests ablaze in pinks, reds and white and through patches of bamboo jungle with hanging mosses.
Filled with satellite images, aerial views, and the author's own photographs of expeditions, Colliding Continents offers a vivid account of the origins and present state of the greatest mountain range on Earth.
438 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 8, 2019
Take a look at that cover photo! Let me pull up a better one: https://www.summitpost.org/laila-peak... [thumb through the slide show] Holy shit! Mt. Layla = Laila = Leila (etc), 6,096m = 20,000 ft, so close it's likely someone's guess, or a survey error. Mind, this is just a middlin' peak by Himalayan standards....
So, anyway, when the book came in, I thought, gee, he put some kind of a CRYSTAL on the cover....
And the book opens in classic British late-colonial style: "We established a base camp on the Masherbrum glacier.... , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masherbrum . The Masherbrum! K1! Mountaineering magic!
"Leaving Jawel, our local chawkidur, to look after the camp.... the sahibs took off on Important European stuff.... I'm making fun of him, but I *loved* this stuff as a boy. I mean, Edmund Hillary! His faithful Sherpa, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_E... ! Old National Geographics in the library basement! Mind, I had no desire to do more than tourist in the Himalayas -- which I did, close to 50 years ago, and had a great time. On balance. Didn't get sick! That one's checked off the life list....
But the author is (basically) living his childhood dreams! And making a living at it, and still having a great time. Hard to argue with that....
As a personal aside, I largely succeeded in my own student dreams: to become a field geologist, roam the American deserts and find Gold! Uranium! Copper! But that's a story for another day....
I stalled because I know so little about the geology of his field area, and the book came due. I'll probably come back to it later.... Well, maybe. So many books, so little time. 3.5+ stars for what I read, with parts at 5 stars. If you are a young field geologist, or if you want to learn about the geology of the Himalayas, this is the book for you.
So, anyway, when the book came in, I thought, gee, he put some kind of a CRYSTAL on the cover....
And the book opens in classic British late-colonial style: "We established a base camp on the Masherbrum glacier.... , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masherbrum . The Masherbrum! K1! Mountaineering magic!
"Leaving Jawel, our local chawkidur, to look after the camp.... the sahibs took off on Important European stuff.... I'm making fun of him, but I *loved* this stuff as a boy. I mean, Edmund Hillary! His faithful Sherpa, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_E... ! Old National Geographics in the library basement! Mind, I had no desire to do more than tourist in the Himalayas -- which I did, close to 50 years ago, and had a great time. On balance. Didn't get sick! That one's checked off the life list....
But the author is (basically) living his childhood dreams! And making a living at it, and still having a great time. Hard to argue with that....
As a personal aside, I largely succeeded in my own student dreams: to become a field geologist, roam the American deserts and find Gold! Uranium! Copper! But that's a story for another day....
I stalled because I know so little about the geology of his field area, and the book came due. I'll probably come back to it later.... Well, maybe. So many books, so little time. 3.5+ stars for what I read, with parts at 5 stars. If you are a young field geologist, or if you want to learn about the geology of the Himalayas, this is the book for you.
October 16, 2020
A magnus opus of the author's multi-decade career, sometimes going where no geologist has gone before. Its a fascinating read on how complex our Earth's processes can get and the efforts people put in to understand such processes, or simply to challenge oneself against Mother Nature's powers. The story of Tibet and its influence on the monsoon is an eye-opener on why ecological sustenance of the Himalayas should be of prime concern.
The author can sometimes get into excruciating detail (for casual readers like me) about the complex geological process with the appropriate technical terms, making understanding things quite difficult. If you have the time and inclination, there is a helpful appendix to keep you busy for a couple of months understanding things in detail.
Its definitely worth the time you spend on it.
The author can sometimes get into excruciating detail (for casual readers like me) about the complex geological process with the appropriate technical terms, making understanding things quite difficult. If you have the time and inclination, there is a helpful appendix to keep you busy for a couple of months understanding things in detail.
Its definitely worth the time you spend on it.
March 11, 2020
I'm giving this one 5 stars even though it has some large flaws. The book is a very unusual blend of a gorgeous coffee-table photography book, a travel narrative, and a geological treatise. As such, it often goes very deep into technical geology that will be way over the head of many readers interested in the other aspects of the book. I'm really into geology (as a layman), but I can't pretend to have understood everything. Still a fascinating overview of one of the coolest regions in the world.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews