Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage: The Lonely Challenge

by Hermann Buhl, Hugh Merrick (Translator)

To this day, Hermann Buhl's successful 1953 solo climb of 26,620-foot Nanga Parbat remains one of the single greatest achievements in mountaineering history. On this peak, which over the years had claimed 31 lives, Buhl achieved something far beyond the accepted limits of human possibility and reached the zenith of his career. Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage shares Buhl's life, from the physical frailty of his childhood through the many years he spent building his almost superhuman strength to his great triumph in the Himalayas.

Genres: Mountaineering, Nonfiction, Climbing, Travel, Biography, Memoir, Adventure

353 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Austrian mountaineer and is considered one of the best climbers of all time.

Reviews

[Robert Cassady · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child, Herman Buhl was one of my greatest heroes. He triumphed where so many others had suffered heartache and death, and persevered when most in that 1953 expedition had given up hope. Perhaps I liked the fact that his objective was not Everest – so famous to the greater masses, but Nanga Parbat. His climbing of this peak was likely a much greater physical achievement than Norgay and Hillary’s, yet he received little fame beyond the mountaineering community. Perhaps that is what drew me to this man, his achievements, and to this book.

Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage is an intriguing book, and one that served as an inspiration to me when I was in the midst of my climbing career. I believe that the most compelling chapters are those of his solo exploits on some of the Alp’s greatest faces. He was a visionary in many ways, taking a style and attitude that was years ahead of what most at the time considered appropriate. Although he will never likely be considered a great writer, the story and his exploits are what truly set this book apart from others from that time period. As I said above, he was a visionary, and his tale keeps the reader thoroughly engaged for the length of the tale.

Just as Nanga Parbat is a mountain for the mountaineers, so too is Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage a book for climbers. I think that many of the situations and exploits would be better appreciated by those who have had rocks scuttling past their heads and voids of space lurking under their feet, than those who have always stayed upon more solid ground. However, those who haven’t may still vicariously find his story of interest.

As I have grown older, and seen the lives of several others who have lived life on the edge cut short, I have perhaps grown to think of this more as a cautionary tale. Herman Buhl was a bold climber and an inspiration to many, but was also a man who died prematurely very shortly after this book went into print. He comes across as likely somewhat selfish, but also as a man who truly loved those wonderful peaks that he once scaled so masterfully. For this reason, this book is certainly worth a look!

[Arno Mosikyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

QUOTES

A man grows with his highest aims, even when as narrowly confined as I was.

It is a good thing for a young climber to go through nasty, serious experiences, provided he survives them. The mountains have their own way of dealing with over-confidence.

For every time we do another climb we renew our struggle with nature, who can be a kind friend but also a pitiless enemy. And that, too, is the explanation of the elation by which we are moved when, after a successful struggle with nature, the enemy, we stand joyously conscious of victory, exhausted though we may be, on the summit, with the defeated giant beneath our feet. Then we are at friendly unity with nature and with every lovely thing on earth – but knowing full well that it is not the great nature of the mighty peaks which we have conquered, but ourselves.

My greatest wish is this: to be granted, for long years to come, the chance of seeking out, again and again, that lovely world, far from the hurly-burly of everyday life.

Years ago, when Mallory was asked, on his return from an unsuccessful attempt on Everest, why had he set out to climb the mountain, he replied, ‘Because it’s there!’

[Mandeep Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a marvellous guide to Mountaineering to someone, who knows or lives closed to Alps.
Many people will find this book not up-to mark because Buhl talks about the Nanga Parbat Expedition only in the last Chapter. But with an eye of a learner, this book showcases the Hermann's Mountaineer character development. His Spending whole night on sq Feet stance at 7900m was possible only because of his sheer determinations and trainings and various climbs he has done earlier. All the Chapters connect with each other really good.
Buhl is really an inspirational person, and his journey has made me believed that If you are determined enough, you make things work out in your favour either way.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from start to finish. An amazing and awesome journey of the legendary mountaineer Hermann Buhl. You read his start in climbing in the Alps to the Dolomites and on to the Himalayen range. His iron will, his strict discipline and his deeply profound love for the mountains is what drove this man back to his beloved mountains again and again.

[Soaibuzzaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

হারম্যান বুল, পর্বতারোহনের পাইওনিয়ার যুগের পথিকৃৎ, পর্বতারোহণ জগতে যিনি পরিচিত নাঙ্গা পর্বতে সর্বপ্রথম আরোহণকারী হিসেবে, তাকে যদি পর্বতারোহণের অনন্য কিংবদন্তী বলা হয় তবে খুব বেশি বোধহয় অত্যুক্তি করা হবে না; বরং কমই বলা হয়ে যাবে। ১৯২৪ সালের ২১ সেপ্টেম্বর অস্ট্রিয়ার ইন্সব্রুক শহরে জন্ম গ্রহন করা বুলের একখানা বায়োগ্রাফি ঘরানার বই-ই বলা চলে 'নাঙ্গা পর্বত পিলগ্রিমেজ' বা 'নাঙ্গা পর্বত তীর্থযাত্রা' বইখানাকে যেখানে বুল নিজের জীবনের সমস্ত আরোহনকে, স্বীয় অভিজ্ঞতাকে অক্ষরবন্দী করে গিয়েছেন সাবলীলতার সঙ্গে।

কোনরকম বোতলজাত কৃত্রিম অক্সিজেন ছাড়া, সর্বপ্রথম একাকী, কোন আট হাজারে মিটারেরর বেশি উচ্চতার পর্বত আরোহণ করে হারম্যান বুল যে ইতিহাস গড়েছিলেন তারই আদ্যোপান্ত বর্ণানা করা হয়েছে। বুল শুধু সামিটেই পৌঁছাননি, সন্ধ্যা ৭ টায় সামিট করায় ফেরার সময় রাতটা ডেথজোনে অসীম সাহসিকতার সাথে পর্বতের ঢালে দাঁড়িয়ে বিভুয়াক করে কাটিয়ে দিয়েছেন। শারীরিক সহ্যশীলতার দিক দিয়ে বিবেচনা করলে বুলের নাঙ্গা পর্বত আরোহণ তেনজিং ও হিলারীর এভারেস্ট আরোহণ থেকেও বেশি তাৎপর্য বহন করে।

'নাঙ্গা পর্বত পিলগ্রিমেজ' নাম থেকে ১৯৫৩ সালের জার্মান অভিযাত্রীদের নাঙ্গা পর্বত অভিযানের বর্ণনা লিপিবদ্ধ থাকবে ধারনা করা গেলেও বইটিতে বুল তার শৈশব, কৈশোর ও যৌবনের বেড়ে ওঠা পরিবেশ, দারিদ্রতা, পর্বতারোহণেরর সাথে যুক্ত হওয়া সকল কিছুই উল্লেখ্য করেছেন। মাত্র চার বছর বয়সে মাকে হারিয়ে এতিমখানায় আশ্রয় নেয়া, পর্বতারোণের জন্য প্রয়োজনীয় সরঞ্জামাদি না থাকায় কখনো দড়ি কিনতে না পেরে মায়ের কাপড় শুকাতে দেয়া দড়ি নিয়ে, কখনও জুতা না থাকায় শুধু মোজা পড়ে পাহাড়ে দৌড়ানো নতুন পর্বতারোহীদের জন্য নিঃসন্দেহে অনুপ্রেরণীয়।

শৈশবের পরে কৈশোর ও যৌবনে একের পর এক নতুন সঙ্গীদের নিয়ে আল্পস পর্বতমালার ভিন্ন ভিন্ন পর্বত, ভিন্ন ভিন্ন রুটে আরোহন করা, পর্বতের প্রতি তার ভয়, শ্রদ্ধা বর্ণনা করেছেন নির্বিকারভাবে। হারম্যান বুল হয়ত খুব ভালো মানের কোন লেখক না, তার গল্প পাঠের সময় পাঠক হয়ত বারবার খেই হারিয়ে ফেলবে কিন্তু তার জীবনী পাঠককে, আধুনিক পর্বতারোহীদের অবশ্যই অনুপ্রেরণা যোগাবে।

'নাঙ্গা পর্বত পিলগ্রিমেজ'এর মূল আকর্ষণ নাঙ্গা পর্বত অভিযান। এই অভিযানের সাথে যুক্ত হওয়া থেকে শুরু করে বিধ্বস্ত হয়ে সামিট থেকে ফিরে আসা, মাঝ পথে ঘটে যাওয়া সমস্ত ঘটনা বুল তুলে ধরছেন এখানে। বইয়ের এই অংশটিকে নাঙ্গা পর্বত অভিযানের সামিট রিপোর্ট বললেও ভুল বলা হবে না। কেউ যদি সত্যিকার্থ অর্থে পর্বতকে ভালোবেসে থাকে, পর্বতারোহনকে ভালোবেসে থাকে তার কাঝে বইটি তথ্যবহুল ও যথার্থই মনে হবে। কিন্তু সাধারণ পাঠকদের কাছে এটি নিতান্তই একটি শব্দভারাক্রান্ত বা বাগবহুল বই।

[Brook · Rating 1 out of 5]

At the time of writing this review, a guy recently jumped out of a balloon on the edge of our atmosphere and landed safely, an amazing feat watched around the world and rightly praised. The story of the jump and the work leading up to it has got to be supremely interesting. He will write a book about it, I am sure. When he does, he will employ a ghostwriter, co-author, or *heavy* editor. We knock celebrities and athletes for doing this, but with Mr. Buhl's book, we see why it's done. This book, written in the 1950s by a German climber, had no ghost writer or co-author, although someone probably did check it for grammar - although the translation has numerous mistakes.

If you are an *avid* climber, this book will probably keep you entertained. As someone who hasn't gone further than the odd tree or abandoned building, though, it was listless, a collection of short "stories" detailing each and every damned climb this guy did before the climb that titles this book. And it's not dramatic (unless you're a climber), just ropes, pitons, chimneys, cracks, loose rocks, etc. Harrowing climbs, but basically the same story over and over:

"I've always wanted to do [fill in the climb]. We started early. Got held up at one point. Had something unexpected come up. Got past that. It got [easier/harder] after that. We [summited/had to give up]. I was [tired/elated/relieved] after." Does that about 30-40 times.

I forced myself to finish this, and regret it. However, the final climb is of interest, so just start at page 299, read to page 346. There, that's the story of the climb and events directly leading to it.

[Mihai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to obtain the original first edition of this book from my local library, and was delighted to be able to learn about all of Hermann Buhl's major accomplishments as a climber up to the historic 1953 Nanga Parbat expedition. Buhl's climb to the summit of Nanga Parbat and back, with no oxygen and after surviving a standing bivouac in the death zone, ranks as quite possibly the greatest solo achievement in the history of mountaineering (Messner's taking on Everest by himself twenty-seven years later is a close contender). His individual account of what turned out to be the only solo first ascent of an 8000er became a classic in mountaineering literature under the title Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage. Buhl's legendary accomplishment in the Himalayas tends to overshadow earlier astounding experiences in the Alps, where his extreme climbs in alpine style were years ahead of the era. From his beloved Tyrolean mountains near Innsbruck to giants like the Marmolata, Mont Blanc, Grandes Jorasses and the Eiger, Buhl was a pioneer in every sense of the word and would have surely been able to lay a serious claim to the title "greatest of all time" were it not for a cornice collapse that brought his death on Chogolisa in 1957. The book itself is a little dated, as one would expect for a work published in 1956, and the style could use some polishing, but overall I found the English translation to be very enjoyable. There is definitely a feeling that the work is unfinished, especially at the end. The Nanga Parbat report covers only about 60 pages or so, but its haunting words and imagery continue to echo across the ages, inspiring every new generation of mountaineers.

[Santanu Dutta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book as has been presented is an account of the author's climb on the summit of Nanga Parbat, called the Killer Mountain in 1953, solo and without supporting oxygen. This accent still remains as one of the greatest achievements in entire mountaineering history. This is my second read. I however got similar or more overwhelming experience in my second read.
This book however contains the great achievement only as last two parts of the entire book. The first part and the last two parts are real marvel of mountaineering literature. Rest is a bit too slow and out of scope if we consider the name of the book. This counts for one star less. The name of the book justifies the account. The author have given tribute to all those pioneers who tried and failed/ perished by the strikes of the killer mountain.

[Wandering Wizard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple and un-embellished account of a great climbing life. People picking up this book just to read a minute-by-minute detail of that fantastic and awe-inspiring first ascent of one of the deadliest of Himalayan peaks will be disappointed no doubt. But people picking up this book to know more about Hermann Buhl as a person, as a climber and what motivated him to achieve what he achieved in life and his love for the mountains will be suitably rewarded. He is definitely no Maurice Herzog when it comes to describing his climbs but I still prefer his style of writing - humble, full of deference for his surroundings and the people he is with, confident but not arrogant and most importantly, honest (a bit like how Herbert Tichy wrote of his first ascent of Cho Oyu). A classic read for all hikers, trekkers, walkers, climbers and mountaineers out there.

[Rory · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the great mountaineering books written by one of the worlds greatest mountaineers. Buhl’s ascent and even more harrowing descent from Nanga Parbat remains one of greatest feats of mountaineering. The book is written in a sparse style befitting the unrelenting rock that the author grappled with and overcame: be it a youthful climb (the only way down was upwards) or being wedged in an icy chimney cleft paying the rope out to his climbing partner who has fallen off...the version I read had a picture of his final footprints, taken by Kurt Diemburger I think, leading to the fateful cornice collapse that claimed his life a year after writing the main body of the book.

[Aadesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final chapter of the book was amazing. The writing style was bland and hard to read. I enjoy rock climbing and mountaineering a lot and still I found the paragraphs and pages not moving me. I felt the book removed all the links of Hermann's personal life to his climbing ordeals. As a reader I wanted to know the life situations he experienced and how it helped him to grow as a world class mountaineer. Yes, Hermann is a elite mountaineer but this book doesn't do justice to his life experiences.

[Jean Dupenloup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hermann Buhl’s autobiography requires some heavy lifting on the reader’s part, but the adventures described are well worth it.

Mr. Buhl was as lousy a writer as he was excellent an alpinist. The first 300 pages are a tad tedious - he recounts every climb he ever made in the Alps, often in excruciating detail.

However, the last 100 pages, over which he tells of his solo first ascent of Nanga Parbat, make the book worth reading.

[Eme Morato · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're into mountaineering history, you'll find this book inspiring or even exhilarating. What Hermann Buhl accomplished in 1953 was an extraordinary feat. What I found most interesting is how his history showed me how Buhl was uniquely qualified for his accomplishment, from his physical, athletic and technical capabilities, to his state of find and deep love for being up in the harsh mountain environment. Mandatory literature for the mountain person.

[cheryl kell · Rating 3 out of 5]

So so

I expected this book to be about hermanns life and his triumphant summit on mango parbat. It was full of pit h by pitch descriptions of other climbs. Not being a mountaineer myself it became confusing and boring. The beginning and ending are the only parts I found interesting. Have to say I wish I had said saved my money.

[Michael McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing read. Hard to believe that anyone could go through what Herman did. I love the mountains. I like climbing but compared to what this guy’s passion is for the mountains, it dwarfs to mere admiration. He wrote down several of his expeditions. Simple and well told. Lovers of any adventuring will appreciate this read.

[Stuart Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably oneof the best mountaineering books I have ever read. I read it as I was learning to climb along with the other great mountaineering books like The White Spider and Conquistadors of the Useless ect etc

[Paulina St · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magnificient book! Buhl was so humble and yet full of confidence. It was difficult to read about the technical stuff of his other climbings but the emotional description of the ascent to Nanga Parbat made it all worth to read the book to the end. A great inspiring mountaineer he was!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first mountaineering books I ever read -- and still one of the best.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic biography about a time when the worlds highest peaks were respected. A time when mountains were still quiet places and the men who climbed them wore tweed jackets and hobnailed boots

[Mihai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in an older, different format, but with the same content. My full review is available here.

[Shannon Ellsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a climber / mountaineer you will appreciate Hermann's descriptions of his climbs and how much he loves the sport. If not...you will probably find it verbose. I truly enjoyed it.

[Hirosasazaki Sasazaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring. There's much less in his time compared to my time. But he sarchieved many.

[Toni Petrinovich]

Great story of Hermann's life as a mountaineer.

[Alex Rogers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting read, but not a classic of the genre. For mountaineers only.

[Trevor Hirst · Rating 2 out of 5]

Completely agree that a ghost writer would have made all the difference. Incredible story repetitively written

[Clemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great climber and consequently a great story. Although not the most well written piece of literature, worth reading for any mountain enthusiast and mountaineer out there.

[Kaitlyn Zeichick · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a novel, this was a tougher read. It’s fairly repetitive (going over Buhl’s life story and many mountain ascents), and the prose is old since it was written in the 1950s and I assume translated from German.

BUT as a historical mountaineering journal, this was a fantastic read. This gave me a much better picture of what it was like climbing in the 1940s and 1950s, with no belay devices (just hip belays and pushing against rocks), no harnesses (painful rope harnesses instead), pitons instead of cams, etc. I also loved learning about how Buhl went from frail child to world-class mountaineer. And the final two chapters about his ascent of Nanga Parbat were truly incredible.

[Kamil Kazmierski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great good-natured and self-effacing tone for the most part, totally gripping chapter on Nanga Parbat. Note: despite the title, most of the book has little to do with this mountain.

[Jesse Kearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is up there for greatest climbing books. Can't believe some of the stories this guy has. Really great writing as well.

[Anton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nanga Parbat chapters are the best of the book.