North Wall: Climbing the Alps' most demanding mountain

by Roger Hubank

‘Far off on the horizon the snowfields sparkled, and across the meadow the Piz Molino towered formidably above the glacier, its snow cone glittering in the pale blue sky.’ North Wall is award-winning writer Roger Hubank’s first novel. The premise is one familiar to those with a thirst for adventure at high altitude : two men attempting to climb one of the world’s most challenging peaks; yet at its core this is a story that examines the nature of climbing trading familiar earthbound comforts for the allure of the mountains and risking it all to achieve the extraordinary. Following a first ascent that ended in tragedy, the Alps’ most demanding mountain – the staggering 3,753-metre Piz Molino – awaits a second ascent. Two very different climbers step up. Raymond, an experienced mountain guide , is struggling with demons after being left the sole survivor of a previous expedition. Daniel is an amateur torn between his need to climb and his responsibilities as a husband and father. Together they attempt the treacherous 1,200-metre North Face. ‘Perhaps that is why we have been reduced like this … deprived of those we love – stripped of all certainty – so that we may learn what it is to be ourselves.’ North Wall takes the reader on a gripping journey. We follow Raymond and Daniel through tragedy and triumph as they face both the physical challenges of the dangerous ascent and the psychological turmoil of finding themselves along the way. A must-read for anyone interested in the quest to complete life’s more extreme feats.

Genres: Mountaineering, Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Roger Hubank is a novelist and mountaineer and also a winner of the Boardman Tasker Prize for mountain literature.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another mountaineering fiction title, from the anthology I am working through.

This one, published in 1977, is about two French climbers - one a professional, the other an amateur, who are climbing a complex (fictional) peak in the Swiss Alps. The pair are attempting to become the second team to conquer the peak, after the first ended in tragedy.

They are affecting a climb, having met up with a Czech climbing pair partway up, conversing in German only vaguely familiar to both parties, before there is a rockfall and the challenge becomes all the more complex.

This story is very technical (and technically legitimate, as far as I can tell) - as a reader you will need to brush up on your climbing terminology and paraphernalia - there were plenty I wasn't familiar with - prussik clips, pied d'elephant (half a sleeping bag matched with a down jacket), etrier (short ladder clipped on to a peg to allow resting in position, mid climb), etc

But the story is not just climbing, there is plenty of self-reflection by Daniel, the amateur in the pair, and some back-story from Raymond, the guide. Daniel gets to assess all the major decisions he has made in his life.

If it had a flaw for me - it contains quite a lot of French and German dialogue - and while this is probably very basic language - I am not at all gifted in languages, and have no inclination to type a load of text into a translator as I read. In most cases the gist of the conversation is able to be gained, but I still find this an annoyance.

Generally, I am not convinced about mountaineering fiction - there are so many non-fiction mountaineering stories that are gripping and well written, is there a need for fictional stories about climbing fictional mountains? Just not sure - although that shouldn't take away from this story, it was a pretty well paced read, with peaks of excitement.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

[Dave Hume · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of two French climbers embarking on the second ascent of an imposing 1200 metre rock wall on the Piz Molino, a well-described and imaginary mountain, a literary collage of Alpine faces such as the Piz Badile and the Drus.
The tale revolves around Raymond, a seasoned mountain guide, and Daniel, his amateur climbing partner, with a brief appearance of two Czech climbers, Tomas and Jaro. The book is packed with wall-to-wall climbing detail, totally authentic for the time in which it is set, (1960’s) and Hubank gives us a compelling epic. The two main protagonists both have back stories that gradually unfold throughout the narrative, and their contrasting internal thoughts as their epic progresses bring the characters to life. The onset of bad weather and crisis shifts the dynamic between the pair, raising questions that many climbers can relate to – basically “Why do I do this?” and “What am I doing here?”
North Wall may be fiction, but the descriptions of the mountain climate, the rock architecture, the climbing sequences and the epic events are entirely believable. The credibility of the author’s imagination holds up with real life accounts of climbing survival by, for example, Doug Scott, Stephen Venables, Joe Simpson, or Mick Fowler.
The writing is a delight, the onward pull of the story is breathtaking and this reader for one was as exhausted as the climbers by the end. An excellent read.

[Adrian Trendall]

North Wall by Roger Hubank
I recently received copies of two books by Roger Hubank, his just printed "The Way Of the Cuillin" and "North Wall."

Having read “The Way Of The Cuillin” first due to the subject matter, “North Wall” was relegated to the sidelines. I was so enthralled by Roger’s Cuillin book that I felt it must surely be his magnus opus. To be honest, “North Wall” seemed a bit too like the script for a low quality mountaineering film, an epic tale of derring do high on a cliff face.

Once I started reading, however, I soon realised my misjudgement and was amazed by Roger’s first foray into book writing almost 50 years ago. The Vertebrate reprint has an interesting forward by the author describing a bit about the setting, the imaginary route and autobiographical elements in the book.

There is a glossary of climbing terms which is useful for the non climber reader. Next comes a topo of the route and a written description of the climb on “the Alps’ Most Demanding Mountain.” The book captures an era in climbing history beautifuly and is so well written that the reader is sucked into the timeless nature of mountaineering rather than being dated by the historic techniques and gear used.

Two climbers set off on a multi day route which turns into an epic. The writing is enthralling and anyone who has climbed will be able to relate to the situations. Especially compelling is the situation many climbers will at some stage of their career been in; happily seconding a route with a better leader taking the risks. Suddenly something happens and the roles are reversed.

No spoilers, just buy the book and read it. Not just does it include climbing but how the climbers’ way of life fits into wider society with responsibilities, relationships and more balanced against risks and rewards.

It’s a first novel so not perfect. My one major quibble is with the omnipresent narrator who jumps from protagonist to protagonist, switching from leader to second in an almost giddy making fashion at times. But you get used to it and it didn’t stop me wanting to read through this gripping account.

[Dave Hume · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of two French climbers embarking on the second ascent of an imposing 1200 metre rock wall on the Piz Molino, a well-described and imaginary mountain, a literary collage of Alpine faces such as the Piz Badile and the Drus.
The tale revolves around Raymond, a seasoned mountain guide, and Daniel, his amateur climbing partner, with a brief appearance of two Czech climbers, Tomas and Jaro. The book is packed with wall-to-wall climbing detail, totally authentic for the time in which it is set, (1960's) and Hubank gives us a compelling epic. The two main protagonists both have back stories that gradually unfold throughout the narrative, and their contrasting internal thoughts as their epic progresses bring the characters to life. The onset of bad weather and crisis shifts the dynamic between the pair, raising questions that many climbers can relate to – basically “Why do I do this?” and “What am I doing here?”
North Wall may be fiction, but the descriptions of the mountain climate, the rock architecture, the climbing sequences and the epic events are entirely believable. The credibility of the author’s imagination holds up with real life accounts of climbing survival by, for example, Doug Scott, Stephen Venables, Joe Simpson, or Mick Fowler.
The writing is a delight, the onward pull of the story is breathtaking and this reader for one was as exhausted as the climbers by the end. An excellent read.

[Neil S · Rating 4 out of 5]

North Wall is a splendid tale of alpine climbing filled with drama, suspense and anxiety.

Originally published as Hubank's 1st novel in 1978 and now republished by Vertebrate, the story it is set in an era when climbers first ventured onto the difficult north faces equipped with little more than extremely rudimentary equipment. A perfect recipe for a gripping tail.
Even though written over 40 years ago the text has not dated. Whilst the book includes descriptions of technical climbing the real story plays out in the background and proves riveting. Half way up the climb the leader is hit by rockfall and badly injured. Their situation is then compounded as a storm rolls in and the two make desperate attempts to complete the climb.
The leader struggles with demons following experiencing tragedy on a previous expedition. His second is caught between his love of climbing and new found family responsibilities. This conflict and reflection builds as the climb progresses and it’s risks and difficulties increase. Drama right to the last page.

Hubank provides a foreword to this new edition in which he provides an insight into how the book came about and usefully sets the scene for those perhaps not so familiar with the history of alpine climbing. Several sections of text are very descriptive and you really feel as if you are experiencing what the climbers felt e.g. you really feel the effort and sweat expended in climbing steeply up through the clammy forest to reach the mountain face in chapter one. In chapter four the author really starts building the suspense and throughout this phase of the book the author skilfully matches the pace of his writing perfectly with that of the climb.

[Yiorgos Touma · Rating 4 out of 5]

North Wall is a fiction novel of what happens during a mountain climb, with many autobiographical elements, from the climbs of Roger Hubank and John Brailsford. Although fictional, Hubank's descriptions could not be closer to reality: "The pain seemed to run on wires along its shoulder and up into the shoulder".
Hubank’ s narrative literally puts you inside of the experience, makes you see through the eyes of the climber, makes you feel the anxiety and fear, perceive the technical difficulties, realize the skills, power of mind and spirit required , but also the real danger of climbing a mountain when exposed to the elements of weather and nature.
North Wall is a novel about climbing as something that is completely out of the stereotypes of society's competition, something that is almost religious: “Yet such moments on the great faces he seemed to enter the holy place”. His narrative captures you just like the continuous strenuous push of a big wall climb that requires all your attention; it does not beautify, nor idealize. Instead, it gives you the raw, harsh reality as it is, the way they lived it.