Fourteen mountains. All above 8000 metres. All climbed by one man. In this stunning large-format book, Alan Hinkes, the first Briton to climb all of the world's highest mountains, tells the story of his extraordinary journey through the Himalaya and Karakoram, from the remote glaciers of Shisha Pangma to the formidable ridges of Kangchenjunga.

Written with the honesty and passion of a man who has stood on the roof of the world fourteen times, this landmark Cicerone book combines breathtaking photography with first-hand accounts of survival, loss, and triumph at altitude. It is a book to challenge and inspire mountain-lovers everywhere, whether you have climbed your first Scottish Munro or dreamed of the ‘death zone’.

• Follow Alan Hinkes through all 14 of the world's 8000m peaks, from early expeditions on Shisha Pangma and Manaslu to the gruelling final ascents of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Kangchenjunga, with each chapter telling the story of a single mountain
• Experience the raw reality of high-altitude mountaineering through vivid first-hand accounts of surviving storms, sub-zero temperatures, and the dangers of the death zone, often climbing solo and in conditions that pushed him to the very edge
• Be inspired by stunning photography taken in some of the most extreme conditions on earth, capturing the savage beauty and vast scale of the Himalaya and Karakoram in a large-format book designed to do justice to the mountains themselves
• Discover the rich human stories behind the climbs, including tributes to climbing companions lost in the mountains and reflections on legendary mountaineers including Reinhold Messner, Kurt Diemberger, and the story of Mallory and Irvine on Everest
• Explore the full sweep of Alan's mountaineering life, from a Yorkshire childhood and early Alpine ascents to the moment he became the first Briton to complete all 14 eight-thousanders

8000 Metres is an essential addition to the shelf of anyone who has ever felt the pull of high places. Experience the world's greatest mountains through the eyes of a man who has climbed them all.

Author Highlight

“How did I end up climbing 8000m peaks, on which death can come so easily? I had no plan or desire to climb all 14. It hardly seemed a realistic goal when only two people, Kukuczka and Reinhold Messner, had achieved it. I was simply interested in climbing 8000m mountains because I felt they were the ultimate test of resilience, stamina, skill and endurance.”

- Alan Hinkes, author of 8000 metres

Acknowledgements

The Himalaya and Karakoram Mountains

Foreword by Brian Blessed

Preface

Introduction

1 Shisha Pangma

Jerzy Kukuczka & the Polish Climbers

2 Manaslu

Reinhold Messner

3 Cho Oyu

Summit Flags & Fiona

4 Broad Peak

Chapatti & Chips

5 K2

The Death Zone

6 Everest

Mallory & Irvine

7 Gasherbrum I

The Trek-in

8 Gasherbrum II

Coffee or Tea?

9 Lhotse

Photography & filming

10 Nanga Parbat

Kurt Diemberger

11 Makalu

Dealing with Death

12 Annapurna

Dressed to Survive

13 Dhaulagiri

The Incident Pit

14 Kangchenjunga

Roseberry Topping

Aftermath

Shooting the Summits by Joe Cornish

Appendices

1 The 8000m peaks and their first ascents

2 Alan Hinkes Expeditions

3 Glossary

Index

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