"The south west face of Everest has never yet been conquered. The greatest unclimbed challenge in the world remains to test the limits of man's courage, skill and audacity. In the autumn of 1972, cutting manpower and equipment to a minimum, Chris Bonington led an all-British team, including Hamish MacInnes and Dougal Haston, in an attempt to climb the south west face. After overcoming seemingly impossible conditions and circumstances, they established five camps and were almost within reach of the summit when they were forced to abandon the attempt because of the intense cold and jet-stream winds. Day-by-day tape-recorded and written diaries give a true picture of the ebb and flow of emotions and the complex interplay of problems. This is the authentic and frank record of what Lord Hunt in his foreword calls 'one of the great stories of our time'" -- Back cover.