Reynolds - A walk in the clouds: fifty years among the mountains

A WALK IN THE CLOUDS

FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE MOUNTAINS

KEV REYNOLDS

Copyright 2014 Kev Reynolds First US Edition 2014

Originally published in the UK by Cicerone
2 Police Square, Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7PY www.cicerone.co.uk

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reynolds, Kev.
A walk in the clouds : fifty years among the mountains / Kev Reynolds.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8253-0732-4 (alk. paper)
1. Reynolds, Kev. 2. Mountaineers--Europe--Biography. 3. Mountaineers-
Africa--Biography. I. Title.
GV199.92.R496A3 2014
796.522092--dc23
[B]
2013039175

All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.

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Published in the United States by Beaufort Books
www.beaufortbooks.com

Distributed by Midpoint Trade Books
www.midpointtrade.com

Printed in the United States of America

Cover photo: Kev Reynolds
Back photo: Jonathan Williams
Interior Design by Caroline Draper
Cover Design: Michael Short

For the Masters of Cicerone:

Walt Unsworthwho had enough faith
to give me my first break

Jonathan Williamsfor continuing to believe,
and for his support and friendship

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Camaraderie being a valued offshoot of high adventure, the first word of thanks must go to the numerous friends, named and unnamed, who shared memorable days among the mountains, and who feature in some of the stories in this book. I hope theyll enjoy reliving these times too, but forgive me if there are some theyd rather forget! My wife is the ultimate life support system. For years she worked tirelessly to pay the bills and hold the family together while I roamed the high places in an attempt to become established as a writer. Words are insufficient to express my debt to her, but I trust she knows through the love we share. Im grateful to my friends Michle Ravier in Bordeaux, and Pete Smith (nearer to home) for their lively company and use of photographs. Cicerone has gathered a talented team in Milnthorpe, and their skills and friendship are much appreciated. Special thanks to my editor, Hazel Clarke, for her sound advice and encouragement, to Caroline Draper who designed the book, and to Jonathan Williams who took it on and, having discovered that he features in it, threatened to embarrass me with his words of introduction. He, and his predecessor, Walt Unsworththe Masters of Ciceronehave enabled me to survive for so long in the worlds best job, so my final words of gratitude are saved for them. By producing literally hundreds of guidebooks in the past four decades, theyve contributed hugely to the outdoor community. They also changed my life, and Ill always be thankful for that.

CONTENTS

PUBLISHERS FOREWORD

My friend Kev Reynolds has spent fifty years exploring mountain landscapes and thirty years writing about his experiences. In A Walk in the Clouds he shares some of the high points of a full and happy life as a wanderer and writer.

I first met Kev at a book fair in London many years ago, when my wife Lesley and I were in the process of taking on Cicerone Press. Kev had come to inspect his new publisher. He brought with him the manuscript of a guide to trekking in the Manaslu region of the Himalaya to see whether we would publish it. Naturally we did and we have carried on doing the same slightly crazy thing ever since.

Over the years, we have shared many days and weeks in the hills, whether in the Alps or the Himalaya, Cumbria or Kent. There have been whole days poring over maps and debating how best to bring new mountain areas to life for walkers, trekkers, and mountaineers.

Kev is the leading authority on many mountain ranges, including the Pyrenees, many regions of the Alps, and the Nepal Himalaya. As the author of numerous guides he has inspired many thousands of trekkers to explore some of the most beautiful parts of the planet. As a lecturer in the dark winter months, he regularly evokes the mood and majesty of the mountains to spellbound audiences.

In this book Kev tells how he set off, aged 21, to explore the Atlas Mountains of Moroccoand never looked back. He abandoned his desk-bound local government job to pursue a life in the mountains, living and working in Britain, Austria, and Switzerland before finding his true metier as a writer.

Kevs first book, Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees, came out in 1978. Now in its fifth edition, it is still regarded as the definitive guide to the range, even by many French experts. Since then Kev has written 37 books and guides with Cicerone, and 14 with other publishers, and written widely for other books and magazines.

Even today, Kev is always looking for new places to explore as recent trips to Ladakh and the newly-opened Mugu region of western Nepal attest.

To those who know him, Kev is one of the worlds natural and great gentlemen. He is always positive, ready to help, and a true friend and great family man. To the rest of the trekking world, he is our leading guide. Few tributes can match the question often heard around an alpine hut in the early evening from trekkers pondering the next days challenge or looking back, tired but happy, on excitements just experienced and those to come: So... what does Kev say?

JONATHAN WILLIAMS

We all have these moments, moments as big as years,
when we experience something so powerful or profound
that, although it may last for only a very short time,
it can be recalled decades later in all its vivid intensity.

All I know is that life is an adventure and
we must cherish every moment to live it to the full.

A WORD BEFORE WE BEGIN

We all have these moments, moments as big as years, when we experience something so powerful or profound that, although it may last for only a very short time, it can be recalled decades later in all its vivid intensity. Life is full of themmoments of humor, excitement, adventure; moments of drama, relief, and inspiration; moments that prove to be life-changing, life-enhancing and uplifting; and moments of quiet contemplation in the midst of wild nature. They mold our character and make us who we are.

This book is a treasure trove of such moments harvested from fifty years among the mountains. There are no tales of gripping adventure on the worlds highest or most challenging peaks, nor are there accounts of horrendous accidentsI leave such stories for those at mountaineerings sharp end. My climbs have been modest but exhilarating, and I have discovered, on reflection, that it is not often the summits themselves that stand out as highlights of my career. Its the experiences won on and around the mountains that count.

Of course, days among mountains are not all blessed with sunshine. Clouds, whether they be drifting innocently across the summits or preludes to a storm, form an integral part of the mountain landscape, adding both movement and mystery.