-Outdoor Writer-
John Quillen
Broad Peak 2013
His climbing partner was face down in the snow at 18,000 feet with a shattered limb and the weather was turning again. Little did they realize that this was only a small taste of the tragedy that would unfold on this ill-fated expedition. Of their team of 11 only 8 would return and one faced the possiblity of losing his leg permanently. What happened in the Karakoram and who paid the ultimate price for tempting the throne room? Experience this first hand account of Pakistan's deadliest climbing season marred from the beginning by Taliban masscres of mountaineers on a nearby peak. This book comes complete with over 50 unpublished photographs and illustrations.
edited by: Eric Graves
If not somewhat more lighthearted, John Quillen’s writing style is similar to John Krakauer, the famed writer of such works as Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. Quillen is skilled in the art of writing and this book should not be overlooked if you are an adventurer or, like me, enjoy reading adventure books.
Ryan Ownby Seattle Backpackers Magazine
The majority of the book is a personal day-to-day account of John’s expedition, but he devotes the final part to an analysis of the Iranian tragedy, and it’s as good an account as you will read in English
John's book is well worth a read for anyone with an interest in mountaineering in Pakistan.
- Mark Horrell, Everest Summiter, Climbing author
http://www.markhorrell.com/blog/2014/when-the-mountain-gods-are-angry/
All in all I thought this was a solid accounting of the tragedies on Broad Peak last year. I thought what made this book stand out was John's retelling of his own experiences along the route to Broad Peak, the glimpse he provided into the realities of life in base camp, and his role in the rescue of his climbing partner.
Jeff Doran HikingintheSmokies.com
A shadow fell over the team of climbers when they heard that Taliban forces had seized and killed 10 foreign climbers on June 23 at a nearby mountain. “When that happened, our families were really worried,” said Quillen.
But despite the danger, Quillen and Moran decided to continue their quest to summit Broad Peak
The climbers were making progress when a major disaster struck. Quillen and Moran were descending from camp 2 at 20,000 feet when Moran slipped and fell 100 feet. Quillen was a distance away when it happened. “I looked down and Brian was lying face down in the snow,” his partner said. “I thought he was dead. He probably felt like he was dead.”
American climber John Quillen was on the mountain this year and shared Base Camp, logistics and meals with the three Iranians. His expedition on Broad Peak was cut short after his partner Brian Moran hurt his leg and was evacuated via a helicopter.
100% of all profits from the Iranian translation of this book will go to help fund a climbing school
built in Firoozkooh, Iran in memory of the three Iranians whose tragic ascent is documented in this story.
