--- product_id: 10452660 title: "The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre" price: "VT11224" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 10 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/10452660-the-tower-a-chronicle-of-climbing-and-controversy-on-cerro store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre **Price:** VT11224 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre - **How much does it cost?** VT11224 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/10452660-the-tower-a-chronicle-of-climbing-and-controversy-on-cerro) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre [Cordes, Kelly] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre Review: The Tower...make room for a new, essential read in the genre of mountaineering literature! - Being a climber and guide for nearly 40 years and having followed the discussion around Cerro Torre's first ascent since the 70's, I did not expect Kelly Cordes to unearth anything that I was not aware of regarding the history of Cerro Torre. It was with great delight and admiration for the author that I found a number of new, key wrinkles to this story of one of the planet's most iconic peaks. Cordes' research is simply superb. His friendships with key, modern day alpinists as well as his own personal (and impressive) climbing experience on Cerro Torre put him in the unique position of being an ideal writer to look at this story from 1959 to the present. His book fully covers the Maestri attempts of 1959 and 1970, as well as careful attention to important key ascents of the peak, including the first fair means ascent of the Southeast Ridge by Kennedy and Kruk and the first free ascent by David Lama, both in 2012. There is so much I enjoyed about this book, but what really stands out is Cordes' authentic and gifted voice as a writer. Beautifully written and professionally researched, the reader feels as though Kelly is sitting across the room discussing an issue that has captured the interest of climbers and arm chair mountaineers for decades. Even though what he uncovers in his research further adds nails to a very well nailed coffin, one can hear the human compassion for Maestri and others caught up in what is certainly one of the greatest shams in climbing history, Maestri's claim that he and Toni Egger summited in 1959. Cordes' sympathy for what the prevaricators' lives must be like, just makes his final position all the more worthy of respect. I have read nearly all of the great books written or translated in English on the topic of mountaineering and alpinism. The Tower deserves to share the shelf with The White Spider, Webster's Snow in the Kingdom, Hornbein's Everest: The West Ridge, Messner's The Crystal Horizon and others. Review: Good Adventure Story - This was a story I didn't know about prior to reading this book. The story kept my attention, and I learned some things about alpine climbing. The terminology is heavily geared towards a reader with knowledge of the alpine climbing world, and required a bit of research on my part to understand what all the new (to me) terminology meant. The story got a little slow at points, but for the most part was a good read. If you like adventure stories, this is a good book even if you have little to no background in alpine climbing. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | 1938340337 | | Best Sellers Rank | #799,508 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #67 in Argentinian History #221 in Sports Essays (Books) #457 in Mountain Climbing | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (502) | | Dimensions | 6.2 x 1.4 x 9.4 inches | | Edition | First Edition | | ISBN-10 | 9781938340338 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1938340338 | | Item Weight | 1.69 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 400 pages | | Publication date | December 16, 2014 | | Publisher | Patagonia | ## Images ![The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61l6Iy3eadL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Tower...make room for a new, essential read in the genre of mountaineering literature! *by R***D on January 16, 2015* Being a climber and guide for nearly 40 years and having followed the discussion around Cerro Torre's first ascent since the 70's, I did not expect Kelly Cordes to unearth anything that I was not aware of regarding the history of Cerro Torre. It was with great delight and admiration for the author that I found a number of new, key wrinkles to this story of one of the planet's most iconic peaks. Cordes' research is simply superb. His friendships with key, modern day alpinists as well as his own personal (and impressive) climbing experience on Cerro Torre put him in the unique position of being an ideal writer to look at this story from 1959 to the present. His book fully covers the Maestri attempts of 1959 and 1970, as well as careful attention to important key ascents of the peak, including the first fair means ascent of the Southeast Ridge by Kennedy and Kruk and the first free ascent by David Lama, both in 2012. There is so much I enjoyed about this book, but what really stands out is Cordes' authentic and gifted voice as a writer. Beautifully written and professionally researched, the reader feels as though Kelly is sitting across the room discussing an issue that has captured the interest of climbers and arm chair mountaineers for decades. Even though what he uncovers in his research further adds nails to a very well nailed coffin, one can hear the human compassion for Maestri and others caught up in what is certainly one of the greatest shams in climbing history, Maestri's claim that he and Toni Egger summited in 1959. Cordes' sympathy for what the prevaricators' lives must be like, just makes his final position all the more worthy of respect. I have read nearly all of the great books written or translated in English on the topic of mountaineering and alpinism. The Tower deserves to share the shelf with The White Spider, Webster's Snow in the Kingdom, Hornbein's Everest: The West Ridge, Messner's The Crystal Horizon and others. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good Adventure Story *by M***2 on October 23, 2016* This was a story I didn't know about prior to reading this book. The story kept my attention, and I learned some things about alpine climbing. The terminology is heavily geared towards a reader with knowledge of the alpine climbing world, and required a bit of research on my part to understand what all the new (to me) terminology meant. The story got a little slow at points, but for the most part was a good read. If you like adventure stories, this is a good book even if you have little to no background in alpine climbing. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A great story for Armchair Alpinists! *by E***K on January 1, 2015* I have never contemplated climbing anything more than a short ladder in my own home and this book captivated me! The book reads like a mystery novel but even better. The interviews with the present day climbers and those who created the history of climbing are fascinating. I wished with each interview that I had been there to witness it. Cordes manages to get into the psyche of the people in a subtle, fresh and compassionate way weaving in their stories and perspectives with an eye and ear for a fair hearing. Just the facts. They speak for themselves. The photography is awesome in the true sense of the word. Just seeing where the climbers made their ascents sent shivers down my spine but what they saw is gorgeously compelling at the same time. Kudos to Kelly Cordes for telling this juicy and sometimes gruesome story about a world I would have never known! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/10452660-the-tower-a-chronicle-of-climbing-and-controversy-on-cerro](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/10452660-the-tower-a-chronicle-of-climbing-and-controversy-on-cerro) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-06*