Storm and Sorrow in the High Pamirs by Robert Craig (1980)

One of the all-time classics in the mountaineering canon (the American one, at least).

This book describes the American perspective on the 1974 International Climbers Camp established by the USSR - a sprawling gesture of international friendship designed to invite climbers from many countries to experience the terrain in the USSR, and establish cultural connections across the Iron Curtain. Soviet climbers were invited to the USA in return, where they sampled several climbing areas, including the Gunks and the Tetons.

Unfortunately for the Soviet hosts and many of the visiting climbers, the summer of 1974 was a cursed one in the Pamirs. Normally blessed with a dry, sunny summer similar to Colorado, heavy snows and perturbed weather beset the range. Then, an earthquake triggered an avalanche which killed American Gary Ullin, and buried author Bob Craig.

The tragedy continued, as later in the season, an entire eight-person team of Soviet women died while attempting to make a traverse of Peak Lenin. The description of this event in this book brought me to tears - not a frequent occurrence for me.

More death would follow. This is a sad book, as you might infer from the title, but in some way holds a quiet beauty and a real honesty that is missing from the all-too-common and entirely disposable triumphant expedition reports.

Hardcover second edition (in this case the first edition was the paperback). Ex-library copy, with stamps, glue residue, and ~1" water damage to bottom outside corner.