Vertebrate Publishing

Mont Blanc – The Finest Routes is a collection of the 100 must-do climbing routes in the Mont Blanc Massif.

Modern alpinism is a multi-faceted activity for which the Mont Blanc Massif is the perfect playground. Classic routes to which every mountaineer can aspire are surrounded by the towering rock faces, huge mixed walls, precipitous ice shields, serrated ridges and narrow gullies that define the massif’s harder climbs.

In order to attain these prestigious summits via the most interesting itineraries, this book presents a modern selection of 100 must-do routes, ranging from historic classics to more recent lines, described in order of increasing difficulty.

Author and mountain guide Philippe Batoux provides a comprehensive account of each route, outlining its history and atmosphere and giving all the technical information needed to climb it. These written descriptions are complemented by photo diagrams and detailed topos. In addition, every route is illustrated with superbly evocative photos that make best use of the book’s large format.

The routes were chosen for the quality of the rock, the reliability of the in-situ gear, the beauty of the surroundings, the prestige of the summit and the enthusiasm the route inspires.

Preference has been given to routes in the modern idiom, whether they are gullies that only form in winter, difficult free climbs on high-altitude cliffs, long ridge scrambles or traverses of major summits. There are routes here for all tastes, from famous classics such as the Cosmiques Ridge on the Aiguille du Midi, the American Direct on the Petit Dru, the Whymper Couloir on the Aiguille Verte, the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses and the Kuffner Ridge on Mont Maudit to more recent gems such as Je t’ai conquis, Je t’adore on Pointe Lépiney, No Siesta on the Grandes Jorasses and Le Vent du Dragon on the Aiguille du Midi.

In Mont Blanc Lines, photographer and alpinist Alex Buisse has travelled the Mont Blanc massif to capture images of all the major mountain faces and to trace the classic climbing and skiing lines. As well as Mont Blanc itself, also featured are other Alpine icons, including the north faces of the Grandes Jorasses and the Droites, the Aiguille du Midi, and the Grand Capucin.

Whether on the ground in crampons or on skis, or in the air by ultralight or paraglider, he has captured the majesty of the range so that he can tell the story of these classic lines and present them to us in the most stunning way possible.

Mont Blanc Lines features images taken during over a decade of mountaineering while Alex worked as a professional photographer based in Chamonix. Alex Buisse’s story of these iconic mountain faces is mixed with the stories of climbers who have experienced great moments there. As a bonus feature, also included are the legendary faces of the Matterhorn and the Eiger North Face in Switzerland.

‘The brain is the most important muscle for climbing.’ Wolfgang Gullich

Mastermind by climbing legend Jerry Moffatt is a guide to mental training for climbers. Drawing on his own personal experiences, as well as inspiring stories from the current elite of the sport including Alex Megos, Adam Ondra, Alex Honnold and Barbara Zangerl, Jerry invites climbers and other sportspeople to explore and maximise their mental potential.

Broken down into easy-to-read sections, including Mind Control, Self Image and Visualisation, Mastermind will help you utilise the power of your mind to make the most of your existing strength, technique and ability so that you can perform under pressure – not just in climbing, but in all sport.