Ascents and Descents – An Alpinist’s Memoir

I personally have always been quite comfortable either halfway up or halfway
down a steep, snowy mountainside.

Ascents and Descents is the autobiography of Peter Allison: civil engineer,
rock climber, ski-mountaineer and mountain guide. Starting out on the crags of
north-east England as a young boy, Peter soon became immersed in the emerging
climbing scene of the 1950s, when harnesses were a thing of the future, and
hemp rope and plimsolls were the staple climbing gear. He soon began to
explore ice climbing and mixed climbing, progressing to crags in the Lake
District and then the Alps, and claiming several first British ascents. Over
the course of an impressive sixty-five-year climbing career, he climbed hard
lines on the high mountains, including the North Face of the Eiger and the
Hörnli Ridge on the Matterhorn.

Having initially juggled climbing with a thriving and extremely busy quarrying
business, Peter decided it was time to dedicate more time to his love of the
hills, and qualified as a mountain guide, subsequently specialising in routes
on the Chamonix Aiguilles, the Aiguille du Chardonnet and the Aiguille
d’Argentière. He built an excellent reputation, balancing fun and risk with
safety and prudence, and always
putting his clients first.

Ascents and Descents tells of the highs and lows of climbing, from standing on
a summit in perfect conditions to the frustration of years of rehabilitation
from a broken pelvis. Peter Allison recounts his colourful story with honesty,
humour and frank detail, leaving you in no doubt
about his true passion for the mountains.