Killing Dragons – the conquest of the Alps

The conquest of the Alps, a central chapter in the history of mountaineering,
is a hair-raising and thrillingly eccentric tale, captured here by a
remarkable storyteller. The adventures began in the late eighteenth century,
when French and Swiss scientists tackled the peaks, seeking knowledge of the
atmosphere, the earth’s origins, and glaciers.

Full of eccentric characters, Killing Dragons is the story of the first
British mountaineers to tackle the Alpine summits of Switzerland during the
late eighteenth century. Originally the explorers of this area were poorly
equipped, wearing ordinary shoes and no protective clothing.

The British
arrived intent on reaching every Alpine summit, and ‹mountaineering› was born.
The title refers to the mythical creatures said to inhabit these peaks: ‹Here
be dragons,› said the old maps…