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Final Paper, Examining trend in Mountaineering Psychology

  Adriel Stokes HSTR_467 5/6/2016 Final Paper   Illuminating Trends in Psychological Narratives in Mountaineering and Climbing Literature   There are two explanations that can account for the reason that there is such a vast amount of mountaineering literature. The first is that they make for good reads; they are exciting, often filled with themes…

Final Paper: The Black Hills of South Dakota

The Black Hills of South Dakota: The Religious, Spiritual, Cultural and Traditional Embodiment of Mountains within Sioux/Lakota Tribes Throughout the world, across all mountain ranges, and differing ethnicities, mountains have provided symbolism, religion, traditional cultural practice, and a way of life for all that call mountains home. While some mountains are vast, others are smaller,…

Mountain theology of Mesoamerica

Mountains have a unique ability to put the human race in a state of awe. Throughout the world, and across time, civilizations have exalted mountains far beyond simple geological structures. Mountains are physical boundaries and therefore protectors. More abstractly, mountains symbolize stability, determination, and a place where one can find solace. Mountains are also contradictory, for example,…

Terrorism and War in the Himalayas

Terrorism is a word that originated around 130 years ago to reference anarchist that committed such deeds as murdering Archduke Ferdinand. In more recent history, it commonly refers to Islamic radical groups that are waging war in the name of Jihad. Terrorism is commonly known for the intent of spreading mass amounts of fear. This…

Finding Eden: The Tourist Industry in the World’s Mountains

The image associated with mountains has undergone some drastic changes in the past couple of centuries. From being mythical sights of monsters and terror, morphing into territory to be conquered and mapped, and now into a sight of serene beauty and tranquility. Now peaks and ranges are places that are actively sought out and explored.…

Everest (2015) Movie Review

Everest (2015)  Just in the nick of time! Hollywood has finally had their hack at the story of the 1996 disaster on Mt. Everest, and just in time for me to review it!  The first pleasant surprise provided by this film was that it is not just Into thin Air rehashed and dramatized. The second nice surprise was…

A Fighting Heart (Seven Summits – Book Review)

Seven Summits – Dick Bass & Frank Wells with Rick Ridgeway (Rick Ridgeway wrote it, Dick Bass and Frank Wells were the major contributors of information) For the mountaineering reader who wants it all comes Seven Summits, the chronicle of Dick Bass’s endeavor to summit the tallest peak on each continent. You’ll get your dose of disaster…

The Eiger Sanction

The Eiger Sanction, both directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, is one of those tacky classic action movies from the mid 1970’s. I chose this movie because I was looking for something cliché and cheesy, and in that endeavor, I succeeded. It was quite humorous each time there was a widely thrown punch followed by a poorly placed yet over exaggerated punching…

No Picnic on Mount Kenya

No Picnic on Mount Kenya gives an interesting account of life in a POW camp during World War Two. Unlike Seven Years in Tibet, the author is on an express adventure to climb, not to escape. The story embodies notions of heroism that we have discussed in class, as it depicts three men off on…