London, 1981, 1st edition. 166 pp, 12 ills. EVEREST THE CRUEL WAY by Joe Tasker is his account of the 1980 British eight man attempt to climb Everest in winter by the notorious West Ridge with Alan Rouse, John Porter, Brian Hall, Pete Thexton, Paul Nunn and Al and Aid Burgess.
The 1980-81 British Winter West Ridge Expedition, led by Al Rouse, placed its high camp at 7150 meters after ten weeks but failed due to bad weather. Of all the Boardman and Tasker books, this is perhaps the scarcest. DJ, Fine.