Rick Ridgeway and Michael Chessler in the library of the American Alpine Club on the morning of Wednesday May 11, 2022. Rick is signing copies of his new book, Life Lived Wild. He also Signed copies of his other books, The Boldest Dream, The Last Step, Below Another Sky, and the National Geographic Magazine from May 1979, with Rick on the cover.
This was the fourth major American attempt to climb K2, in 1938, 1939 and 1953, The first American ascent of K2 placed 4 climbers on top: Rick Ridgeway, John Roskelley, Jim Wickwire and Lou Reichardt. On September 6 and 7, 1978 Lou Reichardt, Jim Wickwire, Rick Ridgeway and John Roskelley were the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th climbers to climb K2. It was only the third successful expedition.
In 68 years only 377 climbers have climbed K2, and only 4 of them have climbed it twice. Ninety-one climbers have died on K2, thirty-one after already summiting. Almost 10% of the climbers who have summited K2 have died on the way down!
A Reviewer writes about The Last Step, 'Without a doubt, this is one of the most riveting mountaineering books around. Not for the climbing, which is in and of itself gripping, but for the slice of human drama found in the deterioration of relationships amongst various members of the expedition. At times, one is mesmerized by the bad behavior displayed at such high altitudes!''
One would think that these expeditioners were on Melrose Place, rather than fighting for their place in mountaineering history on K2, one of the most perilous mountains in the world to ascend. Central to all the squabbling, was the love triangle which developed on the expedition, which was perceived by some of the expeditioners to be an extra marital affair in progress. Though this later proved to be true, at the time it was the source of much denial and hard feelings.
