Troll Wall

Norway, 1965. A team of young climbers from the north of England camp at the bottom of the tallest vertical rock face in Europe – the Troll Wall. No one has dared attempt this gigantic challenge before. Some say it will never be climbed. This will be the adventure of a lifetime. Rain and snow soak them as they climb. Avalanches and loose rock threaten their lives. A Norwegian team arrives to compete for the glory as the world’s media look on. Pushed to the limits of exhaustion, the team spends days on the wall, refusing to give in, even when failure seems certain. Troll Wall tells the gripping story of one of the most dramatic first ascents in British climbing history. It was described by Joe Brown ‘as one of the greatest ever achievements by British rock climbers.’ Howard wrote the manuscript for this book within days of their success, and then put it on the shelf. Newly rediscovered after 45 years, his account is a fascinating insight into the challenges of climbing a big mountain wall. Howard was one of the founders of Troll Climbing Equipment and developed the world’s first sit harness and the Whillans harness.

Winner Jury’s Special Award at the 2012 Norwegian Mountain Literature Prize, winner of the ITAS ‘Opere Prima’ prize at the 2013 Trento Film Festival, and Second Prize Leggimontagna Literary Award at the 2014 Mountain Festival, Tolmezzo, Italy.