Downhill from Here: An exploration of why we climb mountains (ebook)

Mountaineering is glamorous but dangerous. Why does anyone do it? George Mallory’s ‘Because it’s there’ won’t cut it as an answer. In Downhill from Here we journey to find out.

The story takes us to Yorkshire, Scotland, the Alps, East Africa, Russia and the Himalaya in winter.

It's written by an ordinary mountaineer, for ordinary mountaineers, who are invited to explore what it means to live a mountaineering life - both its glories and downsides.

Think John D. Burns, with a serious thread about who we mountaineers really are, and much bigger mountains.

Carron River Verdict

It’s difficult to have a verdict of our own on this. After all, we published it!

What we can tell you is something of what readers have said.

Everyone has really enjoyed the mountaineering and climbing stories. It seems that the book carries its own weight very well just through those. We are especially pleased that those who don’t know mountaineering find it accessible. We went out of our way to make sure that anyone could enjoy this book.

The theme wrapped around those stories - that mountaineering provides an identity and that that identify is expressed as stories, and that these stories accumulate into a sense of self so powerful that it can dominate a whole life – has also been well received. Here’s Chris Bonington:

‘…the mountaineering and climbing community will greatly value the thinking behind this book…it will provoke a new conversation among mountaineers and general readers about who we mountaineers are.’

It’s also - though it addresses a broader and more ambitious theme - a memoir. Those of a similar era and history to the author identify strongly with it. Here’s Brian Hall, winner of the 2025 Boardman Tasker Award:

'A thoroughly enjoyable book, of which I had so much empathy, as a fellow member of the Leeds University Mountaineering Club and brought up on a diet of Yorkshire gritstone, 70’s rock music and Tetley's beer … then the conundrum of what the hell to do with life after student days … the Alps, Kenya, the Himalaya … read-on!’

The ensemble seems to have worked. Maria Coffey, writing for the Boardman Tasker Award said:

‘Downhill from Here explores the deep motivations behind mountaineering, examining the personal realities and experiences of climbers. [Richard Rogers] weaves stories of [his] adventures with his explorations of why humans are compelled to climb, and to take risks. [And also] writes lyrically.’

We'll take that!

The Author

Richard Rogers has been climbing mountains since he was fifteen, and writing for longer. He lives in the Highlands of Scotland.

What you get

This is an ebook for all common formats. A quality illustrated hardback with dust jacket is also available. Paperback maybe at some point but not yet.

Author: Richard Rogers

Foreword by Chris Bonington

FIRST (digital) edition: 1 B&W image

Published by Carron River Books