Climbing Career
In 1985, Simpson and climbing partner Simon Yates made a first-ascent of the previously unclimbed West Face of Siula Grande (6,344m) in the Cordillera Huayhuash in the Peruvian Andes. On the descent, Simpson broke his leg and during the subsequent self-rescue in a storm, the two became separated. The climb was nearly fatal for both climbers and upon returning to Britain, Yates received some criticism for cutting the rope due to a misleading article in a national newspaper. Simpson published an article in the climbing press shortly afterwards, and later wrote Touching the Void.
Simpson underwent numerous surgical operations as a result of the leg injuries sustained on Siula Grande. The doctors told him he would never climb again and he would have trouble walking for the rest of his life. After 2 years of rehabilitation, he was back on the mountains.
He made six unsuccessful attempts on the North Face of Eiger from 2000 to 2003 with his regular climbing partner Ray Delaney, all aborted by bad weather.
A bad fall broke his left ankle while climbing with Mal Duff in 1991 on Pachermo in Nepal, and is described in Simpson's third book This Game of Ghosts.
His later non-fiction books describe other expeditions and his changing feeling towards extreme mountaineering brought on by the many deaths that surround the pursuit. One of his books, The Beckoning Silence, was made into a documentary shown on Channel 4 in October 2007. The book won the 2003 National Outdoor Book Award (Outdoor Literature category).
Simpson has begun another career as a motivational speaker, addressing corporate events throughout the world.
His best-selling book about the Siula Grande ordeal, Touching The Void, has been translated into 23 languages and has sold almost two million copies worldwide.
Simpson's most recent book is the novel The Sound of Gravity.
Joe Simpson is one of the six people mentioned in the song Ali in the Jungle ("Like Simpson on the mountain"), by The Hours, as an example of someone who overcame hardship and beat the odds to make a comeback.
Read more about this topic: Joe Simpson (mountaineer)
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