"Mountaineering is not a competition for me; it is my life." For Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, far more than any records, it is the strength that the mountains give her and the humility they teach her that matter. Adventures in the high mountains are a risky fascination that she describes with unreserved honesty and breathtaking photos. In her autobiography, she also extensively addresses her experiences on K2, where her climbing partner fell to his death before her eyes, forcing her to turn back time and again. It was only on her fourth attempt that she conquered the world's most dangerous mountain, becoming the first woman to summit all 14 eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen.