In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture and the National Geographic Society today launched Voices from the Summit: The World's Greatest Mountaineers on the Future of Climbing. The book is a unique collection of essays from 32 climbers and adventurers who are passionate about the mountains and who have shared that passion with audiences at past Banff Mountain Film Festivals

Together with a comprehensive and colourful history of the Festival, Voices from the Summit also features portraits of each contributor. The book opens with an essay by the grand gentleman of the mountains, Sir Edmund Hillary, and closes with the thoughts of one of the world’s greatest living mountaineers, Reinhold Messner. The remaining essays are grouped into 11 topic areas.

Himalayan Climbing—An Historical Perspective: The Himalayas have witnessed some of the greatest mountaineering achievements in the past fifty years. American Dr. Charles Houston and Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei reflect on Himalayan climbs from two very different parts of the globe.

Himalayan Climbing—High Achievers: British climber Doug Scott and Australian Greg Child are recognized for their climbing achievements, their leadership, their staying power and their roles in continually pushing the standards of Himalayan climbing. Drawing upon their experiences, Scott and Child consider what the future holds for Himalayan mountaineers.

Himalayan Climbing—The Future: Kitty Calhoun and Mick Fowler are committed to a lightweight, leave-no-trace approach. Calhoun is a professional mountaineer and Fowler, amazingly, climbs in the Himalayas only when work holidays and family commitments permit. Calhoun and Fowler look at what pushing boundaries means for the future.

The Collectors: Collecting is one form of motivation for climbers—whether it is through first ascents, new routes, difficult grades, 8000-metre peaks or the Seven Summits. For complex and varying reasons, collecting created a framework for Pat Morrow, Kryzstof Wielicki and Ed Viesturs to structure their mountaineering careers.

Ethical Adventure: The ethics of adventure is a broad and complex topic, igniting an emotional response in anyone with a passion for wild places. Three writers approach this topic from three different perspectives: environmentally—Yvon Chouinard, anthropologically—Wade Davis, and stylistically—Kurt Diemberger.

Rock Climbing—The Future: The rate of technical improvement on rock is increasing exponentially. Yesterday's records, accomplished after days of agonizing effort, are routinely polished off in a day as a younger generation of superbly trained indoor athletes moves outdoors. Each of the three climbers considering this topic is a visionary in the sport: the American Lynn Hill, Canadian Peter Croft and from Great Britain, Leo Houlding.

European Climbing—The Future: New trends have repeatedly established themselves in Europe before moving to North America. North Face of the Eiger first ascentionist, Anderl Heckmair, Italian legend Riccardo Cassin and French superstar Catherine Destivelle bring cultural and generational diversity to the consideration of the future of European climbing.

Ice Climbing—the Future: The sport of ice climbing has developed more in the last ten years than in the previous 40, with radical evolutions in equipment and technique moving ice from the fringes to the core of the climbing experience. The stylistic differences within the ice world are reflected in essays by three leaders with very different approaches: Jeff Lowe, Will Gadd and Guy Lacelle.

The Last Frontiers: With all fourteen of the 8000-metre peaks summitted and most of the obvious major faces climbed, some argue that there are no frontiers left. Sir Christian Bonington, Todd Skinner and the Patagonian specialist from Slovenia, Silvo Karo, have all been pioneers—through first ascents, new routes, and free-climbs in some of the last great wild places on earth. Each considers what frontiers future mountaineers will face.

Role Models: Climbers speak freely and with great respect about their mountaineering mentors. Some mentors offer climbing skills, others provide direct leadership and some leave a legacy of boldness and bravery. In time, some of those who are mentored become role models themselves. Each of the contributors to this topic has moved into that realm: Thomas Hornbein, Jack Tackle and Royal Robbins.

The Chroniclers: There are many individuals who are committed observers of the mountain world. Some are climbers themselves with that invaluable ability to stand back and observe dispassionately; others are there specifically to observe, record and report. British historian Audrey Salkeld, author Ed Douglas and filmmaker David Breashears bring that critically observant perspective to their essays on the future of climbing.

Voices from the Summit is edited by Bernadette McDonald, director of The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture and by the founder of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, John Amatt. The portraits were taken by Craig Richards, head of photography for the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.