The Southern Cordillera Real. Mountaineering and Skiing in Bolivia, by R. Pecher and W. Schmiemann. Chur, Switzerland: Plata Publishing Co., 1977. 16 black-and-white photos, 14 sketches and line drawings. Price: $5.

In spite of its ambitious title, this book is of very limited value. It lists only some 25 ascents (out of some 200 possible) and six ski tours. Area covered runs from Condoriri in the central part of the Cordillera Real, to Illimani, at the southern end. The rest of the information is on the average very general. Heights are only approximate. The sole contribution made by this guide is the very useful and up to date information on access, road conditions and camping places for the more commonly ascended peaks, a type of advice one would look for in vain elsewhere. I do recommend this little guide to prospective visitors to Bolivia if only because it is better to have it than no guide at all.

Evelio Echevarria