Edward Whymper (1840–1911) was an English mountaineer and explorer with dozens of first ascents under his belt, the most famous being that of the Matterhorn. Also an author and illustrator, he wrote several books on his profession, including Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator and the classic Scrambles Amongst the Alps.

Anthony Brandt attended Princeton and Columbia before becoming a freelance writer for Esquire, American Heritage, The Atlantic, Psychology Today, GQ, Men's Journal, National Geographic Adventure, and many other magazines. He was the essays editor of the Pushcart Prize for 18 years and has served as a nonfiction judge for the National Book Awards. Brandt is the editor of the Adventure Classics series for National Geographic Books, including the first edition of The Journals of Lewis and Clark.