Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire

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Overview

The Presidential Range of New Hampshire is like few places in the world. Located only 150 miles north of a major city, the range is home to beautiful alpine gardens, stunning vistas, and a carefully maintained network of hiking trails. But these same mountains can offer some of the world's worst weather. While the valleys below are bathed in warm sunshine, the exposed summits may be lashed by hurricane-force winds, blinding snows, and numbing cold. Into this potentially deadly environment come hikers, skiers, and climbers by the thousands, drawn by the beauty, accessibility, and history of the mountains. It is a recipe for challenge, adventure - and tragedy. Not Without Peril offers extensive and intimate profiles of twenty-two climbers who found trouble on the Presidential Range from 1849 to 1994. Summer snowstorms, raging rivers, impenetrable fog banks, and a single misplaced step are all part of the dangers awaiting even the most careful hiker. Veteran journalist Nicholas Howe sifted through crumbling archives, interviewed dozens of participants, and hiked the mountains to retrace each fateful journey. The result is a compelling story of our changing relationship with the mountains we love and the risks they pose. (6 x 9, 320 pages, maps, b&w photos)

Editorial Reviews

KLIATT

At 6288 feet, Mount Washington is the highest peak east of the Mississippi and north of the Carolinas. Mt. Everest is nearly 23,000 feet higher and the subject of an avalanche of books. The most popular ones seem to focus on disaster, from Mallory and Irvine's ill-fated 1924 expedition through the 1996 tragedy first chronicled by Jon Krakauer. I have read a good number of the Everest books, and most have been worthwhile. Now a local author has chipped in with a gripping history of lethal misadventure on this relatively minor mountain in my backyard. Make no mistake, Mount Washington can be terribly unfriendly—between 1849 and 1999 there were 128 deaths on its windswept slopes. All 128 are noted in a chilling appendix, but the riveting core of the work is Howe's scrupulously researched account of some of the more bizarre and bewildering dramas that have unfolded over the years. For instance, in September 1855, young Lizzie Bourne perished just short of a safe haven on the summit. In July 1900, two experienced climbers lost their way in a summer blizzard and died of exposure. Over the first five months of 1994, five folks lost their lives in separate incidents; a sobering period Howe calls the deadliest season. In all likelihood, hikers will continue to disregard the perils posed by Mount Washington and will pay the ultimate price for their lack of respect. Hopefully, this compelling narrative will both entertain and caution. Climbing Mount Washington is a marvelous experience. It is very accessible, but it can be very, very dangerous. This book belongs on the top shelf of mountaineering literature alongside Into Thin Air and Sir Edmund Hillary's View from the Summit. KLIATTCodes: SA*—Exceptional book, recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2000, Globe Pequot Press, Appalachian Mountain Club, 304p. illus. maps., $14.95. Ages 16 to adult. Reviewer: Randy M. Brough; Lib. Dir., Franklin P.L., Franklin, NH , September 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 5)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781929173068
Publisher: Appalachian Mountain Club Books MA
Publication date: 4/28/2001
Pages: 336
Product dimensions: 7.46 (w) x 8.94 (h) x 0.95 (d)

Meet the Author

Jackson, New Hampshire resident Nicholas Howe grew up in the shadows of the White Mountains. A journalist for over 18 years, he has reported for ABC, NBC, CBS, and ASPS television networks, and ABC, National Public, BBC, and Swiss National radio networks. Additionally, his work has appeared in newspapers and magazines including Backpacker. In 1994 his Yankee Magazine article "Fatal Attraction" was runner-up for a National Magazine Award.

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Anonymous

Posted July 8, 2001

A Cautionary Review for a Cautionary Tale

As a student of White Mountain history, I opened NOT WITHOUT PERIL with expectations of learning more about some of the mishaps and deaths on or near Mount Washington. Up to a point, especially for some of the more recent incidents, that hope was partially fulfilled. However, I strongly feel that this volume is the product of sloppy writing, careless editing, or a combination of the two. There was hardly a chapter in which I did not discover errors of fact and/or textual mistakes which would, and should, have been caught by a capable proofreader. While Mr. Howe has an engaging style, and presents an impressive amount of historical detail, he does not cite so much as a single source, nor does he acknowledge the use of other works, both primary and secondary, even though it is quite clear he had to have done so. I am troubled that the Appalachian Mountain Club, with a reputation for quality and accuracy in its guidebooks and other materials, should have accepted and published this work at face value. In brief, it you are looking for entertainmnet, buy this book; if you want information, look elsewhere.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Pemigewasset

Posted September 26, 2009

more from this reviewer

Remarkably enjoyable read despite the subject matter

Compelling, engaging, stimulating to the imagination as well as one's sense of sobriety. I enjoyed this book, it stoked my nostalgia & sentimentality despite the major theme of death.
The subject is deaths on Mount Washington & the Presidential's in New Hampshire & the cause is often tragic ignorance & all-too-human arrogance, or at least lack-of-humility & respect for the nature of the mountain's weather. A bit of research, proper preparation & attention to those who know & common sense in regards to the dichotomy of weather below & above the treeline might well have kept the death toll out of the triple digits.
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Anonymous

Posted January 5, 2003

great read

if you have read into the wild get ready for an easier read. read in three sittings this book is great. great stories and written the same way.
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Anonymous

Posted April 25, 2002

Drama and a history lesson

I have spent a lot of time hiking and tramping around the Presidential range. Since my first visit to the White Mountains, I've learned some of the history, and of course I learned all about safety and the sometimes dangerous weather on the Presidentials. But I was fascinated by the details of the circumstances of the tragedies that have occurred there. Even though everyone always feels that tragedies only happen to 'other people', after reading this book, you realize that just one subtle mistake or mis-read of the weather could lead to a string of other circumstances which could very well lead to your own tragedy. The history this book gives of life on the summit and how it has evolved over the years is equally amazing. I believe that most people will be very satisfied with the content of this book. I plan to use it as a reference whenever I return to the White Mountains. Joe Dodge was an inspiration to everyone that knew him, and by everyone who reads this book. Thanks to Mr. Howe, I now have a much greater appreciation for people like Joe Dodge and organizations like the AMC (for which I have been a member for 6 years). In conclusion, I would just like to say that I feel this book is worth every penny and I will re-read it more than once ..... thanks Mr. Howe for this excellent piece of writing.
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Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire

Overview

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

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Editorial Reviews

KLIATT

Product Details

Meet the Author

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A Cautionary Review for a Cautionary Tale

Remarkably enjoyable read despite the subject matter

great read

Drama and a history lesson