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Snowbound
Riding five horses and leading five more, three young New York men, their guide, and a camp cook entered the untamed vastness of the Bitteroot Mountains. They expected the trip to be the adventure of a lifetime, but it was already September. As the hunters made their way up the Lolo Trail in 1893, they were unaware of the coming record snows that would trigger a cruel, controversial decision. Snowbound is the true story of the Carlin party, whose ill luck and bad judgment drove decent men to an ethical dilemma that intrigued the nation and can still raise an argument wherever people rub shoulders with wilderness. This gripping narrative is the story of a desperate struggle to get out of the mountains with a sick man and of the heroic efforts of various army units to rescue them. Ladd Hamilton has brought rich narrative detail and crackling tension to an intriguing episode in Northwest history. Hamilton gives flesh and bone to his characters, setting the reader down among them as they battle the elements and their own failures, caught between the imprisoning mountains and an unforgiving river.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 5, 2023
I’m so glad I found this story, an amazing piece of Idaho history that I somehow missed in the many years I have lived here. (Thanks to a librarian who passed on the recommendation.) I have rafted and driven through this story many times on the Lochsa and over Lolo Pass and have been in the cold and rain and a little snow in many river canyons so had no trouble feeling some of the miserable desperation of trying to stay dry and warm and fed. And so well acquainted with with BPH that it was a little painful to read. The story is well told and as well documented as an 1893 wilderness survival story can be. I highly recommend this book especially to my Idaho river adventure friends.
May 4, 2023
First I put 3 stars then changed to 4 because it’s not the books fault that what happened is so disappointing.
It does a good job of explaining what happened to a party of hunters from New York, their guide, and their hired cook.
Basically the spoiled New Yorkers couldn’t listen to the hired guides good advice and wouldn’t drop their dicks I mean guns for anything. And then they left a sick man to die.
Being from New York I am familiar with the type of selfish big headed so called tough guys.
Carlin and his friends would drive lifted trucks if they lived today.
It does a good job of explaining what happened to a party of hunters from New York, their guide, and their hired cook.
Basically the spoiled New Yorkers couldn’t listen to the hired guides good advice and wouldn’t drop their dicks I mean guns for anything. And then they left a sick man to die.
Being from New York I am familiar with the type of selfish big headed so called tough guys.
Carlin and his friends would drive lifted trucks if they lived today.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2021
This is the story of a hunting trip in the rugged Northwest that turned into a struggle for survival in the late 19th century. The situation these men find themselves in seems fairly straightforward - the snows have come earlier than they thought and they cannot get out of the wilderness the same way they got in, and they are running out of time and provisions. But...there is an added challenge which presents quite the moral dilemma. What would you do?
December 31, 2021
Multiple bad decisions.
January 15, 2026
Being from Idaho, I couldn't help but love this book. I know and have traveled through the area where this takes place many times. This kind of history doesn't get talked about in school, but is extremely relevant to anyone from the area or anyone who loves wilderness adventures. The book is well researched and takes into account all sides of the story, from the different members of the Carlin party to the soldiers sent to find them to the family of George Colegate.
December 30, 2016
The true story of a hunting party of New Yorkers that left Kendrick in October of 1893, then got caught by early winter snows in the Lochsa river valley, at what is now known as Jerry Johnson Hot Springs.
The group's cook, George Colegate, concealed the fact that he suffered from an enlarged prostate from the rest of the group. He also decided to leave the catheters that were essential to his survival, at home. By the time he admitted this to the rest of the group, they were blocked from returning to civilization on horseback by early snows.
Colegate could barely walk. Apart from leaving him behind, they had two options. Build snowshoes, put the sick Colegate on a slead and try to pull him out over the Lolo Trail (now known as the Lolo Motorway). Or, build a raft and try to float down the dangerous Lochsa.
The group attempted the latter option, and after a series of dangerous and miserable days on the river, came to an impassible section of water.
The group had to choose what to do. In the end, they chose to leave the near-dead Colegate to his fate and continue on foot.
They met a search party coming up the river just a few days later, and the entire group turned back to civilization without pressing on to find Colegate.
Upon their return, the group received a tidal wave of criticism from Colegate's family, newspapers in the region who were happy to pillory the East Coast greenhorns (most of who were actually quite experienced outdoorsmen), and newspapers across the country picked up the sensational tale.
Criticism was also pointed at the army captain who eventually rescued the party, and chose to turn back instead of venturing another 14 miles to check on Colegate.
I'm not a great lover of extreme survival tales, but I enjoyed this one for a couple reasons. First, because it occurred in my backyard. I like knowing the history of the place I live, and I could drive the entire expedition's route in an afternoon or two.
Second, because there's still an air of mystery about this one. After the expedition, there were conflicting accounts. Some produced by members of the expedition who painted themselves in a more positive light, others produced by a trapper they met and employed at the outset of their raft trip, who felt he deserved much more in payment than he was given.
There was also a "message in a bottle" that appeared some months later, purportedly sent down the river by a surviving Colegate. Its authenticity is seriously in doubt, but has never been proved either way.
Later that same winter, a search party looking for traces of Colegate navigated to where he had been left, and successfully evacuated one of their own members who suffered an injury and had to be brought out.
Hamilton's telling is engaging, though he gets a bit lots in the weeds at some point. For example, instead of painting a broad and clear picture of the rescue attempt, he details the minutiae of provisioning, mule stops and the movements of supply trains. His telling of the actions of the actual hunting party is better told.
In the end, I feel that there are no real clear heroes or villains in this story. Most of Colegate's fate is in his own hands, for refusing to bring the medical equipment he depended on, and concealing his condition from the hunting party until they were trapped. But, there were opportunities for the hunting party to turn back or pay more attention to their suffering cook. There were also times when they clearly let their appetite for hunting influence their choices, at the expense of Colegate.
It was also, in a way, heroic of them to attempt to raft the Lochsa instead of simply abandoning Colegate and walking out on snowshoes. Nearly everyone with experience with the river told them that was a death sentence, but they attempted it nevertheless.
Then, comes the question of their final act. Did they abandon Colegate because there was literally no hope or other options, or because of their selfish motives? The party contended he was on death's door (and his physician, after the fact, confirmed their assessment), so then why not wait with the man for another day or two and bury a comrade in the wilderness?
There's also a aspect of class that Hamilton mentions, but I think could use a closer examination. The members of the hunting party were military officers and wealthy businessmen. Their cook was treated like a servant. I expect he would have been treated much differently if it was a member of the hunting party in the same condition.
Hamilton's book is a must-read if you're interested in the history of north-central Idaho, or in the mystery of the Carlin Hunting Party episode.
The group's cook, George Colegate, concealed the fact that he suffered from an enlarged prostate from the rest of the group. He also decided to leave the catheters that were essential to his survival, at home. By the time he admitted this to the rest of the group, they were blocked from returning to civilization on horseback by early snows.
Colegate could barely walk. Apart from leaving him behind, they had two options. Build snowshoes, put the sick Colegate on a slead and try to pull him out over the Lolo Trail (now known as the Lolo Motorway). Or, build a raft and try to float down the dangerous Lochsa.
The group attempted the latter option, and after a series of dangerous and miserable days on the river, came to an impassible section of water.
The group had to choose what to do. In the end, they chose to leave the near-dead Colegate to his fate and continue on foot.
They met a search party coming up the river just a few days later, and the entire group turned back to civilization without pressing on to find Colegate.
Upon their return, the group received a tidal wave of criticism from Colegate's family, newspapers in the region who were happy to pillory the East Coast greenhorns (most of who were actually quite experienced outdoorsmen), and newspapers across the country picked up the sensational tale.
Criticism was also pointed at the army captain who eventually rescued the party, and chose to turn back instead of venturing another 14 miles to check on Colegate.
I'm not a great lover of extreme survival tales, but I enjoyed this one for a couple reasons. First, because it occurred in my backyard. I like knowing the history of the place I live, and I could drive the entire expedition's route in an afternoon or two.
Second, because there's still an air of mystery about this one. After the expedition, there were conflicting accounts. Some produced by members of the expedition who painted themselves in a more positive light, others produced by a trapper they met and employed at the outset of their raft trip, who felt he deserved much more in payment than he was given.
There was also a "message in a bottle" that appeared some months later, purportedly sent down the river by a surviving Colegate. Its authenticity is seriously in doubt, but has never been proved either way.
Later that same winter, a search party looking for traces of Colegate navigated to where he had been left, and successfully evacuated one of their own members who suffered an injury and had to be brought out.
Hamilton's telling is engaging, though he gets a bit lots in the weeds at some point. For example, instead of painting a broad and clear picture of the rescue attempt, he details the minutiae of provisioning, mule stops and the movements of supply trains. His telling of the actions of the actual hunting party is better told.
In the end, I feel that there are no real clear heroes or villains in this story. Most of Colegate's fate is in his own hands, for refusing to bring the medical equipment he depended on, and concealing his condition from the hunting party until they were trapped. But, there were opportunities for the hunting party to turn back or pay more attention to their suffering cook. There were also times when they clearly let their appetite for hunting influence their choices, at the expense of Colegate.
It was also, in a way, heroic of them to attempt to raft the Lochsa instead of simply abandoning Colegate and walking out on snowshoes. Nearly everyone with experience with the river told them that was a death sentence, but they attempted it nevertheless.
Then, comes the question of their final act. Did they abandon Colegate because there was literally no hope or other options, or because of their selfish motives? The party contended he was on death's door (and his physician, after the fact, confirmed their assessment), so then why not wait with the man for another day or two and bury a comrade in the wilderness?
There's also a aspect of class that Hamilton mentions, but I think could use a closer examination. The members of the hunting party were military officers and wealthy businessmen. Their cook was treated like a servant. I expect he would have been treated much differently if it was a member of the hunting party in the same condition.
Hamilton's book is a must-read if you're interested in the history of north-central Idaho, or in the mystery of the Carlin Hunting Party episode.
June 19, 2015
This book tells the true story of a hunting party that headed for the Idaho mountains in 1893, and when the hired cook took ill, his companions left him to die in order to save their own skins. Not right away, of course, but it comes to that painfully and inexorably through the selfishness and complacency of the group's leadership. At the end I couldn't really blame the survivors for that final decision, yet there were so many things they should have done differently to avert disaster that everyone shares at least part of the blame, including the cook himself.
The parts focusing on the hunting party---their route, actions, thought processes, group dynamic, etc.---are pretty gripping reading, but the book loses steam and my interest when it goes into encyclopedic detail (e.g., with exhaustive lists of supplies) and introduces a massive and personality-free cast of characters (with who's involved in the different rescue efforts, where they're going, how many mules they had when they started, how many mules they had left by the time they gave up, and so on). Eventually two of the rescue units admit defeat and I got to focus on the one who clearly will be successful, and then it begins to feel less like the list of Civil War battles and generals I failed to commit to memory in high school.
Overall it was an interesting read that kept my attention, and knowing it happened somewhat locally and that the escape/rescue route where the most drama occurred is essentially today's Highway 12 means I now have a hankering to go exploring myself.
The parts focusing on the hunting party---their route, actions, thought processes, group dynamic, etc.---are pretty gripping reading, but the book loses steam and my interest when it goes into encyclopedic detail (e.g., with exhaustive lists of supplies) and introduces a massive and personality-free cast of characters (with who's involved in the different rescue efforts, where they're going, how many mules they had when they started, how many mules they had left by the time they gave up, and so on). Eventually two of the rescue units admit defeat and I got to focus on the one who clearly will be successful, and then it begins to feel less like the list of Civil War battles and generals I failed to commit to memory in high school.
Overall it was an interesting read that kept my attention, and knowing it happened somewhat locally and that the escape/rescue route where the most drama occurred is essentially today's Highway 12 means I now have a hankering to go exploring myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2015
This is Ladd Hamilton's telling a true story concerning the Carlin hunting party (five men were in the party) in late September 1893. This group of hunters ventured into the Bitterroot Mountains and were somewhat caught off guard by unexpected, early season heavy snows and bitter cold. The book is essentially a mixed tale of adventure, hardship, death, history, and biography, and very similar in style and subject matter as those written about the Donner Party in California.
The style of writing leaves quite a bit to be desired, especially given other works written by Hamilton. One never feels quite like you are "there" with the hunting party experiencing their hardships and decision making processes. Another reviewer here wrote that the book is a bit "listless" in its presentation. I wholeheartedly agree.
Essentially, Hamilton's story is a rehash of Abraham Himmelwright's book "In the Heart of the Bitter-Root Mountains: The Story of the Carlin Hunting Party," which was published in 1895 (this can be read for free on Google Books).
In my opinion, Himmelwright's telling of the story is far superior to that of Hamilton's, though Hamilton includes important details about the individual who perishes (George Colgate) - the cause of his sickness and how others outside the hunting party were attempting to save him. Himmelwright was a member of the hunting party, so the reader gets a first hand, though sometimes sensationalized, perspective of the events.
The style of writing leaves quite a bit to be desired, especially given other works written by Hamilton. One never feels quite like you are "there" with the hunting party experiencing their hardships and decision making processes. Another reviewer here wrote that the book is a bit "listless" in its presentation. I wholeheartedly agree.
Essentially, Hamilton's story is a rehash of Abraham Himmelwright's book "In the Heart of the Bitter-Root Mountains: The Story of the Carlin Hunting Party," which was published in 1895 (this can be read for free on Google Books).
In my opinion, Himmelwright's telling of the story is far superior to that of Hamilton's, though Hamilton includes important details about the individual who perishes (George Colgate) - the cause of his sickness and how others outside the hunting party were attempting to save him. Himmelwright was a member of the hunting party, so the reader gets a first hand, though sometimes sensationalized, perspective of the events.
January 29, 2012
I bought this on a whim at a used book sale. A mostly listless telling of a true story of men trapped by the weather in the wilderness in 1893. The problem with this book is the author's zest for details, the minutiae of which at times makes drying paint look exciting by comparison. Like this part about the shuffling around of mules: "....dispatched the teamsters and the loaded mules to outposts one and two. Two mules were to be left at outpost one, and four at outpost two; two of those four would later be taken to outpost three." Cripes! Spare me all the unnecessary information and just say mules were sent out.
The writing is two stars but the story is worth four. This could and should have been a more interesting read.
The writing is two stars but the story is worth four. This could and should have been a more interesting read.
December 18, 2012
I have said it before. Hamilton writes well and holds your interest. Much more than a history book, he makes a tale of the story with vivid descriptions of the people, the landscape, and the moral issues. Maybe I am biased because I like this sort of misadventure in the wilderness, but I found it held my interest all the way through. He jumps around a bit, from rescue party to snow bound party, but it isn't hard to keep track of the characters. There are some nice illustrations too. This is certainly an epic adventure and there are some thought provoking ethical dilemmas that leave you wondering what you would have done under the circumstances. At the risk of sounding redundant: Good, good, good.
January 9, 2014
I found this very interesting, though the narrative is a bit biased towards blaming The Carlin Party's failures on one man.
August 30, 2016
Good story of our locale. Written in a "just OK" way. But still, an interesting story. Could have been much better.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews