Peak Experiences

by Carol Stone White (Editor)

In the mountains, the difference between a pleasant day of hiking and a life-threatening disaster is as simple as a loose rock, a turned ankle, or a misjudged patch of ice. In an instant, even the most experienced and prepared of outdoorspersons can find themselves at the mercy of the elements (and their own choices) — and suddenly, sometimes tragically, the situation slips out their control. In this collection of over fifty tales of day hikes and long treks gone awry, the seasoned climber and writer Carol Stone White brings together some of her favorite tales of outdoor misadventure written by colleagues and fellow enthusiasts who have experienced the harsher side of climbing the peaks of New England and the Adirondacks. From freak falls to outrunning storms, from life-threatening hypothermia to the excitement of unlikely rescues, these tales inform as much as they entertain, teaching even the experienced climber that accidents can happen to anyone and that preparation and the ability to make split-second decisions can often mean the difference between life and death. Like sitting around the campfire sharing tales of terror and near death with your hiking buddies, this collection will appeal to the true outdoorsperson as well as the armchair adventurer.

Genres: Nonfiction

351 pages, ebook

First published October 8, 2012

Reviews

[Clarice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a bit too many stories but very enjoyable!

[Nikko Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peak Experience Edited By Carol Stone White
Why I read this book:
By now it should be no secret that I am a big fan of books about mountaineering and hiking, especially when it involves something going wrong. Instead of reading about some far off mountains that I might never seen much less step foot on, I picked up Peak Experience: Danger, Death, & Daring in the Mountains of the Northeast edited by Carol Stone White.
My one sentence summary:
Trouble happens when you hike unprepared (improper clothing, no headlamps), don't check the forecast, overestimate your abilities, underestimate the terrain and just because.
Kudos:
I really enjoyed reading about adventures on mountains that I have hiked or may hike in the future. The Whites and Katahdin are abundantly familiar to me, although reading about winter adventures and mishaps in these mountains gives me a whole new respect for them. I especially appreciated the different view points, sometimes on the same incident. The authors are experienced hikers who are able to analyze how they got into trouble and get themselves out of it. I also enjoyed reading about a mix of casual hikers to record setters to hard core mountaineers over the span of decades.
Quibbles:
Although the subtitle hints at death, most of the stories involve hypothermia and exhaustion. There may be some repetitiveness to the stories, but they serve to drive home the point about having the appropriate gear and knowing environment and your own limitations.
Final verdict:
High recommend to anyone who loves hiking in the northeast. This isn't an adrenaline junkies fix, but it is a real view about what can go wrong and how others have gotten out alive.

[Carolyn Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of true stories about mountaineers in the U.S. northeast having close scrapes with the elements.

See my review at http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/revie...