The Winter Walk: A Century-Old Survival Story from the Arctic

by Loretta Outwater Cox

Alaska Native Literature Award Winner The tragic yet triumphant story of a young mother's winter journey to the Bering Sea coast with her two young children. This powerful narrative will haunt readers. Advanced in pregnancy and now newly widowed, Qutuuq sets out with her two children, leaving their camp and following a frozen river to the coast. Homebound, one step at a time, through the subzero wilderness. This is a chilling, true story dating from 1892. It tells of battles against killing cold, starvation, and exhaustion. It's the story of a haunting decision made in the throes of desperation. And ultimately it's a story of survival and triumph amid unspeakable sorrow. More than a century later, Qutuuq's story, which has descended through her Inupiat Eskimo family as oral history, is retold in print by her great-granddaughter.

Genres: Native American, Historical Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an Iñupiaq high school student attending school in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. I read this book as a part of my high school English class. This book is about a tradegy that happened near 1921 and is also a true story. It is about an Iñupiaq woman losing her beloved husband to an unknown sickness and her surviving in the harsh tundra with her two kids and another due on the way. Reading this book reminded me of the fact that surviving in the arctic a long time ago was harsh. I'm glad to live in a generation where you can buy food at the store but I also would like to know what its like surviving all alone. I would recomend this book to somebody that wants a real story that has happened with real people in the years of survival and how things were at that time.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible story of subsistence living and survival in turn-of-the-century Alaska. Qutuuq is such a badass.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. One of the strengths of this book is the rich descriptions of daily life in the field, both when things were going well and when they weren't. These details of survival skills aren't just filler; they are part of the 'story' that instructs and teaches a younger generation.

It's a huge leap to go from oral storytelling traditions to putting a story down on the page. It's a difficult tale, without a Hollywood ending, and I'm grateful she took the time to share it with future generations.

[Nick DeFiesta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man. Sometimes you read a book and you're like "I could do that." This is not one of those books. I would be dead as dirt if I experienced even a hundredth of what Qutuuq and her family endured.

Come for the survival narrative, stay for the beautifully told depiction of Alaska Native life in the late 1800s.

[Myra Scholze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty incredible story of survival in the Norton Sound region.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It says this book will haunt you and it will. I was ok except for one part (no spoilers). Incredible to have this oral tradition transcribed and immortalized!

[Audrey S · Rating 4 out of 5]

~~~
“Listen while I tell you a story... “ - Loretta Outwater Cox, The Winter Walk
~~~
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The Winter Walk is the devastating and powerful story of Qutuuq, an Iñupiaq woman stranded on the Bering Sea coast with her two children in the late Alaskan winter. The memoir is written by her great-daughter, a story that has been passed down from generation to generation, and now preserved in writing while still holding to the style of oral story telling.
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This book has been on my TBR for ages, and the first day of feb, I was in such a mood for this survival memoir! I did something I rarely do anymore and read the book from cover to cover in one sitting. I was totally lost in their isolated world, swept away in the joy of their hunting journey, and then felt the nerves slowly close in as their fated walk approached.
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The story is written to mirror oral story telling which I found fascinating - you know where the story is going from chapter one, but the majority of the book isn’t the walk. Instead, the story envelopes you into their world, makes you care for them, sing songs with them, become invested before revealing the terrifying decisions that have to be made. Content warnings for death, especially one that I think will be very difficult for mothers to read. But this book was phenomenal and gut wrenching.
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Hisses & Kisses🐍
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[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a retelling of the true story of Qutuuq's struggle to get herself and her children home after her husband dies when they are trapping in the Alaskan wilderness during the winter of 1892. This story showed great love between the four members of the family, extreme respect for tradition, and the difficult decisions that must be made during times of trouble.
When husband Kipmalook dies, Qutuuq must decide first if they are going to attempt the long walk home or just die there. Secondly, she has to figure out how to leave for the village many miles away with her 7 year old daughter Keenak and 9 year old son Savokgenaq and little food.
I found the book compelling reading, but I did struggle with the Inupiaq names. They are a challenge to say correctly, which I tried to do.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

My name is George Perez and i have lived in Las Vegas most of my life yet at this moment I in live in Barrow Alaska and am new to the great Inupiat cultue and there literature.The Winter Walk is a incredible story revolving around the life of a Inupiat woman named Qutuuk and her children begining with the lost of her husband and father of her children due to illness leading to her and her children having to wallk quite a distance to return home while in her third trimester in pregency she has a difficult decision with a horrific life changing outcome.This book comes to a great heart rending end with Qutuuk's death and her last spoken words are something that will make ones skin crawl.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simply told true story of an Inupiaq family in the 1890's that walks to safety after the death of the father. The simplicity of the story is compelling and beautiful. Necessary ethical choices are thought provoking.

[KatieSuzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts of this book were educational and intersting and some were awful and tragic. It's a true story which makes it all the more amazing. It's a small short book and a quick read.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story floated in the back of my head for awhile after I read it. The author was my 5th grade teacher!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a true story of an Inupiat woman and her family at the turn of the last century. it was about survival, sadness, and fascinating cultural traditions

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful, powerful book.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting story of survival, determination and heart wrenching decisions.
I fell in love with the characters, their strength and their will to live.
Didn't want this story to end....

[Chrisann Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing true story! The power of a determined woman is not to be underestimated!

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give it a 4 star because it is a good book to read. It is a good book to read because it makes you feel like you are in the book almost.

[jesica breen · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will take in her pain as you read.

Just wow. Great read. I was shocked at what choices were made to survive. I will never forget this story.