Death in Glacier National Park: Stories of Accidents and Foolhardiness in the Crown of the Continent

by Randi Minetor

07.20.19-C

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Nature, Audiobook, Travel, Survival, Outdoors

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2016

About the author

Crisscrossing America since 1992 in a quest to see all 50 states (done!), 431 national parks (76 to go), and more than 700 species of birds (623 so far), Randi and Nic Minetor bring their expertise and their love of the wilderness, American history, and birding to readers who share their many passions. A working writer for more than 40 years, Randi is now the author of more than 80 books in print under her own name, and a number of ghostwritten books on a wide variety of topics.

Reviews

[Bill Zawrotny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Glad I read it on my way back from a Glacier hiking trip! Ha!

[Fionnuala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough, with a good variety of the various mishaps and accidents that have befallen visitors over the last century or so. Obviously not every single incident was recorded in this, so it lacks the length of depth of something like Death in Yellowstone, but what was there was decent and backed up with sources. The incidents were neatly grouped and chronological within these groups, and there's also a fair bit about the park itself and the rangers who work to keep people safe and help when things do go wrong.

The one thing I didn't really like is the fact that the book tries to pass itself off as a safety guide primarily. While books like these do usually contain safety advice (usually as an appendix, which this one also does) this book in particular seemed to be trying to disguise the reason why we're reading it. I don't know if some people feel self-conscious being curious about these incidents, and feel bad for wanting the details, but I don't particularly find anything morally wrong with curiosity and I didn't like all of the vague sentences about being safe or what we could learn. What we can learn is obvious. It doesn't need to be spelled out every time. It felt as though was a thin disguise to make it seem like this was educational in terms of safety, rather than just letting it be educational regarding something morbid. It reminds me of those car crash compilations on YouTube that have the disclaimer at the beginning saying "these videos are for educational purposes". No, they're not. Nobody is watching them to learn. They're watching them to see car crashes, because car crashes are interesting to watch. There's nothing wrong with that, and there's nothing wrong with books like this, either -- nor with reading them. Be respectful of the victims, of course, but I wish this hadn't constantly tried to bring it back to poignant lessons that really didn't need to be pointed out. We know why we're here, and it's not to learn safety tips. Let's start being honest with ourselves.

Outside of this, though, it was good. Decent detail, backed up with research, and a wide variety of accidents and freak occurrences.

[Lisa McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book that tells the stories about people who met their untimely deaths at my favorite national park. Some clearly got in over their heads or disobeyed rules made in order to protect us or went against advice given. However, some people did everything they should have but experienced tragic accidents. The section about the "Night of the Grizzlies" was so sad and I'm thankful we've learned so much more about bear behavior since 1967. There were also some stories of people who just vanished: they essentially went hiking or backpacking and were never seen again. (All of the missing persons were men, which I thought was interesting.)

Things I learned:
Do not stand on rocks at the top of waterfalls. The rocks are slippery and you could fall over a waterfall. Even if manage to survive the fall, the water from above could push you down and drown you.
Backpacking and hiking alone into the Glacier NP backcountry are risky, and could lead to various causes of death.
Don't rock climb without gear.
Don't rock climb in winter.
Don't climb / jump on rocks around rushing rivers and creeks. Similar to waterfall risks.
Do not walk onto glaciers without appropriate gear.
Obey all signs.

[Kat V · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m sure the stories will be depressing but here we go! Good news: this won’t scare you from visiting the national parks. Most of these people made incredibly bad decisions. Good of you like to leave true crime documentaries on in the background while you do housework. This book is exactly what it sounds like. 4 stars

[Merissa Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting stories about tourist mishaps in Glacier National Park.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed hearing about all the cautionary tales, although it was a bit repetitive and matter of fact at points. Still a good read/listen!

Personal note: this was my first audiobook!

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as many people have died in Glacier as I would have thought. There's no hot springs to fall into so I guess that brings the number down a bit.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're only going to read one book about people dying in Glacier National Park, make it this one. Death & Survival in Glacier National Park is fine, but Minetor does a better job of balancing non-sensational (well, lightly sensational, it's still a book about real people's deaths) coverage with general information about how to safely navigate the parks. I liked the organization better, and I liked that Minetor did not include a bunch of near misses, because that's not why I'm here. Minetor seems to be turning into a historian of people dying in national parks, and I'm very ok with that.

[IAmTheHolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically, National Parks are still wild places.  Services - including medical rescue - can be incredibly remote, so if you get yourself into a bad position, it may not end well.  

This book is many stories of ways people have died in the park.  Some were being dumb, some were tragic accidents, some were a combination of both.  Basically - it's the wilderness.  Your safety isn't guaranteed.  And that's a little scary, but if you know what the dangers are, you can better prepare to not put yourself in a bad position.  

While not the most "enjoyable" read, it was fairly informative.  Not the most exciting story telling, but it was kind of interesting.  And anything that gets me picturing Glacier is always a good thing.

[Jay Hui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy reading and appropriate for anybody who has visited and explored Glacier National Park. It’s an easy read that doesn’t bore you with details for those that like to be entertained by other people’s mistakes. Catchy title but is a good read

[Jill Crosby · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very ok book. Not a lot happens in Glacier NP, so there aren’t a lot of deaths/accidents to report. Most of the incidents are redundant—wear your life jacket, don’t cross a guardrail, hike in pairs, etc.

[Allison Bosco · Rating 4 out of 5]

One more informative book in this series

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to audiobook.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging but Repetitive – A Mixed Experience

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

Death in Glacier National Park offers an intriguing look at the real-life dangers lurking in one of America’s most beautiful national parks. Randi Minetor does a solid job recounting various tragic accidents, from falls and drownings to bear attacks, and highlights the importance of respecting nature’s unpredictability. The stories are both captivating and sobering, making this book an interesting (and sometimes chilling) read for outdoor enthusiasts.

However, the book starts to feel repetitive after a while, as many of the incidents follow similar patterns. The writing is straightforward but at times lacks the depth or personal insight that could have made each case more compelling. While it’s a good cautionary read, it might not hold everyone’s attention from cover to cover.

Overall, this is a decent pick for true-crime or outdoor adventure fans, but it may not be the most gripping read for those looking for deeper storytelling.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The amount of research that went into the writing of this book was extraordinary. I read the "Death in Zion" book and it made me much more careful in some of my adventures (a good thing!) but this book just fell flat for me compared to that. I can only attribute that to the fact that I know Zion so much better or maybe it's because I listened to this one and the audio of all these deaths just felt so superficial and unemotional. I couldn't believe some of the deaths or random coincidences. (Two bear attacks in the park on the same night in different areas??!)
Either way, it was an interesting yet sad and heavy read. Not something to pick up unless you are really interested in death and/or a huge fan of Glacier National Park and want to be surprised.

[Byomonkey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book after working my way through the first classics covering deaths in Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon. Those tomes are written by authors with first-hand experience in the parks featured, having worked in them in such roles as rangers, search and rescue, or physician. The personal knowledge, access to records, and follow-up interviews provide context and detail in those works that is quite lacking in Minetor's work. The writing is competent and the tales cover a range of interesting scenarios, but it never quite manages to illuminate them in a particularly engaging way, reading more like a summary of news archives.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spend a lot of time in Glacier and love true crime, so naturally, my eyes tractor beamed to this book at Barnes & Noble. Randi Mineror goes through the deaths of Glacier by most common like drowning to least common like murder.

It was eye-opening, shocking, and a good reminder of how fragile life is. Some of these people died by doing nothing wrong (a woman riding passenger in a car getting struck by a boulder, smashed on impact- her family had to attend grief counseling to grapple with that fact that in an instant she was gone). We think these things could never happen to us, and this book is a good reminder of the risk we take every time we go into the park.

[hartfullofbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re interested in the dark history of Glacier national park this is a great intro to all the tragedies that have occurred there. If you’re looking for an in depth look at all the cases I would suggest going further and finding a book that delves into a particular incident there, such as the night of the grizzlies. This book is more of a collection than an analysis so it’s short, quick and to the point. If you want a deep dive I would also suggest listening to the Podcast National Park After Dark, which is where I was recommended this book!

[Devin Simpkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well you definitely get what you expect with this book. It goes through story by fascinating story to present the circumstances that resulted in the unfortunate demise of folks who either disregard warnings or are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time in Glacier National Park. Serves as a cautionary tale to all who enjoy the outdoors to proceed with respect for the natural world and to be diligent in remaining aware of one’s surroundings and making smart choices.

[Maeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was working in glacier while reading this and ended up making my tours inspired by these stories. It felt surreal to read these incidents and know exactly where the location happened. Was a fun read!! Although the way the author ends some of the stories seem a bit cringe at times. A fellow coworker mentioned that some of the settings were written incorrectly

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course this is the book I picked up on my way out of Glacier National Park! I had a wonderful and safe time hiking and taking in views in this amazing and wonderful place. This book is well researched, easy to read, appropriately somber, and provides some excellent tips to avoid the fates of those discussed in the text.

[Natalie Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! I’ve read it a few times. The book is easy to read and very interesting and factual about deaths and why they’ve occurred in Glacier National Park. It’s even better if you’ve been to this park and are familiar with it and the geography.

There is a follow-on book called Death and Survival in Glacier National Park, as well.

[Sadie Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This book was simultaneously more interesting and less interesting than it could have been.


I think I wanted this book to be longer and have more details where it seemed like some people got a paragraph and it could have been more embellished. However, for people who like succinct non fiction about deaths in national parks then this is definitely the book for them.

[Jennifer Koning · Rating 4 out of 5]

With plans to visit Glacier in the near future, I found it enlightening to read about the mishaps of others. Sounds harsh but this book definitely gave me an insight of what not to do in the park! I also appreciate people’s stories being told in a respectful manner and I felt the author and narrator did that well.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glacier, yep, it's gorgeous and deadly. Short story is that you can die in nature without adequate planning/preparation and even sometimes with it.

Death in Yellowstone is the more interesting of these two.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Accounts of death in Glacier National Park are told from the first to the most notable. Some of the accounts were told in an interesting, hold your attention way while most were dry and stating facts. The epilogue is one that all hikers should read.

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most common causes of death: drowning and freezing to death.

Want more of this kind of stuff? Read Death in Yellowstone next.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading through this book! It is always interesting to hear about some of the accidents, get the tips on what not to do, and explore a different side to the national parks.

Highly recommend this one! I enjoyed it!

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really engaging read about the tragic accidents that have happened at Glacier NP. Resets my perspective on challenging hikes at high elevation and my overconfidence as a young adult. Probably time to get an actual hiking backpack!

[Barbara Williford · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting and heartbreaking to hear about the different deaths in Glacier National Park. This did read like a Wikipedia article or newspaper article. Just the facts. It did make me more mindful to respect nature and to listen to the experts when they give warnings.