Death on Mount Washington: Stories of Accidents and Foolhardiness on the Northeast's Highest Peak

by Randi Minetor

On Mount Washington, it’s lack of preparation, not the mountain, that kills. The weather is highly changeable with wind gusts of 140 mph and -35 degree temps. Then there are the avalanches and icefalls. Combine this with inexperienced hikers in t-shirts and flip flops and things can get ugly fast.
Death on Mount Washington describes the circumstances behind the tragic tales of those who have lost their lives on the mountain. No one--not even the most experienced mountaineer or pilot--is safe from the mountain's mercurial weather conditions. Learn from the mistakes of others in the comfort and safety of your armchair and remember to respect Mount Washington on your next ski trip.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel

224 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2018

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

[Ursula Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Accounts of Deaths on Mt. Washington

This was a fascinating account of deaths in Mount Washington. It contains some of the strongest winds on the planet and a large number of people go hiking, skiing, mountain climbing and more not adequately prepared. This mountain is particularly dangerous, with varying temperatures, steep trails, narrow passages and more. The majority of people who perished, we're overconfident or did not take the dangers seriously. More people die or are injured in the outdoors than many think. The author's detailed research is evident and provides life saving tips as well. A thrilling book I found hard to put down.

[Aubri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm an avid hiker and backpacker with more than 3000 miles under my boots; I live in New England and visit the Whites frequently, so this topic really appealed to me. While I enjoyed the information and that each incident was presented as a few paragraphs/pages making it more of a collection of short stories, the book fell short of what I'd hoped and expected. The stories were bundled by demise type and within that, they were scattered around the timeline, with no discernible organization which made for a discombobulated read. Additionally, the second half of the book felt more rushed and slipshod than the first half, with less detail about each event.

While an engrossing read, it felt engrossing because of its voyeuristic nature and close relation to local news outlets that provide both too many gruesome details and not enough context. It also didn't feel particularly educational; though it never claimed to be, it seemed like a missed opportunity.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

As an avid hiker, I read books on hiking accidents death and the like to learn. While this book did break down death by how, it just provided snippets and even captured pure accidents without a rationale. Misfortunes of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I might think of this as a detailed index more than a book of information. I was left a little confused and baffled by what the writers intent was in bringing all these varied stories together. When the ending talks about how to be prepared, I am not sure how the poor children on the cog could have known the cog was going to fail and have been more prepared or how the very prepared and experienced mountaineers would have benefited from the advice. Confused.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

To say I "liked" a book about deaths in the mountains seems odd. However as the author says, if one person walks away from this book learning just one tidbit of safety then it's worth it. Having just returned from a journey including the epic Mt Washington, I enjoyed learning more about the majestic Whites and the intrepid souls that feel called to them. Going back to 1849, some of them did not make it. I think the author's research honors them and informs us about aspects of a unique climate that is to be revered and respected.

[Timothy Swartout]

This book should be subtitled, “ Everybody Dies.” But , seriously, it is an engrossing compendium of many and varied stories of those who have died on the Northeasts’s largest mountain by various misadventures. It is creatively written and offers common sense advice on how not to be a fatality on the mountain.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite death in national parks volume, perhaps because this one has been narrowed down to just one mountain. I might have enjoyed it more had I not read it in winter, since the vast majority of the mishaps described here are related to cold, ice, and snow.

[Sarah Freedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me retroactive anxiety about hiking the mountain alone. Definitely not doing that again. Very interesting read though and I learned a lot about the history of Mount Washington in the process.

[Emily Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, detailed accounts of every known death on Mt. Washington, organized by cause of death. Sometimes the author quotes extensively from other publications, but overall it was an interesting and informative read!

[Jen&Jude Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death on Mt Washington

Very interesting and cautionary summary of what can go wrong in the mountains when people are not prepared for the conditions they may encounter.

[Allison Delestowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good stories in here, but a bit outdated, still worth the read though

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read, bought it at the top of Mt Washington

[Xzs · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m giving this 2.5 stars. This book appealed to me for a variety reasons, the topic alone guaranteed a 2 star review. The problem is that the book appeared to be hastily compiled. The names and dates in the index do not all correspond with the text, so which is correct? The book didn’t delve into much detail of the various incidents, instead it reiterates info that appears to have been gleaned from newspaper articles and other, likely better researched books. I did appreciate the emphasis on the unpredictability of the weather on Mount Washington; that garnered a half star. However, the book fell short of my expectations. When I looked up the author’s resume, it all became apparent. The author is a master of churning out guide books. My synopsis: quality trumps quantity.