‎The Last Traverse: Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites

by Ty Gagne

On a mountain somewhere above treeline, in some of the coldest and worst winter conditions imaginable, two men lie unconscious in the snow as explosive winds batter the nearby summits.

In The Last Traverse; Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites, Ty Gagne masterfully lays out the events that led up to an epic and legendary rescue attempt in severe and dangerous winter conditions in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. More than a cautionary tale, it is a tribute to all the volunteers and professionals who willingly put themselves in harm's way to save lives. This is a must read for anyone who hikes the Whites.

"In his first book, Where You'll Find Me: Risk, Decisions, and the last Climb of Kate Matrosova, Ty Gagne established his credentials as a writer of well-researched and objective analysis of mountain accidents. Moreover, Where You'll Find Me reads like a novel, a book I couldn't put down. In his latest book, The Last Traverse, Gagne takes the combination of analysis and storytelling to a new level in a tale of survival and tragedy in the White Mountains."

-Mark Synnott, author of The Impossible Climb: Alex Honnold, El Capitan, and the Climbing Life and The Third Pole: Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure, Audiobook, Outdoors, Survival, Travel, Mountaineering

302 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2020

About the author

Ty Gagne is Chief Executive Officer of New Hampshire Public Risk Management Exchange (Primex), a public entity risk pool serving local governments in New Hampshire. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder and the author of the book Where You’ll Find Me: Risk, Decisions, and the Last Climb of Kate Matrosova. Two of his essays, “Emotional Rescue,” and “Weakness in Numbers: How a Hiking Companion can be Dangerous” were published in Appalachia journal.

In The Last Traverse; Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites, Ty Gagne lays out the events that led up to an epic and legendary rescue attempt in severe and dangerous winter conditions in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. More than a cautionary tale, it is a tribute to all the volunteers and professionals who willingly put themselves in harm’s way to save lives.

Reviews

[Kate Kloss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ty Gagne's books should be required reading for anyone who hikes the Whites, especially in winter.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

On February 10, 2008, two climbers set out on a winter hike above treeline across Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. They had planned a hike that they estimated would take four or five hours. Neither man thought that the weather would be an issue, and neither had consistently checked the weather forecast for that day.

Unbeknownst to them, two dangerous weather systems were on track to collide over the ridge that afternoon with hurricane force winds reaching 70-100 miles per hour, blowing snow, whiteout conditions, freezing fog, and temperatures well below zero with wind chill as low as 65 degrees below zero.

The Last Traverse is a first hand account of the tragedy that occurred on Franconia Ridge and of the brave and dedicated search and rescue teams who risked their own lives and tirelessly searched for the hikers. It’s a riveting tale that is very hard to put down.

[Court · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely do I read a non-fiction book cover-to-cover in one sitting, but that’s exactly what I did here. I started this book around dinnertime and was so compelled by the story that I stayed up past my bedtime to finish it. I read it cover-to-cover in about four hours.

Gagne tells the story of two hikers who went out into the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a February morning and were found two days later - one would be dead, the other barely clinging to life. This read like a thriller, mixed with fascinating weather information (I’m a huge weather nerd) and compelling information from the rescue teams who took up the search.

As a hiker (but a daytime, summer/spring/fall hiker!), this tale both resonated and offered a cautionary warning. I was drawn in by the story on the first page and it never let go.

If I have any complaint, it’s that I would have liked a longer epilogue and really wanted to know one thing - did James Osbourne ever hike this range again?

Five star read, and an absolute must-read for anyone who hikes or anyone fascinated by this sort of a tale.

[Sarah Koppelkam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ty Gagne is a New Hampshire author who writes incredibly
detailed and human-focused accounts of search and rescue missions in the White Mountains. This the second of his books, and the second I have read. I really think his work deserves more attention. He researches an incident from every possible perspective, conducting extensive interviews and really fleshing out what happened during the 24 hours or so of the rescue mission, before, and after. Then he brings everything together in a way that is compulsively readable; despite the dense technical details, I have finished both of his books in basically one sitting. Gagne never fails to have compassion for the folks who require rescue, acknowledging how easily mistakes are made in the extreme weather systems of the whites. Any person who hikes or spends time outdoors, particularly in the White Mountains, will become better at risk assessment and management through reading Gagne’s work.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really well-written and well-researched account of what happened that is both engaging and informative. Even for non-hikers, the story is pretty gripping. For hikers (especially those familiar with that ridge), it is both inspiring and sobering.

This is definitely not just a boring recitation of the events nor is it an over-the-top sensationalized drama. It is right in the middle and I definitely recommend it for any winter hikers.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down! Very sad, but well told story. Definitely a must read for anyone enjoying the challenges of winter hiking.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an engaging story about a life and death struggle of hikers and rescuers, in the White Mountains. I was completely engrossed in all three parts of this story - the hike, the struggle to survive, and the heroic rescue attempt. Maybe I'm biased because I have hiked the very same trail in much more favorable conditions, but overall I think the story was respected by the author, thoroughly researched, and told as both an informative and cautionary tale. If you like hiking, this book will be an enjoyable read that will make you question how safe you really are when you are out there in the wild.

[Brittany Durgin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like his first book, powerful and brought me to tears. We are so fortunate to have Ty in NH writing these stories.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible version, narrated by Lee Gottl.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 because I think I shouldn't have read this back to back with Ty Gagne's other book, "Where You'll Find Me". Both stories are harrowing accounts of search and rescue attempts in the New Hampshire's White Mountains. There is some amount of overlap, and when reading them back to back, it felt slightly repetitive. Read them both, possibly not back to back.

That said, this story was different from "Where You'll Find Me" in that one of the hikers survived. The account at the end of the book about the medical advances when treating hypothermia patients was fascinating. As always, I'm highly impressed by the search and rescue teams.

This is a great read, and both of Ty Gagne's books should probably be required reading before heading out for a hike in the White Mountains (or any winter hike).

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

really awesome and thorough reporting. so many points of view taken into account. after page 100 i couldn't stop reading.

i will say all the different names got confusing by the end. it didn't impact my understanding of events that much, though i think using first&last names more often may have made that less confusing.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an aspiring 48’r in NH I’ve seen a lot about Ty Gagnes books. I bought both of them and plowed through both last week while on a work trip. I’ve been looking for something to replace the whole left by Jon Krakauer, whose books I’ve completed all of. This filled in that gap perfectly. The books is gripping and tragic. I learned a lot.

[Donny Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ty Gagne is phenomenal. The fact that his story telling is at this level with 2 journal articles and 2 books published really speaks to his potential. His dedication and passion for writing and hiking shines through and is sculpted into these incredibly detailed and enthralling books. Ty approaches these cases of disaster in the white mountains from every angle. You are right there with the hikers, you feel the howling winds, their emotions of uncertainty make your heart pound. You can feel the tension at Incident command at the Falling Waters Trailhead. You grip the seat of the Blackhawk as you comb the summits of Haystack, Lincoln, and Lafayette. Informative, engaging, emotional.

[Jen Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping, emotional story that had me captivated from the outset. For any NH hiker, especially winter hikers, this is a necessary read to realize just how formidable the Whites can be.

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another compelling true tale by Ty Gagne about the perils of winter hiking in the White Mountains. Like his previous book, “Where You’ll Find Me”, you know the outcome of the story before you start reading and, yet, it is still a difficult book to put down. The author does an excellent job of laying out the story of two hikers on Franconia Ridge in February and those who make every effort to rescue them without judgement. As a winter hiker, I appreciated the information about hypothermia and the ways to prevent it or mitigate the impact of getting too cold out there. I don’t know if I liked this book so much because of my passion for hiking and my familiarity with the setting, but with that in mind, I heartily recommend it.

[Dru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ty does it again! This book had me gripped as he described two men’s hike up the Franconia Ridge in the White Mountains. He recounted their steps leading up to that day and their strategies as they ascended. He also detailed the rescue squads’ mindset and preparation.

A great read for any hikers, anybody familiar with the White Mountains, anybody interested in the logistics behind a rescue and the breakdown of what happens to a body when they experience certain conditions.

[James Doneski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really interesting. I went to school with Ty so this added some interest, but Franc Ridge is someplace I've been dozens and dozens of times. This really hit home and had some great reminders. Ty did a nice job in the writing. If you spend time in the mountains in the winter, it's a good read. Not much love for the fast & light approach but some great info about risk management and what's at stake if you screw up.

[Megan Twitchell]

One of my volunteers lent me this to read because of all the hiking I do. I wasn’t the biggest fan of how it was written but it did give a great example of how even if you’re fully prepared the Whites are not something to fuck with and it’s important to know when to turn around.

Additionally, it did make me realize how much goes into MRS and Fish and Game operations to save people and I think it would cool to be able to be one of those volunteers one day.

[Ross Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping account of adventure, mishap, disaster, tragedy, resilience, rescue, and the miraculous survival processes of the human body. Mother Nature doesn’t give AF. The volunteers, service members, and rescue teams surrounding the White Mountains of New Hampshire that put their lives at risk when called upon are heroes.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure if my having hiked this trail (in summer!), and living nearby-ish, makes me a bit more interested in this book than others may be, but I think this book is fantastic.

[Emma Steffan · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, don’t fuck with the White Mountains. I’ve never felt so cold listening to a book before.

[Natalie Rosenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was filled with facts, important details, good story-telling, and lots of emotion. For a non-fiction book, this book grabbed my attention immediately and I couldn’t put it down. I attribute some of my love for this book to the fact that I am an AT thruhiker and have hiked these mountains and that exact trail before, along with winter hikes in other areas, so I can relate a little bit to what the terrain looked like and the emotions going through the hikers and rescue crew. The feat of this rescue, the miracles that all lined up at once, and the miraculous recovery of Osborne is truly an emotional, amazing story and I loved reading this book!

[Mary Ahlgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

He covers it all.....from why people climb in the winter, to the dangers ands and comraderie involved, to why weather patterns in the White Mountains work the way they do. It sure was interesting, and if I'd ever wanted to do it, I don't now!

[Alejandro B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by my mom, who got this while in New Hampshire and was convinced that I would enjoy it. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, as it has it's ups and downs. I was sort of forcing myself to get back into reading again as the school year started, and I was not disappointed.

This book is based on a true story set in Franconia Notch in New Hampshire, where two men planned a day hike to the peak and ended up getting caught in a winter storm. One of the two men end up dying on the mountain, while the other one is transported to the ICU in critical condition. This is not a spoiler, they plainly tell this in the first chapter of the book. The two hikers, James Osbourne and Fred Frederickson, were both experienced hikers, Osbourne being an amateur and "apprentice" to Frederickson, who was a very experienced winter hiker who had done the hike several times. The one who dies is Frederickson, the more experience one (again, this is mentioned in the first chapter, not a spoiler). The story does not only focus on them, but also focuses on the various search and rescue teams that join forces in the effort to rescue them.

As mentioned, this book is based on true events, and these events were recollected through various interviews with different character in the story, including it was Osbourne, members of the SAR team, members of National Guard, a bystander with critical information, the Mt Washington weather reporter, the ex wife of Frederickson, and others. This is one of the things that I think worked in the story. What I enjoyed most however was the details and visual imagery of the story. The National Guard gets involved with the situation, providing a helicopter, a Black Hawk, and there is a chapter dedicated to describing it. At the ICU, they go in depth to describe the care process of Osbourne, who managed to survive while maintaining a body temperature of 67 degrees. At the beginning of every chapter, the Mt Washington weather report, including the temperature and wind speeds, are stated, adding more thrill to the story.

The plethora of information is of course very enjoyable and exciting, but it can make the book very slow also. What did not work was how the book was paced. The first few chapters of the book were a background on the hikers. This was understandable, but when the SAR team and National guard part come up, almost if not all of them get a personal interview and short background, which slowed down the book a bit. Also, I am not sure how I feel about the resolution of the book being stated in the first chapter of the book. I guess it works because it is a true story, but it would have been interesting if it was not said and you were able to figure out the resolution, could have added more emotion.

[Pat Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well-researched and detailed account of a tragic search and rescue operation on the Franconia Ridge in the White Mountains of NH in Feb. 2008. As Gagne did in his previous book, Where You’ll Find Me, he drew on numerous interviews with the survivor, rescuers, their friends and family and other hikers to construct a timeline of the events leading up to those fateful winter days. He focuses on the rescue mission and the brave volunteers who risk their lives each year to help stranded hikers. This is a cautionary tale for all who venture into the woods. I did not give the book 5 stars as I felt that all the technical details about the Black Hawk helicopters were not necessary and somewhat boring, but others will disagree with me. Highly recommended, especially for those of us who live and hike in the White Mountains.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My wife and I read The Last Traverse over the course of a weekend, stealing it back and forth at first, and then I ended up reading much of the final section aloud to her while she knit. It's another meaningful gift to all of us who love spending time in the mountains, especially in extreme conditions. It reaches the bar Ty set with Where You'll Find Me, being once again skillfully, graciously, and respectfully told. The attention to detail in both the narrative on Osborne and Frederickson and that of the rescue/recovery is instructive; I particularly appreciated the details about the rescue personnel's missteps in self-care. That's an area a lot of us can identify with and strive to do better.

[Jane Seibel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragic true story about a rescue in the Whites. I really enjoyed learning not only about the rescue but the impact of weather, rescue protocol and what happens to the body when winter hiking and things go wrong. Fascinating story about the human body and mind and the will to survive. Plus the amazing efforts and determination of all those involved in rescue. I picked up the book because my father is included in the story for his lifelong work as a hypothermia doctor. Pretty cool to read about his work. Probably a biased review because story close to home but I feel it deserves a 5 star, I really enjoyed it.

[Charlotte Burlingame · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must-read for anyone who likes to hike the White Mountains, especially if you've done the Franconia Ridge before (in any season) as it will be sure to shake you. Ty Gagne doesn't leave out a single bit of information: so much so that the details almost get in the way of the story, but all of it works together as a cautionary tale against underestimating the whites, even for experienced hikers. When your friends call you crazy for telling them to pack extra water and a jacket for a summer day hike, give them this book.

[Mary Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story. I like the way Gagne brings the perspectives from all parties - hikers, their families and co workers, search and rescue team members and medical personnel. It gives you a well rounded understanding of the events as the day of the hike and ultimate rescue unfolded. Even though I knew the ending, The writing makes me want to know everything that happened along the way. Don’t start this book unless you can block off time to read it to the end. You won’t be able to put it down!

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, another gripping story of a rescue mission in the White Mountains of NH. Even though you know the outcome at the beginning of the book, it is still a suspenseful read. Well researched and an incredible retelling of a true story. Warning: it might take a while to feel warm again after reading this!

[William Monaco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible. I could not put this book down. Ty Gagne once again has produced a well written, thoroughly researched book that kept me in suspense the entire time even though I knew the ending.