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HistoryDoc
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I'd like to recommend the following for the winter reading list:
"Where You'll Find Me: Risk, Decisions, and the Last Climb of Kate Matrosova," by Ty Gagne. (TMC Books 2017) The book details a winter climb in the White Mountains of New Hampshire in 2015 by a young lady. As most are probably aware, the Whites are subject to horrific weather and this is the case here. The book is fascinating for a number of reasons that would be of interest to the members of this forum.
The young lady was well equipped in terms of technology with an AQR RescQLink PLB, and Immarsat Satellite phone, Garmin GPS model 62s and two iPhones. Despite this, Mother Nature prevailed. The activation of the PLB initiated a Search & Rescue effort that was heroic, if futile. Without going into detail, the author does an excellent job of detailing the entire saga.
As a new member, I debated putting this thread on the Books, GPS or Solo forums as there are applications for all. I decided to go on the General Discussion forum to reach the widest readership. If this is not appropriate, I am sure our congenial moderator will put things right. I grew up climbing in this area and did several climbs in winter in my younger days. The weather up there can be merciless. The SAR teams there are top notch.
To sum up, I think this is a book this membership would find worthwhile. One item struck me as very significant. She had several big climbs on her resume, Mt Ranier, Denali, Aconcagua and others. Yet she had always been part of a Guided party. Her last climb she was out on her own.
A good read and one that will make you pull a little closer to the woodstove.
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missmolly
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An excellent, enticing summary, Doc. I'm going to buy it right now.
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straighthairedcurly
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Thanks for the recommendation. I will check this out. I just finished reading "The Twenty-Ninth Day" which is a worthy wilderness tale of surviving serious injury.
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giddyup
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Thanks for the suggestion. My son is an active adult volunteer who teaches cadets search and rescue technique for civil air patrol. Seeing that CAP was involved in the search made it an even more appealing read.
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deerfoot
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Thanks for the tip. Members of this board have suggested some very interesting books. This sounds like another one.
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JWilder
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deerfoot: "Thanks for the tip. Members of this board have suggested some very interesting books. This sounds like another one."
I concur. I continue to whittle away at my reading list, but it never seems to get any shorter...
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HistoryDoc
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JWilder,
As problems go, that is not a bad one to have.
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plexmidwest
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straighthairedcurly: "Thanks for the recommendation. I will check this out. I just finished reading "The Twenty-Ninth Day" which is a worthy wilderness tale of surviving serious injury."
I just received my copy of this book and am anxious to get started.
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arm2008
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I found it a very emotionally difficult read. It is not an uplifting, feel good book. Even though I knew the ending from the start I found myself skimming to see the end. I will read it again in the future.
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HistoryDoc
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It is certainly not a story with a happy ending. As with most tales of this nature, the value lies in the lessons one can extract from the event. I was particularly intrigued by the chain of events set in motion by the activation of her PLB. SAR in those conditions is far from a simple process. As in the BWCAW, in 2020 the White Mountains were overrun with people and there were quite a few incidents on par with the canoeing party on Fourtown Lake that abandoned their canoes and called for a rescue. There were a number of incidents of hikers calling for a rescue because they were lost, tired or running behind schedule.
The author, Ty Gagne, has another similar book, "The Last Traverse." I've not read that one, waiting for my brother to finish and send it to me.
I guess at the end, this is a cautionary tale mixing human hubris and faith in technology bumping up against implacable Mother Nature.
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giddyup
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I just got my copy in the mail today. I’m anxious to finish the book I’m reading and start this one.
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