This is a fascinating book about a truly great adventure. Art Davidson was in the first winter ascent of Mt. McKinley. Of the nine who started, most did not make it to the top but even for those who didn’t, it was still the adventure of a lifetime. This is far better than an fictional thriller!

I love the details of how the camp is set up each night and what they ate and what they did in their down time. Details from diaries kept by the various climbers are included and that gives a great insight into how different people were seeing the climb.

I’m not going to try to describe the hardships and tragedies they faced. The book does a fantastic job of that and I won’t try to repeat it. It is truly a story of heartbreak and triumph. I think this is one of those books that I’m richer for having read and will probably return to in the future.

I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway program in return for an honest review.