Not without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire
- Book Review,
by Nicholas Howe
Amazon.com
Like a piece of granite chipped off a Presidential peak, veteran journalist Nicholas Howe's assessment of misadventure in New Hampshire's rugged mountains has a crisp, puritanical feel that fairly rasps New England. Take his description of the near-vertical (and now well-skied) slope that nearly killed Max Engelhart in 1926: "Tuckerman Ravine is a sort of twin to Huntington Ravine, a left-hand punch into the side of Mount Washington by the same primordial giant that made Huntington with his right." Underlying Not Without Peril is the not-so-subtle message that the Presidential Range, topping out at just over 6,000 feet, is as uncompromising as any other mountain range. After all, these mountains--named for Washington, Lincoln, Madison--are home to some of the most vicious weather recorded on the planet. Howe makes no judgment about those whose misfortunes he chronicles; there are tender moments that manage to stay faithful to a crusty Yankee sensibility, as in the tale of Lizzie Bourne, who died in a snowstorm while huddled in a makeshift lean-to. Howe quotes her uncle George: "She was dead--had uttered no complaint, expressed no regret or fear, but passed silently away." Such sober tales, scrupulously researched, tell the history of a mountain range and its climbers, some of whom are immortalized for their ill-fated treks. It's a gritty read, a touch morbid, but more than compensated for by sharp writing and compelling drama. --Tipton Blish
From Kirkus Reviews
A catalog of death in the New England mountains. Although not high by world standards, New Hampshires Mount Washington is home to howling winds and monstrously cold temperatures, often the coldest in the Lower 48. For years, mountaineer and freelance journalist Howe has been haunting the mountain and nearby summits of the Presidential Range, a place where furious storms, hypothermia, and occasional bears take their toll on human visitors at all seasons. Howe catalogs the errors of the unfortunate victimsand silly mistakes which seem always to come into play whenever Americans head outside, whether the date is 1849 or 1994. (The most common of them, Howes evidence suggests, is the simple omission of appropriate cold-weather gear, for although the summertime temperature may approach 90 at Mount Washingtons base, the wind chill may take it down to freezing at the peak.) Few of Howes pointed tales end happily. Some of his protagonists slip easily into death, having made some misjudgment or another; others wander around for days in the woods, running from lightning and wild animals in scenes that would fit right into a sequel to The Blair Witch Project, before meeting their unhappy fate; a few others even make it off the mountain alive, but minus toes and fingers. Since there are only so many ways to die on a mountainsideyou can fall, freeze, or get munchedthe narrative tends to be repetitious, and a little judicious paring would have been welcome. Still, all these deaths lead up to a well-taken moral: It is not so much that Mount Washington is a killer, but that people approaching it need to take better care than many of them do. Fans of outdoor disaster and unpleasantry, as well as collectors of New England mountain lore, will find Howe a generally satisfying guide to New Hampshires dark side. -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Book Description
The Presidential Range of New Hampshire is like few places in the world. Located only 150 miles north of a major city, the range is home to beautiful alpine gardens, stunning vistas, and a carefully maintained network of hiking trails. But these same mountains can offer some of the world's worst weather. While the valleys below are bathed in warm sunshine, the exposed summits may be lashed by hurricane-force winds, blinding snows, and numbing cold. Into this potentially deadly environment come hikers, skiers, and climbers by the thousands, drawn by the beauty, accessibility, and history of the mountains. It is a recipe for challenge, adventure - and tragedy. Not Without Peril offers extensive and intimate profiles of twenty-two climbers who found trouble on the Presidential Range from 1849 to 1994. Summer snowstorms, raging rivers, impenetrable fog banks, and a single misplaced step are all part of the dangers awaiting even the most careful hiker. Veteran journalist Nicholas Howe sifted through crumbling archives, interviewed dozens of participants, and hiked the mountains to retrace each fateful journey. The result is a compelling story of our changing relationship with the mountains we love and the risks they pose.
From the Back Cover
The Presidential Range of New Hampshire is like few places in the world. Located only 150 miles north of a major city, the range is home to beautiful alpine gardens, stunning vistas, and a carefully maintained network of hiking trails. But these same mountains can offer some of the world's worst weather. While the valleys below are bathed in warm sunshine, the exposed summits may be lashed by hurricane-force winds, blinding snows, and numbing cold. Into this potentially deadly environment come hikers, skiers, and climbers by the thousands, drawn by the beauty, accessibility, and history of the mountains. It is a recipe for challenge, adventure - and tragedy. Not Without Peril offers extensive and intimate profiles of twenty-two climbers who found trouble on the Presidential Range from 1849 to 1994. Summer snowstorms, raging rivers, impenetrable fog banks, and a single misplaced step are all part of the dangers awaiting even the most careful hiker. Veteran journalist Nicholas Howe sifted through crumbling archives, interviewed dozens of participants, and hiked the mountains to retrace each fateful journey. The result is a compelling story of our changing relationship with the mountains we love and the risks they pose. (6 x 9, 320 pages, maps, b&w photos)
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