Living with
the Legacy of Denali
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In the Shadow of Denali
by Jonathan Waterman
Who must have this book: Anyone who is thinking
of climbing Denali or any climbing bum.
Who should have this book: Anyone who ever
wondered why people climb mountains like Denali.
ISBN: 1558217266
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This
is the first book I read about climbing Denali. I can’t say
that it ever made me burn with desire to reach the summit, but it
did make me want to learn more about the mountain and the men who
climb it. It is quite obvious that climbing has a heroine like addiction
for certain individuals and Denali herself has a special power to
grab climbers hearts.
This book is a great blend of the author’s, Jonathan Waterman,
life and the history of the mountain. He quickly falls under the spell
of Denali and finds his life intertwined with the mountain. In the
book he lets you be there through his personal, triumphs, tragedies,
and finally his frustration of what Denali climbing had become.
All through the book he moves between personal experiences and Denali
history. It is the sense of “being there” that makes this
book so hard to put down. The book is very readable and has a dozen
or so black and white photos that don’t do Mount McKinley justice,
but they do help put faces to the characters.
Overview
This is a hard book to outline. It is constantly mixing the author’s
life on Denali with those who came before him. The book starts with
his high ill-fated high school attempt at summitting the mountain.
In his words “Denali whipped us.” Also he got his first
look at death on the mountain, a theme throughout the rest of the
book as mountain delivered a string of personal tragedies. Five years
later he would return to conquer the mountain and fall under its spell.
In his historical wanderings, Waterman discusses his high school mentor
Bradford Washburn, the fated Wilcox expedition, his winter attempt
of the Cassins Ridge where he suffered from HAPE, and his near namesake
John Waterman. Also he goes into his career as a National Park Service
mountaineering ranger. The career attracts an interesting collection
of misfits and rebellious personalities that seem out of place in
the federal, bureaucratic heavy department.
Throughout the story, Denali keeps delivering tragedies. Death seems
to be something that must be dealt with if you are married to the
mountain. But through all the frustrations and mourning, you can feel
the attraction the mountains hold. It was a great look into the minds
and personalities that are drawn to the mountain.
Author
Jonathan Waterman has a lot of Denali Experience. He
has climbed the West Rib and guided up the West Buttress, but most
of his experience came while working as a National Parks mountaineering
ranger on Denali. He has been there first hand on many life threatening
rescues on the mountain. His books include High Alaska,
Surviving Denali
and In the Shadow of Denali.
Other books by the Author
