Rating: 
Summary: An American Tragedy in the Western High Country!
Review: 30 years ago, an american tragedy occured in Montana. 5 young men, set out to climb what had never been climbed, and lost their lives in the process. Not only has the author done an excellent job in both researching and describing in detail the facts of this story, he is also able to illuminate the patterns of this tragedy that continue to resonate in our lives today.The news of today is filled with real time dispatchs of death and heroism in extreme conditions. Was the birth of our fascination with such events written out on the snow laden peaks of Mount Cleveland, as the author surmises? Why is this pattern of "The White Death" continuing to play out in our culture today?
Rating:
Summary: Don't leave the flatlands without it.
Review: A great book! While telling the story of one ill-fated expedition in the mountains, The White Death explores side trails into a fascinating variety of high-altitude subjects. With amazing skill and a deep affinity for his subject, McKay Jenkins traces the history of mountaineering from its roots in antiquity, to the skiing boom that followed World War II, and into the current era of technologically assisted mountain recreation. Jenkins documents the toll avalanches have taken on alpine villages, mountain explorers, even a troop of elephants following Hannibal across the Alps. At the same time, he seeks to understand the psychological and spiritual rewards that have lured people to risk the dangers of mountain life. Finally Jenkins questions the changing relationship to wilderness that is putting more, often ill-prepared, people in the path of avalanches. Along the way the book provides a rich introduction to avalanche research and snow science. Jenkins tells you what to watch out for in the mountains and explains the conditions that can turn an otherwise stable snowfield into a fatal torrent, ripping down a mountain with such force that even the wind pushed ahead of the snow can bend roadsigns and blow houses apart. But it's not all history and science. The White Death is above all an engaging story of the human longing for nature. The book is filled with captivating characters--from the group of young men who attempt the Mount Cleveland climb that gives the book its central story, to the rescuers and crusty avalanche experts who try to understand and explain the tragedy. Don't miss The White Death; it's a peak experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Great review of infamous incident, too many errors
Review: As a lover of Glacier who's enjoyed wandering among its peaksfor two decades, I have heard the story of the five boys on Clevelandtold over and over, as a tale of caution and heroism. This book aligns well with the lore I've heard, and I enjoyed seeing Bob Frauson receive some of the credit he's due for his long service to mountain rescue. I also appreciate the attention given to the hardships of search and rescue/recovery. This search deeply affected its participants, and they still speak of it with great sadness. However, the book could have benefitted from a careful edit by a person more familiar with Glacier, climbing and avalanches. References to "Lake Babb" and the "Billy River" (probably "Belly") as well as the solemn pronouncement that a cubic foot of "Sierra Cement" can weigh 200 pounds (when a gallon of water weighs but 8)-- not to mention the confusion of piton vs. carabiner-- leave me wondering how much of the technical info might be flawed and/or misleading. So, my mixed assessment is: this is a powerful story, engagingly written, that reminds the reader yet again that it is we who care for the mountains, not they who care for us-- but there are many better resources for avalanche awareness and winter mountaineering. END
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Summary: tragedy and gratitude revisited
Review: As the sister of Ray Martin who was killed in the avalanche of which The White Death is so richly written, I can tell you that every word kept me hanging on the edge of my seat. Knowing firsthand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, I was still mezmerized by the way McKay Jenkins brought it all together. It was very informative about the mysterious physics of snow layering as well as capturing the very personal and fruitful lives of the five young men who died. Their's was a hunger to seek places of majesty. I have found that sometimes the only people who can begin to understand the risks and rewards of a mountain climber is another mountain climber or someone who is fortunate enough to love them. The great sacrifice and perseverence of all who are courageous enough to search for someone under these tragic circumstances says a great deal about the integrity of these people. Bravo to Mr. Jenkins who did such a splendid job of giving some peaceful closure to such a painful time in our lives.
Rating:
Summary: A fairly good read
Review: Don't expect another page-turning suspensful classic like "Into Thin Air." "The White Death" chronicles the deaths of five young climbers due to avalanche in Glacier National Park in 1969. Because no one on the expedition survived, there is not much in the way of a first hand account of the trajedy. The rescue effort that became a body search is interesting and gives the reader a sense of how potential resucures are also potential victims. The highlights of the book are author Jenkins's descriptions of what it is like to be caught by an avalanche. This is chilling stuff, indeed. The book's main drawback is that the central story can't fill its relatively brief 220 pages, which forces Jenkins to relate many other historical avalanche stories, some of which are more interesting than the book's main subject. Overall, it is not a bad read and will be of particular interest to those wholike mountaineering stories.
Rating:
Summary: ONE MORE FOR YOUR COLLECTION!!!!
Review: Don't expect another page-turning suspensful classic like "Into Thin Air." "The White Death" chronicles the deaths of five young climbers due to avalanche in Glacier National Park in 1969. Because no one on the expedition survived, there is not much in the way of a first hand account of the trajedy. The rescue effort that became a body search is interesting and gives the reader a sense of how potential resucures are also potential victims. The highlights of the book are author Jenkins's descriptions of what it is like to be caught by an avalanche. This is chilling stuff, indeed. The book's main drawback is that the central story can't fill its relatively brief 220 pages, which forces Jenkins to relate many other historical avalanche stories, some of which are more interesting than the book's main subject. Overall, it is not a bad read and will be of particular interest to those wholike mountaineering stories.
Rating:
Summary: A fairly good read
Review: Don't expect another page-turning suspensful classic like "Into Thin Air." "The White Death" chronicles the deaths of five young climbers due to avalanche in Glacier National Park in 1969. Because no one on the expedition survived, there is not much in the way of a first hand account of the trajedy. The rescue effort that became a body search is interesting and gives the reader a sense of how potential resucures are also potential victims. The highlights of the book are author Jenkins's descriptions of what it is like to be caught by an avalanche. This is chilling stuff, indeed. The book's main drawback is that the central story can't fill its relatively brief 220 pages, which forces Jenkins to relate many other historical avalanche stories, some of which are more interesting than the book's main subject. Overall, it is not a bad read and will be of particular interest to those wholike mountaineering stories.
Rating:
Summary: Decent but flawed
Review: First, the major flaw: Jenkins is not a climber. As such, not only does he make some factual errors, but he also fails to write meaningfully about climbing as a risk-taking activity. He does not have the knowledge to distinguish between socialites on Everest and Alex Lowe in a portaledge camp on Baffin Island -- to him it is all equally "extreme". When writing about the avalanche around which the book is centered, Jenkins is reasonably interesting, though his writing reminds me somehow of a true crime novel. The narrative does not build excitement very well because of constant disgressions. The most interesting part of this book by far is the technical discussion of snow, weather patterns and avalanches. It's a pity that these sections, perhaps in an effort to appeal to the mass market, are also the shortest.
Rating:
Summary: A Scary and Scientific Read
Review: I am not a mountain climber, nor a skier, but I love the outdoors and the mountains, thus my interest in this book. I was pleasantly surprised by the author's flowing writing style and the way he seamlessly incorporated historic details about avalanche disasters and the science of snowflakes and snowpack. This book offers a wide breadth of fact while expertly narrating the gripping story of the plight of these five climbers, and the lives of those they left behind. If you enjoyed "The Perfect Storm" or "Into Thin Air", you will not be disappointed at all with this book. This ranks up there with the finest natural disaster books I have read, and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A Scary and Scientific Read
Review: I am not a mountain climber, nor a skier, but I love the outdoors and the mountains, thus my interest in this book. I was pleasantly surprised by the author's flowing writing style and the way he seamlessly incorporated historic details about avalanche disasters and the science of snowflakes and snowpack. This book offers a wide breadth of fact while expertly narrating the gripping story of the plight of these five climbers, and the lives of those they left behind. If you enjoyed "The Perfect Storm" or "Into Thin Air", you will not be disappointed at all with this book. This ranks up there with the finest natural disaster books I have read, and I highly recommend it.
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