I got this softcover at a local thrift shop, for another release copy. Subtitled "One Woman's Story Of True Courage And Death-Defying Survival In The Eye Of Mt. McKinley's Worst Storm Ever", it's an account of an attempt to summit Denali, in which the author's party was kept in camp by constant storms for weeks as their food supply dwindled and their physical and emotional condition worsened. But they had it easy, compared to several other parties; the eventual death toll for that 1992 season was 11, with many more people suffering serious injuries and frostbite.

Kocour's viewpoint of most of this is as secondhand witness, though she did see a few of the victims either on the way up or after the recovery efforts were underway. But her account of the effects of constant storms, doubt, cold, and frustration on herself and her team members is perhaps more interesting, as it makes one wonder just what it is about mountains that makes people willing to put up with so much unpleasantness just to get there! [The author does pull some punches, interestingly, choosing to use fake names for most of her companions - presumably because some of them are not depicted in a very positive light. That aspect of the story makes a great object lesson in choosing one's team wisely, as it's incredibly energy-draining having to deal with people who are chronically negative or lackadaisical.]

While this isn't among the truly great mountaineering accounts, it's an enjoyable read, and does give some idea of the realities of attempts on the high peaks...

I left this book in the Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

Went hunting based on a Bookcrossign alert. Looking forward to reading this.