- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (Oct 1 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0743224329
- ISBN-13: 978-0743224321
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 15.4 x 2.1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 386 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #504,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
This short but sweet look at the ascent two Harvard buddies made of Mt. Lucania in the Yukon Valley in 1937-at the time, the highest unclimbed North American peak at 17,150 feet-is a welcome respite from the high-tech, thrill-a-minute climbing tales that have descended like an avalanche. With their friendship cemented in the elite ranks of the Harvard Mountaineering Club, the brash Brad Washburn and the more reserved Bob Bates decide to explore their "passion" for Lucania, but are immediately faced with hardship when their pilot, who lands them at an unexpectedly slushy base of the mountain, is unable to return to pick them up. Roberts's narrative shows how the resourceful duo decided to climb the mountain and then head more than 100 miles on foot to the nearest town, dressed in clothing that "essentially consisted of layers of wool and cotton." In this day of high-tech expedition gear, it's good to know that Washburn's headgear was a Royal Canadian Mounted Police hat. Roberts (True Summit), a longtime chronicler of adventure and exploration, deftly details a time when "the American public remained almost completely ignorant of mountaineering." Roberts's book reveals the true story behind one of the earliest and most remarkable expeditions of the 20th century.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Now in their nineties, in 1937 Bradford Washburn, age 27, and Bob Bates, 26, climbed to the summit of 17,150-foot Mt. Lucania in the Canadian Yukon, at that time the highest unclimbed mountain in North America. Washburn and Bates had been left stranded in the Yukon's Walsh Glacier at the start of their journey, when their pilot was unable to return with two other team members and part of their supplies after his landing site had become a "sea of slush," forcing them to hike more than 100 miles across unexplored territory. Roberts describes their expedition in vivid detail: what they ate (beans, soup, raisins, bacon, and dried beef); the weather (snow, rain, and fog); and the dangers involved (hidden crevasses, lack of sleep, inadequate gear, and no medical kit). Roberts draws on conversations with Washburn and Bates and quotes from their diaries. Some of Washburn's photographs from the expedition augment this hair-raising adventure story. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
JUST before noon on June 18, the skies suddenly cleared. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
JUST before noon on June 18, the skies suddenly cleared. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Friendship Conquers a Mountain,
By Ian Gordon Malcomson (Victoria, BC) - See all my reviews (HALL OF FAME) (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Escape from Lucania: An Epic Story of Survival (Hardcover)
In l937, two young American mountaineers took on the challenging task of climbing the little-known, seldom climbed Mt. Lucania, tucked away in the St. Elias range in the southwestern corner of the Yukon territory. Their harrowing ascent and descent is captured in a very fast-paced, easy-to-follow, informative little book written by an expert in outdoor adventure. I found Robert's account to be helpful in setting a realistic overall tone for the expedition and delivering the step-by-step analysis for the trek as seen through the eyes of its two principals. Here are some features readers might want to take note of as they move across this scenically beautiful but treacherous landscape with Bates and Washburn, two seasoned climbers, as their virtual guides:A. The author provides ample background detail about Bates and Washburn's training in and serious love for mountain climbing. These were two men who were anything but weekend outdoors men; B. The book contains a very detailed and colorful description of the route to and from the mountain peak. The language here is helpful in defining some of the personal challenges facing the team; C. The author, with the use of diaries, photos and interviews, gets inside the minds of Bates and Washburn as they skilfully attempt to overcome natural hazards and personal inadequacies. In the end, it is their personal friendship and a deep respect for the natural order that allows them to persevere. Overall, I recommend this book for what it tells us about the many special relationships that potentially exist between people and nature when the two come together: respect, awe, affection, passion, knowledge, and courage.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not quite an epic but a good read.,
By Amoebus (Champlin, MN) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Escape from Lucania: An Epic Story of Survival (Hardcover)
For anyone who is an armchair adventurist (like me), this is a fun read. Roberts creates a smooth story and actually downplays what were really dangerous acts. The highlight of the book for me was the picture of Bob and Brad on the back cover and in a picture inside. Here are two people who are completely immersed in life. They have just summited Lucania and they know they have 80+ miles of hard hiking in any direction with a limited amount of food. Their smiles warm us through miles of mountain air and decades of time. Ahhh, to be 20 again with the world under your feet.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good story,
By "nickhull" (Elora, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Escape from Lucania: An Epic Story of Survival (Hardcover)
This is just a story of two friends. It is not complex but it is a very fun read. It is not written as a catharsis, like into thin air was, it's basically the coolest story your grandpa ever told you.
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