Review of "Hidden Mountains"

As one who likes to live vicariously through books on mountain climbing, the title of this one caught my eye and I am glad that I picked it up.  It tells quite the story of a climb by four climbers in Alaska and one daring rescue.  Here is my review of "Hidden Mountains"

 

Title/Author:

“Hidden Mountains: Survival and Reckoning After a Climb Gone Wrong” by Michael Wejchert

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: In 2018, two couples with many years of climbing experience between the four of them, set out to the Hidden Mountains range in Alaska to reach the summit of an area none of them had explored in the past.  While the terrain was not considered difficult for their level of expertise, one of the climbers did suffer severe injuries from a rock fall.  The story of their expedition and the subsequent rescue is the subject of this excellent book by Micheal Wejchert, himself a climber as well as an author.

Readers who have an interest in climbing, whether they are climbers themselves or just enjoy reading about mountaineering, like I do, will be captivated by not only the stories of the four climbers but also of the pararescuers, the mountains themselves and even a little bit about the author.  On this last part, he didn’t insert himself into the story but instead explained how his past experiences gave him the knowledge to write about a certain situation or condition.

Not only is the story of the climb, accident, and rescue gripping, but a reader will also feel a range of emotions while the injured climber is recovering from his injuries and his long road to recovery.  It includes a breakup with his climbing and relationship partner which makes reading about it emotional as well.  This portion of the book was just as good for me as the actual climb.  It should also be noted that Wejchert does a great balance of writing for novices and experts in climbing.  There are explanations of some terms and actions that is helpful for those readers not familiar with the sport, but yet is not so simple as to bore a climbing expert – there are plenty of sections for them as well.  It comes highly recommended for anyone interested in any aspect of climbing.

I wish to thank Ecco Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Link: Hidden Mountains: Survival and Reckoning After a Climb Gone Wrong: Michael Wejchert: 9798212202107: Amazon.com: Books