This is a very straightforward “just the facts, ma’am” telling of 1967 disaster on Mt. Denali, North America’s tallest peak. Seven out of twelve people on the team died in a crazy sudden storm that was estimated to have gusts of 300 mph in gulleys near the peak.

At 250 pages, this book doesn’t have a lot of room for character sketches or team psychology. It does detail some conflicts already at play before the team even set out, and does quote journal entries, but doesn’t spend much time there. That storm was fierce, no doubt, but this team had major communication problems from the get-go, and I would have liked to learn more about that. Give me the gossip!