Not Without Peril (Tenth Anniversary Edition): 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 627 ratings

Price: 21.83

Last update: 08-28-2024


Top reviews from the United States

Stantz
5.0 out of 5 stars How Not To Get Killed In The White Mountains
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2012
When a climber dies on Mount Everest, it often is due to circumstances out of their control. You can be the most seasoned hiker in the world, with state-of-the-art equipment, only to have one of five thousand things go wrong during your ascent into the Death Zone, ultimately leaving you as one of the many frozen corpses dotting the trail. In most cases, the dangers of the mountain were OVERESTIMATED, and yet still had deadly consequences.

When a climber dies in the White Mountains, it's usually for one reason, and one reason alone: the climber vastly underestimated the mountains.

It's understandable, to some degree. Mount Washington, the tallest in the Presidentials at 6,288 feet, is the sort of hike that many inexperienced New England day trippers do with zero preparation. Your average in-shape adult can make the climb and return to the parking lot in about 6 hours or so. No gear necessary, and most don't even wear the proper clothing.

And that is exactly how most of the stories in Not Without Peril begin. A hiker shows up, ill-prepared for the trek at hand. As he or she ascends, the weather gets bad. In true Yankee fashion, the hiker pushes on, not realizing how the situation is deteriorating. And finally, when he or she finally realizes they can't continue, it's too late to turn back.

Spanning hundreds of years, author Nicholas Howe has put together a thrilling, terrifying, and in the end, educational collection of tragedies and near-tragedies in the White Mountains. The most memorable are those in which the hiker, stranded in a storm typical to Mount Washington, collapses, thinking all hope is lost and ultimately dies - only to be discovered the next day a mere 50 or 100 feet from shelter, which was hidden in the storm.

Half of these almost read like a bad horror movie. You want to scream out loud at the hikers not to continue, that they're clearly going to get themselves killed. And yet, it's totally believable because I've been in many of these situations before, and made many of the same dumb decisions. I've had the weather turn on me on two separate occasions while climbing Mount Washington - and yet I still pressed on to the summit. I've worn cotton clothes, only to have them get drenched with sweat - a precursor to inducing hypothermia. I've gotten lost on trails and figured, hey, if we go up, we have to get to the top...right? By all accounts, I should be a chapter in Howe's book.

Howe grew up climbing the mountains and knows them cold, and each chapter includes a thorough history of the White Mountains, the evolution of its tourism, detailed maps and personal anecdotes. In fact, Howe rehiked the paths taken by many of the doomed hikers in Not Without Peril, discovering exactly where they collapsed for the final time.

I was surprised by a few notable omissions: no mention is made of the 1967 cog disaster. I was also expecting a chapter on Toni Matt, the skier who, in 1939, set the world record for skiing Tuckerman's by accident. Not realizing he was skiing the steepest portion of the Ravine, he headed straight down - an action that could have easily killed him, but instead put him in the record books.

But the tension never lets up in Howe's book, and it should be required reading for all hikers in the White Mountains - especially those who consider it a baby mountain.
some guy
4.0 out of 5 stars Both enjoyable and informative!
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2018
Being from NH and doing the majority of my hiking in the White Mountains, I really enjoyed this book. The stories themselves are fascinating, and I found it hard to stop reading mid-chapter. You can tell a lot of research went into the stories that are presented, especially the earlier events that occurred during a time when record keeping was nowhere near what it is now. I only give it four stars instead of five because of the wording/punctuation used throughout the book. It's a bit "wordy" and has odd punctuation choices, which made it difficult and distracting to read at times.
Laurie Kelley
5.0 out of 5 stars Not Without Warning
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2021
What a fascinating book, especially for those of us who live near and hike in the White Mountains. I just started this year my 48 4,000 footers of New Hampshire, but have climbed Mt. Washington six times in the summer, in the past. It is an often underestimated mountain, due to its diminutive 6,288 feet, but as “Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire” by Nicholas S. Howe will show you, it is never to be underestimated. To do a day-hike of Mt. Washington, you must actually be prepared for a subzero winter overnight, even when the temperatures and weather at the trailhead are summer. This book is a must-read and a warning.

Howe’s goal is not to bash those who died on Washington, but to share the history of this fascinating mountain and also that of the Presidential Range; to weave in side stories related to the mountain; and finally, to warn anyone who wants to summit Mt. Washington or attempt the traverse of the Range what to expect.

Some of the hikers died by pure bad luck; others by arrogance; but most by underestimating the power of weather on this unique rock. So many were sadly so young. I recall a more recent death, that of Kate Matrosova, a beautiful young woman, and accomplished mountaineer who had done several of the Seven Summits, and had done the winter traverse just the month before. But, solo, with no sleeping bag or snowshoes (deadly mistake) she attempted a one day traverse, but winds were 141 mph and the temperatures sank to -85°. She knowingly tempted fate, as did so many have on Washington and the Presidential Range.

You will learn the history of creating the trails, the origins of the AMC, and progress on Washington, including its famous cog railway and the observatory. The highest recorded winds on earth took place here. You’ll learn even that Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, kept a picture of Mt. Washington in his study. For me the surprising part of the book was all the historical side stories, especially regarding the role of the wireless!

The book moves along quickly, and I could not put it down. However, know that the reading style is a bit dry, and the language is surprisingly stilted at times: “Now the three men returned to thought.” “...coroner’s jury might rule that he died of complications attending sudden onset of dread.” “...he took part of a cup of gruel with warm milk.” When people died, they died; there is no sorrow, no pity, no wondering by the author. On to the next vignette of death. The stories tend to get bogged down with an overly-detailed description of the terrain and trails, which I like as I hike frequently there, but that others may not like as well.

Overall, a great read for adventure, and a solemn warning should you decide to hike the Presidents. Don’t go alone; be prepared for arctic conditions, even if it is 80°, hot and dry at the trailhead; bring lots of water; tell someone where you are going; sign in at Pinkham Notch; carry a phone and/or GPS; turn back if you feel ill or lost. And never, ever underestimate these small but deadly mountains.
Simon T
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful history of “deadly errors” in the NH White Mountains
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2023
Mt. Washington, with its relative accessibility to New England’s large population, has long been a draw for experienced and inexperienced hikers alike. Both types of hikers have been caught exposed on the mountain as it’s notorious weather takes a turn for the worse. This informative and well-written non-fiction book tells the stories of those who through bad luck or lack of preparation met a tragic end on the mountain. Not sensationalized, but thoughtfully explained by an author with deep experience of the mountain, there is not only the value of a good read to be had here, but also valuable knowledge and awareness building for those heading to the White Mountains.
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Simon T
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful history of “deadly errors” in the NH White Mountains
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2023
Mt. Washington, with its relative accessibility to New England’s large population, has long been a draw for experienced and inexperienced hikers alike. Both types of hikers have been caught exposed on the mountain as it’s notorious weather takes a turn for the worse. This informative and well-written non-fiction book tells the stories of those who through bad luck or lack of preparation met a tragic end on the mountain. Not sensationalized, but thoughtfully explained by an author with deep experience of the mountain, there is not only the value of a good read to be had here, but also valuable knowledge and awareness building for those heading to the White Mountains.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2024
Wow! A must read book for seasoned hikers or anyone who has an interest in hiking the highest peaks in the White Mountains.

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