Critical Hours: Search and Rescue in the White Mountains

by Sandy Stott

Overview

A misread map, a sudden storm, a forgotten headlamp—and suddenly a leisurely hike turns into a treacherous endeavor. In the past decade, inexpensive but sophisticated navigation devices and mobile phones have led to alarming levels of overconfidence on the trail. Adding to this worrisome trend, the increasing popularity of ventures into mountainous terrain has led hikers seeking solitude—or an adrenaline rush—into increasingly remote or risky forays. Sandy Stott, the “Accidents” editor at the journal of the Appalachian Mountain Club, delivers both a history and a celebration of the search and rescue workers who save countless lives in the White Mountains—along with a plea for us not to take their steadfastness and bravery for granted. Filled with tales of astonishing courage and sobering tragedy, Critical Hours will appeal to outdoor enthusiasts and armchair adventurers alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781512601763
Publisher:	University Press of New England
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	294
Sales rank:	440,095
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

SANDY STOTT is a former editor of Appalachian Mountain Club’s journal Appalachia, a longtime English teacher, and a lifelong wanderer in the White Mountains.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments • Abbreviations • A Note on Names • Introduction • Where We Come From: Thinly Settled to Thickly Surrounded • Finding Kate: Searchers’ Stories • Seven Calls: Help Me Who’s Coming What Took You So Long? • In the Beginning • White Fingers Po

What People are Saying About This

Laura Waterman

“You need this book whether you’re a White Mountains veteran or someone slinging on a pack for the first time. Stott’s wise and urbane writing on the search and rescue culture has us compulsively reading these narratives of (mostly) loss, and of those who rescue us from our own misjudgments. Here’s the last word in staying safe and self-aware in the mountains. Add this book to your ten essentials as required reading!”

Editorial Reviews

"Stott focuses on the heroism of SAR workers and what these incidents can teach us about staying safe in the mountains."-- "Outside"

From the Publisher