Desire and Ice

 

Desire and Ice
Page Type Gear Review
Object Title Desire and Ice
Manufacturer David Brill (National Geographic Society)
Page By silversummit
Page Type Apr 21, 2009 / Apr 21, 2009
Object ID 6067
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BOOK SUMMARY

Ever wonder how a novice 45 year old climber would prepare and scale Denali? Ever think about doing a similar mid-life mountaineering feat? Would you be happy just standing at the foot of the mountain or getting halfway up the mountain as you had told yourself you would over and over the six months before? Or would it take nothing less than reaching the top to get you to your goal?

David Brill shares his story in a down-to-earth, witty style that draws you in almost instantly. He’s not quite a beginner having climbed Rainier before but he doesn’t take any chances and repeats Rainier before setting off for Alaska. And interspersed with his preparation for Denali you learn about his 3 Ds: his divorce, his two daughters and his decision that the summit will not be the ultimate goal if it means never seeing his daughters grow up. He runs almost every day and hikes up a nearby mountain weekly wondering if all this will be enough; enough to get him up Denali and, if Denali will be enough.

The rest of the book offers an account of his guided expedition on Denali with all of the typical altitude worries, aches and pains and team problems. You will get to know his teammates and guides, the weather will chill you and you will probably laugh a few times but you feel right there with David as he struggles with great spirit to the top of Denali.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Price: $16.00

Paperback: 320 pages

Author: David Brill

Publisher: National Geographic Society

Year Published: 2002

Language: English

ISBN: 13:9780-792269359

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silversummit - Apr 21, 2009 1:52 pm - Voted 5/5

Thoroughly enjoyable!
I really enjoyed this book! David Brill standing there dressed in all his brand-new mountaineering clothing looking at himself in a mirror – so human! His describing putting on crampons, having tent-fever, taking the standard route up Denali, struggling to get in shape back home at first, and then needing weeks back home to “re-enter” the real world again, so human.

It was also refreshing to have nothing earth-shattering happen to the main people in his party. Things pretty much happened the way they were supposed to and as some point out, in the proper way (guided) on Denali. But the real reason I like this book so much is that Bill is an eloquent and practiced writer who goes where I would love to go!

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