Mountaineers In Gray

"As a benchmark book should, this one will stimulate the imagination and industry of future researchers as well as wrapping up the results of the last two decades of research... Eller's greatest achievement results from his successful fusion of scholarly virtues with literary ones. The book is comprehensive, but not overlong. It is readable but not superficial. The reader who reads only one book in a lifetime on Appalachia cannot do better than to choose this one... No one will be able to ignore it except those who refuse to confront the uncomfortable truths about American society and culture that Appalachia's history conveys." -- John A. Williams, Appalachian Journal.

The fifteenth and sixteenth states to join the United States of America, Kentucky and Tennessee were cut from a common cloth -- the rich region of the Ohio River Valley. Abounding with mountainous regions and fertile farmlands, these two slaveholding states were as closely tied to one another, both culturally and economically, as they were to the rest of the South. Yet when the Civil War erupted, Tennessee chose to secede while Kentucky remained part of the Union. The residents of Kentucky and Tennessee felt the full impact of the fighting as warring armies crossed back and forth across their borders. Due to Kentucky's strategic location, both the Union and the Confederacy sought to control it throughout the war, while Tennessee was second only to Virginia in the number of battles fought on its soil. Additionally, loyalties in each state were closely divided between the Union and the Confederacy, making wartime governance -- and personal relationships -- complex. In Sister States, Enemy States: The Civil War in Kentucky and Tennessee, editors Kent T. Dollar, Larry H. Whiteaker, and W. Calvin Dickinson explore how the war affected these two crucial states, and how they helped change the course of the war. Essays by prominent Civil War historians, including Benjamin Franklin Cooling, Marion Lucas, Tracy McKenzie, and Kenneth Noe, add new depth to aspects of the war not addressed elsewhere. The collection opens by recounting each state's debate over secession, detailing the divided loyalties in each as well as the overt conflict that simmered in East Tennessee. The editors also spotlight the war's overlooked participants, including common soldiers, women, refugees, African American soldiers, and guerrilla combatants. The book concludes by analyzing the difficulties these states experienced in putting the war behind them. The stories of Kentucky and Tennessee are a vital part of the larger narrative of the Civil War. Sister States, Enemy States offers fresh insights into the struggle that left a lasting mark on Kentuckians and Tennesseans, just as it left its mark on the nation.

“The definitive guide to mountains and climbing . . .”—Conrad Anker For nearly 60 years it’s been revered as the “bible” of mountaineering–and now it’s even better than ever The best-selling instructional text for new and intermediate climbers for more than half a century New edition—fully updated techniques and all-new illustrations Researched and written by a team of expert climbers Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is the text beloved by generations of new climbers—the standard for climbing education around the world where it has been translated into 12 languages. For the all-new 9th Edition, committees comprosed of active climbers and climbing educators reviewed every chapter of instruction, and discussed updates with staff from the American Alpine Club (AAC), the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), and the Access Fund. They also worked with professional members of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), to review their work and ensure that the updated textbook includes the most current best practices for both alpine and rock climbing instruction. From gear selection to belay and repel techniques, from glacier travel to rope work, to safety, safety, and more safety—there is no more comprehensive and thoroughly vetted training manual for climbing than the standard set by Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th Edition. Significant updates to this edition include: • New alignment with AAC’s nationwide universal belay standard • Expanded and more detailed avalanche safety info, including how to better understand avalanches, evaluate hazards, travel safely in avy terrain, and locate and rescue a fellow climber in an avalanche • Newly revamped chapters on clothing and camping • All-new illustrations reflecting the latest gear and techniques—created by artist John McMullen, former art director of Climbing magazine • Review of and contributions to multiple sections by AMGA-certified guides • Fresh approach to the Ten Essentials—now making the iconic list easier to recall

Author is a renowned writer in international climbing community Fascinating story of hoax that inspired a quest for a North American Shangri-La Vivid recounting of fabled mountains from across the world Using an infamous deception about a fake mountain range in British Columbia as her jumping-off point, Katie Ives, the well-known editor of Alpinist, explores the lure of blank spaces on the map and the value of the imagination. In Imaginary Peaks she details the cartographical mystery of the Riesenstein Hoax within the larger context of climbing history and the seemingly endless quest for newly discovered peaks and claims of first ascents. Imaginary Peaks is an evocative, thought-provoking tale, immersed in the literature of exploration, study of maps, and basic human desire.

Gray Skies and Blue Ice is set on the beautiful yet challenging mountain of Mt. Forbidden, one of the highest peaks in the state of Oregon. Heavily glaciated with steep snow slopes and unpredictable weather, the summit of Mt. Forbidden represents a prize sought after by mountain climbers around the world. Four such climbers, accompanied by their guide Steve Ague, battled an incoming storm to reach the summit and then experienced a horrifying accident while crossing a crevasse via a snow bridge. The snow bridge collapsed and the guide, as well as three of the climbers perished from the fall. A fourth climber, Charlie Bronson, managed to survive the accident, but his miraculous escape was anything but luck or coincidence. One member of the climbing team that perished, Ed Novak, was the CEO of a new start-up company that developed web-based apps for a wide range of applications. As a project leader with that company, Charlie knew that Novak was beginning to suspect him of committing fraud and anticipated being charged with a crime upon returning from the trip, hence Ed Novak had to be eliminated. The others were considered collateral damage. After the "unfortunate" climbing accident, Charlie felt confident when he descended to the mountain lodge, knowing he had eliminated his main accuser of his unethical and illegal deeds. But what Charlie started to realize, as he climbed downward, preparing mentally for his version of the terrible incident, was that he had left behind a crucial piece of incriminating evidence at the edge of the crevasse. As information regarding the accident started to percolate among the media and families of the lost climbers, Eric Jackson and Elizabeth Atterly, friends of two of the deceased climbers, began the long drive up to Mt. Forbidden to collect any personal effects they left behind. They met at the lodge and after much soul-searching decided to try to climb Mt. Forbidden and dedicate that climb to their loved ones. Realizing that they needed training to safely achieve that task, they hired a guide, Curt Whitmeyer, to teach them the necessary climbing skills in order to reach the crevasse and summit high up on the mountain. Following their training weekend, they agreed to meet two weeks later and attempt their climb to the summit. In the meantime, the incriminating evidence carelessly left behind by Charlie Bronson started to gnaw at him. He decided to get back up to the crevasse and get it himself before anyone else discovered it and started asking questions. After finding out that Elizabeth and Eric were going to climb up to the crevasse he convinced them to let him become part of the climbing team, and somehow retrieve his evidence. The first day of the climb, their guide had to pull out at the last minute, leaving Elizabeth, Eric and Charlie to proceed without him. Before leaving, the guide mentioned that there might be a storm approaching on the mountain in two days'' time, and they should try to be up and down before it arrived. Their first night was spent at a level campsite just below a steep rock rib. Getting through the rocky rib meant that the climbers would have to wind their way through a narrow gap in the rib before reaching their high camp at around 9000 feet. At high camp the group decided they should get to the crevasse and if possible, attempt to climb to the summit as a means of dedication to their lost loved ones. Summit day brought thickening clouds indicating that a storm front might be approaching. Nevertheless, the group made the decision to go for the crevasse and, if possible, the summit. As the weather deteriorates, they delicately crossed a snow bridge to reach the crevasse and took a moment to acknowledge their friends entombed below. Even with the increasing intensity of the storm the group decided to try for the summit. Eric was tied into the front of the rope and as he started up, he noticed a small piece of metal protruding from the snow. It was the picket that Charl

“Excellent, readable, and absorbing history . . . gives us a better understanding of this compelling aspect of the Civil War.” —Library Journal Families, communities, and the nation itself were irretrievably altered by the Civil War and the subsequent societal transformations of the nineteenth century. The repercussions of the war incited a broad range of unique problems in Appalachia, including political dynamics, racial prejudices, and the regional economy. This anthology of essays reveals life in Appalachia after the ravages of the Civil War, an unexplored area that has left a void in historical literature. Addressing a gap in the chronicles of our nation, this vital collection explores little-known aspects of history with a particular focus on the Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction periods. Acclaimed scholars John C. Inscoe, Gordon B. McKinney, and Ken Fones-Wolf are joined by up-and-comers like Mary Ella Engel, Anne E. Marshall, and Kyle Osborn in a unique volume investigating postwar Appalachia with clarity and precision. Featuring a broad geographic focus, the compelling essays cover postwar events in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. This approach provides an intimate portrait of Appalachia as a diverse collection of communities where the values of place and family are of crucial importance. Highlighting a wide array of topics including racial reconciliation, tension between former Unionists and Confederates, the evolution of post—Civil War memory, and altered perceptions of race, gender, and economic status, Reconstructing Appalachia is a timely and essential study of a region rich in heritage and tradition. “Outstanding.” —North Carolina Historical Review

Heralding his outstanding return to young adult fiction, Keith Gray captures the subtle agonies of teen life in this compelling, bittersweet tale of rivalry and friendship. In this compelling story of teenage rivalry and friendship, award-winning author Keith Gray captures the subtle agonies and reality of life growing up in a small town. Sully is the best climber in the village. He can scale the Twisted Sister's tangled branches and clamber up Double Trunker with ease. But when new kid Nottingham shows up and astonishes everyone with his climbing skills, Sully's status is under threat and there's only one way to prove who's best. Sully and Nottingham must race to climb the last unnamed tree. Whoever makes it to the top will become a legend. But something spiteful and ugly has reared its head in Sully ... Is it worth losing everything just to reach the top?