Read The Measure of a Mountain Beauty and Terror on Mount Rainier Bruce Barcott 9781570615214 Books

Product details Paperback 288 pages Publisher Sasquatch Books (April 10, 2007) Language English ISBN-10 1570615217

The Measure of a Mountain Beauty and Terror on Mount Rainier Bruce Barcott 9781570615214 Books Reviews

• The Measure of a Mountain is a mountain climber's book in the same way that Edward Abbey's books are for the desert explorer, it is about the relationship with The Mountain not the climb. Bruce Barcott writes in a way that captures howy we in the Northwest engage with Mt. Rainier. There is something about it that draws us back, renews us, and then pushes us away. The Measure of a Mountain captures this like no other book, video, or film I have ever seen or read does.
  
  I often say that a climb of Mt. Rainier starts when you decide to make the ascent and includes the training, preparation, and psychological fitness that precedes a climb. This is the story of his preparation. Part of this time before the climb is getting to know yourself and understanding the challenge you have taken on. Mr. Barcott does this by analyzing, studying, presenting, and hiking around Mt. Rainier. The Mountain is none to kind to him in the process, anyone who has been to its flanks more than a time or two will truly understand. I love the end of the fourth chapter where he says "At Mowich Lake, four days into the journey, I quit the mountain. The inexorable moist had crept into the cells of my sleeping bag.....I retired for the winter, beaten." I had been there too.
  
  This is the book to read when preparing for Mt. Rainier, not so you can self-arrest or tie a good figure-8 but so you can understand what you are doing. A must-read for anyone who approaches the grand lady of the Northwest.
• Southeast of Mr. Ranier is what is now named William O. Douglas National Forest. Reading this memoir makes you feel as if you were hiking along with Douglas. You know the paths, the terrain, the flora and fauna, and the unpredictable weather. He began to hike to overcome a childhood infirmity, but continued after he found compaionable serenity hiking, fishing, and camping this part of the Cascades. As an adult, he took a break from his responsibilities as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice and returned as often as he could to these beloved mountains.
• I thought i had read every book on Rainier until I saw this at the bookstore at Longmire. I was there to finally summit her . I like the author have been pretty much obsessed with the mountain since i can remember. And also like the author had spent many night on the Wonderland trail. Any yes often in miseries attic. This is the perfect combination of his personal story weaved in with the history of the National park plus climbing history. This guy can write! Onne of my all time favorites.
• Enough science to be interesting but not overwhelming, this is an excellent book for anyone living within sight of "the mountain". Lots of anecdotes, current and historical, to keep the pages turning. Personally, I loved it (read it twice) and have gifted it to others.
• I really enjoyed this book. An adventure that took place on MT Rainier......we call it "our mountain" which added to the good read.
• I enjoyed reading this book and learning much about the various aspects about this grand mountain. Author shares personal stories of backpacking along trails on the lower portions of Rainier.
• Recommended by a friend prior to going to Rainier. It was an ok read but not one I'd recommend unless you had an interest in going on a guided trip to Rainier.
• A great read about Rainier but the author would sometimes go off on miscellaneous tangents. Having climbed Rainier we seemed to have had drastically different summiting experiences.