– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures

– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog

Banner
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures
   

“Chasing Denali” by Jon Waterman — Review

by Lou Dawson October 23, 2018
written by Lou Dawson October 23, 2018

Sometimes, a book comes along that seems supernaturally appropriate for our themes here at WildSnow. (E.g, history; skiing; mountains; snow; personal retrospective; mountaineering; Denali.)

So, when my friend and prolific author Jonathan Waterman kicks out another Denali book, we notice. Jon’s new book, Chasing Denali, is a superb blend of history and personal narrative. The history should win a prize, while the personal content borders on memoir that’ll burn out headlamp batteries while invoking sleep deprivation.

Waterman during his Alaska days.

   Jon during his early Denali days.

What Jon does here is not easy. He grabs one of the most interesting historical events in mountaineering, writes deep, but blends his own “return to Denali as an old guy” with an overall historical theme. The early event in question is the famed and sometimes questioned 1910 “Sourdough First Ascent” of Denali’s North Summit.

If you’ve had half an ear to mountaineering history, you know about the Sourdoughs. They had zero climbing experience, but were no strangers to cold weather and hardship. Apparently they were strong as well, and innovative as to gear. (Example: actual home-made crampons that functioned for steep snow climbing and probably a modicum of ice ascension as well.) If what they did was real, it was indeed the “most unbelievable feat in mountaineering history,” as the book’s subtitle states.

Jon’s historical quest began just few years ago, inspired by a magazine article he was commissioned to write. During a coffee we had back then, he related that perhaps the old climb was somewhat a myth (and his article a “myth busting”), but that he’d dig into it with all modern tricks of historical research and see where it led. A few months later, coffee again, Jon saying something like: “I’ve been looking at the Sourdoughs…found out they had “creepers” that were nearly as effective as modern crampons. I’m thinking they might have done this thing just as the legends hold…but a few other items shed doubt. Check this photograph out, it is key, does it show the 14-foot spruce pole they erected near the summit…?”

Go ahead, if the word “fascinating” comes to mind you are not off the mark. Thus, 138 pages of tight prose, mixing Jon’s return to the mountain for his 60th birthday with an entire well-researched history (and truthing) of the Sourdough climb.

If there is any flaw in Chasing Denali, it’s that the prologue makes you want Waterman to write a full-on 150,000 word memoir covering his personal life as a “historical and environmental” adventurer. Granted, his Shadow of Denali book dabbles in retrospective, but it covers a brief time of his life. Likewise, his adventure writings are epic, personal, and could perhaps be called memoir: Jon’s boating the Colorado River from source to ocean comes to mind, as does his solo exploration of the Northwest passage. But now he’s in a final quartern of life, so how about something that covers the whole deal, behind the scenes?

Of course, perhaps Waterman’s entire body of work, numbering in the hundreds and thousands of words, could be anything one could ask of a memoirist. In that case, check out his listings at Amazon (click image to right).

It would be silly for me to close with a spoiler, as to Jon’s documented conclusion as to the Sourdough’s truth. So I’ll leave that for your discovery (read the book!). Meanwhile, I’m comfortable sharing that Jon’s return to his old stomping grounds has the makings of fine retrospective, or me-and-Joe climbing tale that would stand on its own. In either case, what you get is elevated by his quest for historicity.

Recommended? Five stars.

Chasing Denali — The sourdoughs, cheechakos, and frauds behind the most unbelievable feat in mountaineering
By Jon Waterman, Rowman & Littlefied Publishing, 2018

9 comments
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
previous post
Denali Gear: What Worked and What Didn’t — 2018
next post
Contour Climbing Skins — New and Factory 2018-2019

9 comments

OMR October 24, 2018 - 10:46 am

I’ve read other Waterman writings and I’ve never been disappointed. This one sounds great.
Perhaps this is unnesscary for your enlightened readers Lou, but maybe it should be noted there are two Jon(h) Watermans known for Denali exploits. The other one disappeared on Denali several decades ago.

Lou Dawson 2 October 24, 2018 - 12:00 pm

OMR, pretty old history now, but good to note. Jon (author) himself covers the other Jon in previous book, forgot which book exactly…

Take my word for it, Chasing Denali is really good. I could perhaps making the NYT list if it’s written main-stream enough for a popular book in the adventure genre. Difficult with these sorts of books, as you have your guaranteed customer base of folks who enjoy mountaineering literature, then your greater public who likes interesting outdoorsy stuff, but who knows what the latest whim is…

Lou

braerlach October 25, 2018 - 4:44 pm

Looks intriguing and hoping for a teachable moment: what exactly is an “environmental adventurer”?

Lou2 October 25, 2018 - 8:00 pm

Just a phrase i coined, meaning a person who adventures with purpose to raise environmental awareness, along with other things and motivations. Lou

Bard October 26, 2018 - 12:56 pm

I love his book “In the Shadow of Denali”, in which the story, “Lone Wolf (the other John Waterman)” appears. I eat this stuff up, and will surely read the new one. Thanks Lou and Jon!

Lou Dawson 2 October 27, 2018 - 7:26 am

Bard, indeed, Jon’s coverage of the “other” is a timeless addition to the canon of mountaineering history. It’s a fascinating, ultimately tragic story that for me brought home the fact that mountaineering can be transcendent, but sometimes has a dark side as well that we forget at our peril. Lou

Bard October 28, 2018 - 7:06 pm

Lou, did you personally know the other Watermans, Guy, Laura, Johnny? Fascinating and heartbreaking story, almost a Greek tragedy.

Lou Dawson 2 October 29, 2018 - 8:24 am

Didn’t know them Bard. Overall sad. Lou

Mike Brown November 2, 2018 - 12:48 pm

Jon was my first roommate when I moved to Aspen in 1989. I didn’t realize at the time just how hardcore he was in his outdoor pursuits, nor did I take advantage of getting to hear about them first hand nearly enough. I knew something was up though, as he would be gone for a month or so and then come home and sit at the kitchen table, grab the only thing he had in the fridge (Bicardi I believe) and hit the typewriter for two days. Then, poof – off on another adventure.

Can’t wait to read your new book, Jon!
Mike

Comments are closed.

Recent Comments

  • Jon Canuck on Meidjo 3.0 Binding Review – Backcountry Telemark Evolves
  • Joe Sedy on Giving Myself the Gift of Backcountry
  • Bil Brandt on Versatile and Sustainable — WNDR Vital 100 Ski Review
  • Idaho Dawg on Giving Myself the Gift of Backcountry
  • Mike on Versatile and Sustainable — WNDR Vital 100 Ski Review

Gear Reviews

  • Meidjo 3.0 Binding Review – Backcountry Telemark Evolves

    January 12, 2021
  • Tele Tech First Look — Voile Ultra Vector BC, 22 Designs Lynx, Scarpa TX Pro

    January 5, 2021
  • Petzl Irvis Hybrid Crampon Review

    January 4, 2021

Trip Reports

  • Finding Early Turns on Rainier’s Muir Snowfield

    November 14, 2020
  • Treading Lightly Through Close-to-Home Mountains

    October 6, 2020
  • Snoqualmie Classic — Chair Peak Circumnavigation

    May 26, 2020

Totally Deep Podcast

  • Risky Business — Zahan Billimoria on Solving for Z

    December 14, 2020
  • Totally Deep Podcast 81 — CAIC Director Ethan Greene

    December 9, 2020
  • Unraveling the Mysteries of Avalanche Education — Totally Deep Podcast 80

    November 16, 2020

Tips & Tricks

  • 10 Essential Mistakes for the Backcountry Ski Touring Beginner

    December 2, 2020
  • Buying Used Gear Guide Part II — Poles, Avy Gear, Packs

    November 25, 2020
  • Save Your Ski Day — Emergency Car Kit Essentials

    November 24, 2020

Ski Touring Stories

  • Six Who Dared — Elk Mountains Traverse & Richard Compton Tribute

    January 7, 2021
  • Risky Business — Zahan Billimoria on Solving for Z

    December 14, 2020
  • A Lifetime of Skiing the Heights — Natural Progression Book Review

    December 11, 2020

Newsletter Sign-Up

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • About Lou Dawson
  • Authors Page
  • About
  • Contact
  • Copyright & Legal
  • Website Security

@2020 - All Rights Reserved. Designed and Developed by WildSnow


Back To Top

Read alsox

Euro Puro Amoro — La Sportiva...

January 13, 2021

Griffin Post Stays Home — Totally...

January 10, 2021

Tele Tech First Look — Voile...

January 5, 2021