Customer Reviews

Not Won in a Day: Climbing Canada's Highpoints

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As a U.S. highpointer (my number is 14 as of 8/01), I wondered if anyone had tackled the Canadian highpoints yet and once I found Bennett's book, I got my answer.
For any highpointer who does U.S. spots like Iowa's Hawkeye Point or even Utah's King's Peak, the Canadian summits are typical highpointing trips, but to the extreme limit. Bennett gives a good chapter description of each summit attempt and includes pictures to let interested parties know what they are in store for. And frankly, none look to easy.

Among the Canadian highpoint adventures are a world-class mountaineering expedition (Mt. Logan in the Yukon), a 4-wheel mud-bogging drive through the Canadian shield (Saskatchewan), a orienteering nightmare in Nova Scotia, a canoeing portage trip through the backwoods of Ontario, an Arctic adventure at the top of the world (Nunavut) and a technical climbing test in some of the most remote country in North America (Mt. Nirvana in the Northwest Territories).

Bennett does attempt to give the reader some trail maps and directions to each summit but they are a bit confusing and not as precise as the directions in the Winger's U.S. Highpointing Handbook. Then again, Bennett must think no one is crazy enough to try and repeat his feat, especially after reading about his close calls in the book.
I ripped through this book in two days and was begging for more info afterwards. It is a highly addicting read and the reader will start to get the all-to-common 'highpointing itch' about half-way through th book.

A great book, I highly recommend it, and who knows, maybe we will be discussing it atop Mt. Fairweather someday.

Happy highpointing!

Jack Bennett's journey to all of Canada's Highpoints makes for great adventure reading. If you're excited about what you've just read he has the beta about how to get you to each of the these places (bring your own mosquito netting). The book is an easy read, has outstanding photographs and maps, route diagrams and profiles of the actual climbing routes. The only thing missing from this book is the discomfort of wet feet and the itch of bug bites. A must adventure read. Go Jack!

Great Book! I've always thought about doing some kind of project like Bennett's here in the states. His honest (and sometimes very dramatic) recounting of his climbs and the straightforward, detailed guide section seems to make an accomplishment like his just possible enough for us mere mortals.