The Next 15 Minutes: Strength From the Top of the Mountain [Paperback]

Kim Kircher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 18, 2011

Kim Kircher's husband's illness wasn't something she could blow up as she had done countless times on the ski slopes during avalanche control. Instead, Kim faced the biggest double black diamond ski run of her life as she listened to the doctors put her husband on the transplant list while he fought bile duct cancer.

The Next 15 Minutes is Kim's high octane story of how she drew strength from her life among the ski slopes and of the daring world that showed her how to survive and fight back.

Kim Kircher has been an EMT with avalanche control at Crystal Mountain, Washington, for twenty years.

The NAJSA (North American Snowsports Journalism Association) honored Kim Kircher at their Annual Conference in Mammoth Mountain with The Harold Hirsch Award in the Book Category for excellence in journalism. The book category is only given every three years. Judges are chosen based on their expertise in the field, and are not members of the organization. The award is named for Harold Hirsch, a long-time ski journalist, and member of the NASJA Board.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kim Kircher has logged over six hundred hours of explosives control, earning not only her avalanche blaster's card, but also a heli-blaster endorsement, allowing her to fly over the slopes in a helicopter and drop bombs from the open cockpit, while uttering the fabulously thrilling words "bombs away" into the mic.

An Emergency Medical Technician, she has received both a National Ski Patrol Purple Merit Star for saving a life as well as a Green Merit Star for saving a life in arduous conditions. Before working in the ski industry, she received her BA and teaching certificate from the University of Washington, and taught high school English for five years. Her articles have appeared in River Explorer, Couloir Magazine and Off-Piste Magazine.

She is a current member of the Pacific Northwest Writer's Association and co-authors a blog about her job at Crystal Mountain Ski Area. Kim starred in a reality show about ski patrollers on the cable channel TRU-TV. Her husband's family owns and operates ten ski areas in the United States and Canada, including Crystal Mountain, where she was worked for twenty years.

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Behler Publications (October 18, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933016116
• ISBN-13: 978-1933016115
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #988,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Story of Strength and Hope October 10, 2011

By Lisa

Format:Paperback

Kim Kircher's life has always been a bit of a balancing act. As a member of the ski patrol, she always has to balance her own safety with her ability to keep other people alive and well. On top of this, Kim has diabetes, so keeping her activity and blood sugars balanced is sometimes very difficult. Kim managed to keep things running fairly smoothly until her husband John's health began to decline. He had a liver disease, and this soon put him in a critical state. John desperately needed a liver transplant. Now they had to search for a living donor as trying to get a liver from a deceased donor would take longer than John had. Kim must used every bit of knowledge she's gained from her life and experiences on the mountains to help cope with what is happening.

This book was so inspirational! At first I thought I would have a hard time reading it because I did not understand skiing terminology. While the author tries to explain everything, I had a really hard time with it. However, I soon found myself having a fairly good understanding of what was going on, which made things so much easier to understand. I was incredibly moved by the story. Seeing Kim struggle with the realities of her husband's medical problems was sad yet heartwarming. She had so many things that helped her cope, and I think everyone can learn from those same coping strategies. One of the main ones as learning to take things in 15 minute intervals. In general the time interval is not the important part, but learning to take things one step at a time very helpful.

This would be wonderful book for anyone struggling with hard times, but it will probably be most helpful for people who are dealing with medical issues. It will help give inspiration and comfort. It would be a wonderful gift to give someone whose loved one has just received a difficult diagnosis or even just someone who wants an uplifting story that brings peace and comfort. It is beautifully written, and I'm sure it will help many people.

Book provided for review.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars the next fifteen minutes November 4, 2011

By snorting elk

Format:Paperback

A moving story told by a ski patrol para medic about her experiences on mountain rescue,her own diabetes problems and her husbands liver transplant.The book should be of special interest to skiers and hikers in the Northwest.(Especially the Crystal mountain ski area) The medical aspects of the book are of interest to all who have or are going through diabetes or cancer.

4.0 out of 5 stars I liked it. November 28, 2012

By Donna M Denham

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought it as I like books on moutain climbing even though I don't do it, I hike but not like these people. It shows me a side of someone who'll try and take on anything and that sometimes helps me in my life. I love the outdoors and the mountains so this just ties into my life somewhat. I only buy a book if after I read the back of it or in this case the description I'm left with I need to get it. I don't have again anyone that I'd tell them to get it as I don't know anyone who'll read it, maybe only people who like me love the outdoors and this is an extreme part of the world that only certain people like.