Longs Peak: The Story Of Colorado's Favorite Fourteener (Paperback)

~ Dougald Macdonald (Author)
Key Phrases: winter ascent, free climbing, two climbers, Longs Peak, East Face, Boulder Field (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 239 pages
• Publisher: Westcliffe Publishers (May 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565794974
• ISBN-13: 978-1565794979
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #790,772 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent feature on the mountain!, May 1, 2006

By	M. J. Lowe "librarian" (Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This very readable account of Long's Peak from Dougald MacDonald is an excellent volume. Divided into four general parts, MacDonald opens the book with a personal account of hiking the "Through the Keyhole" to the summit. The writing is personal, wry and engaging as he details the common summer hiking route to the top. The History portion begins with the earliest Anglo-American accounts of climbing the mountain and includes some of the colorful personalities that have scaled it. John Wesley "Wes" Powell, the "one-armed mountaineer" to the tragic rescue attempt and death of Agnes Vaille, "one of Colorado's best climbers, male or female, during the 1920s" are here. Early commercial and National Park Service efforts at tourism and stewardship of the mountain are explained. The Adventure portion discusses changes in hiking and climbing methods and routes, along with rescue efforts and the 54 recorded fatalities on Long's Peak. The Natural History portion details the geological, flora, and fauna resources and the best places to look for them.

A sports journalist for years, MacDonald is the former editor of Rock & Ice and has been climbing Long's Peak since 1982. More than a guide book, his Long's Peak is filled with full-color photographs, historical photographs, maps and trail routes. Numerous inset boxes are scattered throughout the book that provide additional information or refer readers to other resources. Appendices include the best routes, a glossary, an index, and a brief explanation of sources. MacDonald conducted and distilled extensive research including primary resources and there is a bibliography; however, the selected notes are too vague for researchers. Long's Peak is the most comprehensive and current volume of the mountain, including the classic by the late Paul Nesbit and a must for public libraries and others with regional or mountaineering history collections.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories and photos, January 7, 2005

By	George Bell (Boulder, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent book on the history of Longs Peak. In particular the controversy around who made the first ascent is well researched and fascinating, although I may not agree with all the author's conclusions. This is the best account of the Agnes Vaille tragedy I have seen and contains many factoids I was not familiar with. Many a hiker passing the stone hut below the Keyhole has wondered about it, and reading this account is just what they need.

The photos in the book are magnificent and very well reproduced. There is also a list of recommended routes in the back. This is not a climbing guide, however, and I suggest you buy such a guide if you are planning on climbing any of these routes.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Total Longs, July 20, 2004

By	Donald E Bauer (Greeley, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dougald Macdonald did an excellent job covering all faucets of this mountain. Anyone who has had the opportunity to climb Longs Peak or has a general interest in mountains, be it climbing, studying the history, photography, etc. should find this as one of those "hard to put down" books. He covered most every perspective from the exploration to the extreme climbing and presented it in an easy reading yet fascinating manner. I found the history of the climbers and geology of the mountain quite interesting. Having hiked the trail before, I'll take more time to check out the surroundings on my next visit (Although that's hard to do considering the awesome scenery). Thanks for such a good book!