In Search of the Mount Cleveland Five by Terry G. Kennedy

Details:

• Paperback
• About 370 pages

Terry Kennedy was just 15 years old when he heard the news of five young mountain climbers had gone missing while attempting to be the first group to climb the north side of Mount Cleveland. In Search of the Mount Cleveland Five by Terry G. Kennedy tells the enigmatic tale of the Mount Cleveland tragedy and the coming-of-age of one man through 22 years of endeavors with Montana climbers and their close calls. The grief and inspiration of the Mount Cleveland avalanche never leaves the minds of those who hear it. The story ends on a peak in the Alaska Range as the author attempts a new route with the son of his longtime climbing partner. The slope they are ascending threatens to avalanche—and history is on the verge of repeating itself. 

In January 1970, the search for the five climbers made front-page headlines across Montana, from Bozeman — where three of the missing were Montana State University students — to Missoula, Billings, Kalispell and Great Falls. From a tragic accident such as this one, some would come to the conclusion that life is fragile, mountains can kill you, and it’s safer to stay home. Instead, Kennedy felt determined to teach himself how to traverse these peaks so that he could carry the spirit of the climbers lost on Mount Cleveland. Today, Kennedy resides in Bozeman and works as a physical therapist. 

Looking for another tragic read? Check out Death in the Grizzly Maze: The Timothy Treadwell Story by Mike Lapinski