Book: In Search of the Mount Cleveland Five

Montana has lots of mountains, and where there are mountains, you’re bound to find climbers. But what about Montana’s climbing history? We’re all familiar with the common lore of far-flung places like Yosemite, the Alps, and the Himalaya; but what’s been going on right in our back yard? For better or worse, Montana climbers have always harbored a “don’t talk about it” attitude toward groundbreaking ascents. Humility is part of the style here. But beneath that stoic veneer is a wealth of engaging, emotional stories, and Terry Kennedy has taken the reigns as storyteller with his new book, In Search of the Mount Cleveland Five (Sweetgrass Books, $24). With each chapter comes a new chronicle of the author’s self-discovery and growth as a climber, all while revolving around the mysterious disappearance of five young climbers on Mount Cleveland—the most tragic mountaineering accident in Montana to date. In these pages you’ll find well-known names alongside characters you’re not sure why you haven’t heard of, pioneering new ascents on faces, spires, and frozen waterfalls you may have thought had never been climbed. So pick up a copy and wander back through the decades to discover Montana’s rich mountaineering history.