Pickets & Dead Men

by Bree Loewen

Being a climbing ranger on Mount Rainier proved to be a life-altering experience for author Bree Loewen. As one of only a handful of women on staff, Bree fought to prove herself among men in the field, while confronting the often unrealistic expectations of the public on a mountain that shows little mercy. With honesty, self-deprecation, and wry humor, she reflects on her experiences on Rainier: assisting injured climbers, rescuing lost children, battling inscrutable bureaucracy, lugging heavy equipment, and trying to make sense of it all. Whether it's her account of a solo climb in dicey conditions or trying to protect her good jacket while cleaning the outhouses at Camp Muir, Loewen's writing is engagingly human and humane.

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Reviews

"This is a fine, enjoyable read... Loewen's prose is so disarming -- at one point she says she wants her last thoughts to be about white chocolate macadamia nut cookies — you don't notice the seriousness of her trade until people actually start to dying. (Cailin Smart, Gripped)

"3.5 stars -- The book is engaging, honest and often painful." (Alison Osius, Rock & Ice)