Full Circle: Jon Waterman

Like many young alpinists, my early experiences in and out of the mountains were defined by a succession of monumental highs tempered with desperate lows.  Maybe that’s why Jonathan Waterman’s book, In The Shadow Of Denali - made such an indelible mark on me. The collection of short stories, which is a a mountaineering classic, followed Waterman’s years as an alpinist and mountaineering ranger on Denali in the 1970’s and 80’.  As a neophyte Alaskan climber, just out of high school - it affected me deeply.

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Although I was fascinated with the climbing stories Waterman penned, I was equally entranced by the characters he described.  Tales of legendary figures like Mugs Stump and Ray Genet kept me turning the pages at a frantic pace. But it was the stories of the people living their lives in the shadow of the mountain, that hit me the hardest.  The descriptions of the hard drinking Herb Atwater, and the ill-fated journey of Gretta Berglund - painted a brutally honest picture of a darker side of Alaska.

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Needless to say, the book left a lasting impression on me, and I can honestly say In The Shadow Of Denali is the most influential climbing-related book I’ve ever read.

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That’s why I was excited to get a chance to interview Jon Waterman this last week.  We talked about everything - from his bitter 1982 winter ascent of The Cassin Ridge, to a 2,000 mile paddle trip across the northwest passage, as well as his new book ‘Chasing Denali’.  

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Music by Evan Phillips:

https://evanphillips.bandcamp.com/album/cabin-vibes-volume-one

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Links:

https://jonathanwaterman.com/books/chasing-denali/

http://thefirnline.com/

http://evanphillips.net

https://patreon.com/thefirnline

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Sponsors:

http://www.alaskarockgym.com/

http://moosestooth.net/

http://hoardingmarmot.com/

http://www.behindthesuntherapeutics.com/