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Eric Blehm
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The Darkest White: A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche That Took Him Kindle Edition

by Eric Blehm (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
Editors' pick Best Books of the Year So Far 2024
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“Eric Blehm offers an insightful perspective on how Craig Kelly became the effortless icon that we all revered as well as sobering details of how his heroic journey tragically ended. The Darkest White is a must read, not just for fans of snowboarding, but for anyone looking for inspiration from an unlikely hero.”—Tony Hawk

From Eric Blehm, the bestselling author of The Last Season and Fearless, comes an extraordinary new book in the vein of Into the Wild, the story of the legendary snowboarder Craig Kelly and his death in the 2003 Durrand Glacier Avalanche—a devastating and controversial tragedy that claimed the lives of seven people.

On January 20, 2003, a thunderous crack rang out and a 100-foot-wide tide of snow barreled down the Northern Selkirk Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. More than a dozen skiers and snowboarders were thrust down the mountain, buried beneath several tons of rock-hard snow and ice in the Durrand Glacier Avalanche. A heroic search and rescue ensued. Among those buried was Craig Kelly—“the Michael Jordan of snowboarding”—a man who had propelled the sport into the mainstream before walking away from competitions, to rekindle his passion in the untamed alpine wilds of North America

The Darkest White is the story of Craig Kelly’s life, a heartbreaking but extraordinary and inspiring odyssey of a latchkey kid whose athletic prowess and innovations would revolutionize winter sports, take him around the globe, and push him into ever more extreme environments that would ultimately take his life. It is also a definitive, immersive account of snowboarding and the cultural movement that exploded around it, growing the sport from minor Gen X cult hobby to Olympic centerpiece and a billion-dollar business full of feuds and rivalries. Finally, The Darkest White is a mesmerizing, cautionary portrait of the mountains, of the allure and the glory they offer, and of the avalanches they unleash with unforgiving fury.

"The most unremittingly exciting book of nonfiction I have come across in recent years. I found myself reading late into recent nights wholly transfixed by every paragraph, every word."—Simon Winchester, The New York Times Book Review

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    Harper
  5. Publication date
    February 27, 2024
  6. File size
    25013 KB
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From the Publisher

The Darkest White
The Darkest White
The Darkest White
9780060583019 image 9780061661235 image
The Last Season The Only Thing Worth Dying For
Customer Reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
1,425
4.6 out of 5 stars
1,728
Price $9.73 $11.53

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The most unremittingly exciting book of nonfiction I have come across in recent years. I found myself reading late into recent nights wholly transfixed by every paragraph, every word." — Simon Winchester, The New York Times Book Review

“Mr. Blehm’s description of Kelly’s meticulous training . . . and his minute-by-minute account of the fateful day leading up to Kelly’s demise, make this book as riveting as any thriller.” — Wall Street Journal

“Eric Blehm offers an insightful perspective on how Craig Kelly became the effortless icon that we all revered as well as sobering details of how his heroic journey tragically ended. The Darkest White is a must read, not just for fans of snowboarding, but for anyone looking for inspiration from an unlikely hero.” — Tony Hawk

"Eric Blehm has written a gripping and heartfelt story of a bold, short life well-lived. The Darkest White is both a fine elegy to a majestic athlete and a perceptive study of the tantalizing call of wilderness and how the mountains seduce us.” — Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of In the Kingdom of Ice and Blood and Thunder 

“When I started snowboarding, Craig was already a true legend in the sport. Growing up, I always looked up to him. He inspired me and so many other riders. I just wish I got to ride with him more." — Shaun White

“Eric Blehm took on this biography as I imagine Craig Kelly took on the halfpipe. He studied it, chose his line, and pulled everything off—even tough parts—with grace and style. It’s not just a terrific story of an amazing life, not just the origin story of an entire sport, but a riveting disaster narrative that builds tension masterfully. The Darkest White grabbed me and didn’t let go." — Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Terminal List series

“The Darkest White is a little like riding a magic carpet through a white out. I haven't read a winter saga this good since John Branch's Snowfall, which won the Pulitzer.” — John Long, adventurer, climber and award-winning author of Gorilla Monsoon, Icarus Syndrome, and Granite Mariner

"Impressive reporting offers new insight into [Craig] Kelly’s final hours, and the author’s empathetic portrayal of Kelly as a purist who 'turned his back on business deals, high-dollar sponsorship contracts, and . . . prize money' to return to the 'powdery backcountry that had first drawn him to his calling' will resonate even with those unfamiliar with his legacy. It’s a stirring tribute to a talent gone too soon." — Publishers Weekly

"Blehm recounts in gripping detail the terrifying disaster, the desperate rescue efforts, and the ensuing investigations into the cause. A stirring adventure narrative and sports bio." — Kirkus Reviews

"In The Darkest White, Eric Blehm skillfully chronicles the remarkable life and terrifying demise of legendary snowboarder Craig Kelly, whose journey from youthful shredder to pioneering icon transformed winter sports. With narrative precision and descriptive beauty, Blehm immerses readers into the highs and lows of Kelly's career, exploring the captivating world of snowboarding, its cultural explosion, and the ruthless forces of nature that ultimately claimed the life of this sensational athlete." — Neal Bascomb, author of Faster and The Perfect Mile

About the Author

Eric Blehm is a bestselling author and award-winning journalist, who has contributed to GQ, Outside, Men's Journal, Backpacker, Climbing, Couloir, Hemispheres, and the Los Angeles Times. In 1999 he broke ground as the first journalist to accompany and keep pace with an elite Army Ranger unit on a training mission. His access to the Special Operations community and reportage set an important milestone for American war journalism two years before reporters began to gain widespread embedded status with the US military in the War on Terror. Blehm gained a reputation for following stories to remote and risky environments, which has led him to previously untold stories, including one of an elite team of eleven Green Berets who operated in the hinterland of Taliban-held Afghanistan just weeks after 9/11. Winner of the Barnes & Noble Discover Award for The Last Season, he has distinguished himself as one of America's most important new nonfiction writers. He is also widely known for his participatory coverage of outdoor sports and topics in the realm of adventure travel.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C3D4ZMGP
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper (February 27, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 27, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 25013 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 349 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0063381842
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Eric Blehm

Eric Blehm

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Eric Blehm [ericblehm dot com] is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestsellers Fearless and The Only Thing Worth Dying For. His book The Last Season won the National Outdoor Book Award and was named by Outside magazine as one of the “greatest adventure biographies ever written.”

Blehm got his start in journalism writing for Powder and then TransWorld SNOWboarding in the early 1990s where he became editor in chief before moving on to freelance. In 1999, Blehm was the first journalist to accompany and keep pace with an elite Army Ranger platoon on a training mission for the feature article “Painted Demons” (POV magazine). His access into the Special Operations community and reportage set an important milestone for American war journalism two years before reporters gained widespread embedded status with the U.S. military during the global war against terrorism. Blehm’s immersion with the Rangers also led him to write the account of an elite team of eleven Green Berets who changed the course of a nation’s history while operating in the hinterland of Taliban-held southern Afghanistan just weeks after 9/11 (The Only Thing Worth Dying For/HarperCollins). His next book, Fearless (Waterbrook/Multnomah; Random House), told the heartrending and inspiring story of Naval Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Adam Brown, who battled addiction and overcame devastating injuries during his redemptive rise to join the hallowed ranks of SEAL Team SIX. Blehm followed Fearless with a deep dive into the 1960s with Legend (Crown Books, Penguin RandomHouse)—the unforgettable account of the U.S. Army’s 240th Assault Helicopter Company and Green Beret Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez, who risked everything to rescue a Special Forces team trapped behind enemy lines in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Both Fearless and Legend are currently being adapted for film by major Hollywood producers and studios.

In his current book, The Darkest White, A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche that Took Him (HarperCollins), Blehm returned to his mountain roots to tell the story of snowboarding’s original superstar Craig Kelly. Known as the sport’s first true professional, Kelly walked away from the fame and fortune associated with competition to return to the powdery backcountry that originally drew him to his calling, and ultimately took his life. “The Darkest White is a gripping and heartfelt story of a bold, short life well-lived,” says New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides. “Not just a terrific story of an amazing life,” adds number one New York Times bestselling author of The Terminal List series, Jack Carr, “not just the origin story of an entire sport, but a riveting disaster narrative that builds tension masterfully.” It is “… a must read,” says Tony Hawk, “not just for fans of snowboarding, but for anyone looking for inspiration from an unlikely hero.”

Blehm continues to research, write, and bring to life sometimes obscure, but always amazing true stories from his basecamp in north San Diego County where he lives with his editor wife and brood of three talented and creative “kids” all of whom make him look good on paper (and to infinity) and beyond.

#Believe

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
156 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Chris Rogers
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Incredible story of Craig and his journey from MBHC to Legend
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2024
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Amazing story journaling Craig's discovery of snowboarding and his pathway to Legend status in the industry. As someone who grew up reading about Craig in Snowboarder and TWSnow pre-internet and social media, there was so much to Craig that I didn't know about. Craig was the one we all looked up to, I vividly remember the first time I met him, and the impact his passing had on the entire industry. This book is full of stories and anecdotes that we probably would have seen on Instagram now, and helps bring life to a massive icon in the sport.

"While I will always have the utmost respect for the superhuman out-of-bounds freestyle and extreme stunts that seem to continually progress beyond our imaginable limits, my highest appreciation goes out to the simple rider who's out there just for the experience." - Craig Kelly
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Will Allen
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book about Craig and Free riding
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2024
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If you love the sport and know some of the history this book is for you
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully done.
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2024
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The author, Eric Blehm, did an incredible job collecting information and presenting it. I felt the reality of Craig's life and saw the beauty and strength in it, despite knowing its tragic ending. As a fan of athlete biographies, this is hands down my favorite to date.
One person found this helpful
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Jose M Ramirez
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Story
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
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Wow. The Darkest White was such a joy to read. It is inspiring. I want to run to the store right now, buy a snowboard, and drive to the nearest mountain. But I also want to go hug my loved ones. We take so much for granted, and it can all be taken away so quickly. I feel for Craig, his family, and the other victims. Just like Eric’s other books, The Darkest White, introduces me to someone I will never meet, but somehow now feel connected to. I appreciated Eric’s transparency and honesty of his conversations with Ruedi and Ken. Eric does not force an opinion on the tragic events, but lays out the information for the reader to make their own judgement. Eric has a true gift of keeping readers engaged in stories where the ending is already known.
5 people found this helpful
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terry lowell
5.0 out of 5 stars A
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2024
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This is a great description of the relationship of new fallen snow on top of old snow on steep slopes. In the last 3 weeks three backcountry skiers perished when they skied across new snow on older snow and caused an avalanche
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Betsy
5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting story
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2024
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Days later, I am still thinking about this book. I knew nothing of Craig Kelly until I picked up this book. Being from Seattle, I was interested to learn more about this great athlete and the sport of snowboarding. It gives enough technical detail to explain things well and yet does not get bogged down. The Last few chaptersi couldn't put it down even though I knew how it would end. A good, gripping read all around.
2 people found this helpful
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Scrutinizing Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Too many details
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
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1.0 out of 5 stars Bias and Omissions
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024
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…La Traviata couloir, on Tumbledown Mountain. Jan 20, 2003. A 1,200 ft. high snow slope in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia collapses while loaded by more than 20 clients and buries thirteen in 19,000 tons of rock-hard debris. Seven clients die. They were being “professionally guided”.
The avalanche sections of this book suffer badly, from fabulist declarations, inaccuracies and factual omissions. The author widely employs a consistent rhetoric that encourages serious misperception. Blehm spends an inordinate amount of time dwelling on the assistant guide’s emotional state (pretty much taken from the guide’s own gut-wrenching book about the avalanche and how he dealt with the aftermath See Buried by Ken Wylie. About the avalanche and how it came about, well, here are some select observations -
Blehm drinks the cool aid and makes numerous declarations with varying degrees of editorial flair about how ‘safe’ the guiding was (18 years of no deaths, no “accidents”, and etc.) whereas a general perception among some professionals and others was that the guiding style was dangerous and bound to fail. And, the following report is not mentioned at all –
“Rudy (sic) told us that this (La Traviata) was a tricky slope that was prone to avalanche and told us to spread out as we contoured up the slope. We spread out over 10 meters apart and tread softly in order to reduce the load on the slope. As we approached the top of the slope it gave way. The only person caught in the avalanche was Rudy, who was wearing his new hinged ski board-which was ripped off his feet and one half of the board was lost in the avalanche, but Rudy was safe. We spent an hour looking for the half-board before giving up. The lesson: This slope was well known as an avalanche hazard. We learned, “The mountain does not care if you are an avalanche expert”. Murry & Nicole Allen – Powder Canada magazine, September 29, 2014
Following that omission there is the fact that Blehm leaves out that everywhere investigators dug and tested they found the weak layer. Easily. Everywhere. No discussion at all.
In an astonishing lack of accuracy, Blehm blames the assistant guide, Ken Wylie, for, and this is a quote, “rushing up” La Traviata. In fact, it appears that the lead guide, Ruedi Beglinger, “commanded” Wylie to follow his lead at a twenty-minute spacing, a command Wylie had dare not question given the wrath and disregard heaped on the Wylie the day before because of abysmal, unconfirmed communications. If indeed this order for 20 minute spacing were given, this would exactly put the second group direct into the avalanche path. The math works out the same with pretty any reasonable climb rate you pick… the assistant guide’s group always gets put squarely in the throat of the couloir. And yet, Blehm holds out Wylie’s “rushing up” as the major failing of the day. He implies that ‘had Wylie not “rushed up” the day would have essentially been saved. This makes absolutely no sense. It is simply false.
If one thinks about for just a minute, there was no practical safe instruction to be given Group 2 from their break point below La Traviata. Options are easily dismissed: Wylie’s group waits until the lead guide’s group is fully over and out of the couloir (over an hour wait, in the cold… not happening), take another route up (… not happening mostly because the assistant guide was unfamiliar with the terrain and not trusted by the lead guide), or turn around (… not happening because they ‘rarely if never turn around’).
Blehm misses the following point altogether - Stacking the groups in La Traviata was really not the main issue. The lead group being hastily (yes hastily) led up the couloir out to untested, wind-scoured terrain was. Avy 101. Does Blehm discuss this. Nope.
Four clients in Beglinger’s group were buried and died. These paying customers would assuredly have been avalanched and died regardless of where Wylie’s group was. Blehm does not discuss this.
Blehm does not mention that ALL of Group 2 would likely have been buried in the avalanche, about 19,000 tons of it, had they just delayed by ten or fifteen minutes. Their whole approach track to La Traviata was inundated. Not mentioned.
Blehm does not mention that a safe route was directly available with a nearly equivalent climb time as La Traviata. This easy path takes one to a saddle in the ridge just left of La Traviata, with a flat backside leading to the top of La Traviata. From there managed one-at a time downhill skiing could have commenced.

In a departure from omissions, Blehm does mention that one of the surviving skiers that day had been to La Traviata the year before. But he hardly makes comment of the fact that this skier approached La Traviata from the other side and skied down the feature from above, Blehm hardly makes mention of this is absolutely significant fact.
The overall slant toward painting Wylie as a victim is super unfortunate especially in light of these cited and the many other errors and omissions in this book. Blame is not the name of the game. Clear-eyed truth is. And communication. And respect. But I guess we have stories to tell and books to sell.
There are many more examples of issues with the supposed factual presentation in the avalanche focused parts of this book. Reads like fiction, actually. And yes, facts are stubborn, if uninteresting things.
5 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Very well researched and engaging read!
Reviewed in Canada on April 12, 2024
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The events in this book have been written about a lot, particularly the avalanche that ended Craig's and others lives. I've read much of that writing with care as I know many of the people involved. The La Traviatta avalanche shook the world for not only the beautiful lives lost, but also for the elusive "why." I bought the book because it promised to shed some new light on the accident and events leading up to it, plus Craig was a hero of mine when I was learning to snowboard. I read the section on the avalanche first, and I don't want to give it away, but I have a new respect for some of the people involved, and the dissonant actions of others after the accident make more sense given what actually happened that day. A lot of what people, including me, thought they knew about the accident just wasn't complete, and is very much at odds with what others have said. This book fixes some huge misperceptions that have stood for decades, and that is always a good if sometimes painful process. Facts matter. Eric did a fantastic job piecing together the events leading up to the accident, and after it. I literally got chills as I read some of Eric's writing, it's just incredibly solid journalism. The man is clearly a first-rate writer and professional journalist who earned the trust of everyone involved. How many hours, weeks, months did he put into just the avalanche section alone? I'm going to read all of Eric's books now, great to find a new to me author. I read the rest of the book next, and it was just as good. I know a few of the people in that section as well, and Eric gives them all the same honest and careful examination backed up by meticulous research.

Eric also does a beautiful job bringing everyone involved to life, including the other six people who lost theirs that sad day. More laughter and tears for me, just amazing writing about people really living their dreams.

In the end the real star of the book is Craig Kelly, and that is as it should be. If you're looking for inspiration on living a meaningful life then this book is full of it, not in a fake-sweet self-help way, but in a, "Man, if Craig could do that what could I do?" stoked way. Kelly was and is a deserved legend as a snowboarder, but also as a human, and I love how that shines through in this book. Now for the rest of Eric's books!
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Antti Kettunen
5.0 out of 5 stars A Heart-Pounding Tale of Adventure and Tragedy in the Mountains
Reviewed in Germany on June 20, 2024
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"The Darkest White: A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche That Took Him" by John A. Wilder is a gripping account of mountaineer Alex Thornton's journey and the tragic avalanche that claimed his life. Wilder's vivid descriptions transport readers to the icy slopes, capturing the awe-inspiring beauty and chilling dangers of the mountains.

Wilder's deep understanding of mountaineering adds authenticity, making it a must-read for enthusiasts and novices alike. The book explores the psychological aspects of extreme sports and the drive to face unimaginable risks.

Though the pacing can be uneven with overly detailed sections, "The Darkest White" is a compelling read, celebrating human resilience and the allure of the mountains. Wilder's engaging prose makes this a worthy addition to any adventure lover's library.
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Antti Kettunen
5.0 out of 5 stars A Heart-Pounding Tale of Adventure and Tragedy in the Mountains
Reviewed in Germany on June 20, 2024
"The Darkest White: A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche That Took Him" by John A. Wilder is a gripping account of mountaineer Alex Thornton's journey and the tragic avalanche that claimed his life. Wilder's vivid descriptions transport readers to the icy slopes, capturing the awe-inspiring beauty and chilling dangers of the mountains.

Wilder's deep understanding of mountaineering adds authenticity, making it a must-read for enthusiasts and novices alike. The book explores the psychological aspects of extreme sports and the drive to face unimaginable risks.

Though the pacing can be uneven with overly detailed sections, "The Darkest White" is a compelling read, celebrating human resilience and the allure of the mountains. Wilder's engaging prose makes this a worthy addition to any adventure lover's library.
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karen t morwood
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
Reviewed in Spain on March 16, 2024
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Beautifully written story and portrait of Craig Kelly. I loved this book, couldn't put it down, it was both inspiring and tragic. I highly recommend.
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Douglas Macdonald
5.0 out of 5 stars another perspective
Reviewed in Canada on May 16, 2024
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This book is 1/2 sympathetic biography of Craig Kelly, 1/2 another look at the 2003 La Traviata avalanche tragedy. I was surprised and pleased that Blehm was able to add a new perspective to the avalanche; an event I had thought was already thoroughly researched.
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C. Albat
5.0 out of 5 stars Positiv überrascht
Reviewed in Germany on April 9, 2024
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Ich habe nicht mit so einem informativen und fesselnd geschriebenen Buch gerechnet.
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