PLEASE NOTE: EVENT IS SOLD OUT.
Ty Gagne, author of the new book The Lions of Winter: Survival and Sacrifice on Mount Washington, will give a presentation on Saturday, February 8 from 4:30 to 5:30 PM inside MEDITECH’s auditorium (7 Blue Hill River Rd, Canton, MA 02021). Learn about Gagne’s unique process of research and storytelling, as well as the weather and climate science shaping our understanding of avalanches in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. A brief overview connecting avalanches with the increasing frequency of rain-on-snow will be followed by Gagne’s presentation, Q&A, and book signing. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. This event is FREE and open to the public. Donations will benefit co-hosts Mount Washington Observatory and Blue Hill Observatory, both nonprofit organizations.
About The Lions of Winter
On January 25, 1982, Mountain Rescue Service volunteer Albert Dow became the first – and so far the only – member of a backcountry search and rescue team to be killed in the line of duty in the White Mountains. This happened during a four-day search for two missing ice climbers on Mount Washington. Dow was caught in an avalanche in terrain previously thought to present no risk. His teammate, Michael Hartrich, was injured in the accident. Gagne relies on Mount Washington Observatory weather data in part to tell the story.
The Lions of Winter describes the ordeal of the missing climbers, the selflessness and courage of the dedicated rescuers, the tragic circumstances surrounding the avalanche, and the heartbreak of the family, friends, and teammates of the fallen rescuer. Gagne also chronicles how this grueling event became a landmark of White Mountain history, ushering in a new era in the search and rescue community of New Hampshire