Beauty and terror on Mount Rainer, the largest and most dangerous volcano in
Washington State.
Mount Rainier is the largest and most dangerous volcano in the country, both
an awesome natural monument and a formidable presence of peril. In The Measure
of a Mountain, Barcott sets out to grasp the spirit of Rainier through a
journey along its massive flanks. From forest to precipice, thinning air to
fractured glaciers, he explores not only the physique of Rainier but the
psychology and meaning of all mountains, and the deep connection that exists
between humans and landscape.
Filled with adventure, poignant personal reflections, and fascinating mountain
lore told by Indian chiefs, professional guides, priests, and scientists, this
book is one man’s stirring quest to reconcile with a dazzling creation of
nature, at once alluring and sometimes deadly.