Mountain Rescue Doctor: Wilderness Medicine in the Extremes of Nature » (Reprint)

CHRISTOPHER VAN TILBURG, M.D. is editor for Wilderness Medicine magazine and is a regular contributor to National Geographic Adventure, Backcountry, Columbia Gorge, and many other outdoor interest magazines. He is an emergency room and ski resort physician, and a member of the Hood River Crag Rats, the oldest mountain rescue team in the US. He has written seven books on the outdoors, and lives in Hood River, Oregon with his daughters, where they ski, snowboard, hike, bike and trail run. Visit his website at www.docwild.net.

“A fast-paced account of Mt. Hood. For readers who are unfamiliar with the rugged and beautiful Hood River area, [Van Tilburg] balances its undeniable perils with the joys of its scenic wonders . . .”

—Publisher’s Weekly

“Van Tilburg’s dogged spadework in translating to the page the intricate essentials of his unique trade makes each breathtaking rescue literally come to life. Exhilarating take on the daily life of a unique brand of doctor.”

—Kirkus

“As a medical doctor, a previously published author (Backcountry Snowboarding; Introducing Your Kids to the Outdoors), and an adventure-sports devotee himself, Van Tilburg is uniquely qualified to describe the fears, excitement, frustration, and rewards of these searches. He examines the high costs of search-and-rescue operations and provides an interesting overview of the debate on whether victims should be held responsible for some of these costs. Young adults will likely enjoy this introduction to the field of wilderness medicine. Filled with adventure and good advice.”

—Library Journal

"Outdoors folk in Oregon have long benefited from Dr. Chris Van Tilburg’s skills as an emergency doctor and his selfless devotion to rescuing injured hikers and climbers as a volunteer for his local mountain rescue service. Now his other great skill—as a writer—has brought these exciting tales to the country at large. Chris captures the excitement of a rescue with the passion of a true mountaineer, and does so in highly readable prose."

—John Harlin III, Editor of The American Alpine Journal and author of The Eiger Obsession, Mount Rainier and The Climber's Guide to North America

Publishers Weekly

A resident of Hood River, Ore., an emergency room physician and a member of Crag Rats ("the first official volunteer mountain rescue group in the nation"), Van Tilburg (Emergency Survival: A Pocket Guide) has divided his fast-paced account of Mt. Hood rescues by season. In the winter, he explains the dangers of tree wells, patches of loose snow that can snare skiers and snowboarders. One hot Fourth of July, he takes a trek through icy black water in a box canyon, engineering the tricky retrieval of a cliff jumper with a back fracture. Detailing each rescue operation from the first call mobilizing teams of volunteers to grateful notes from the families of those rescued, Van Tilburg also offers snippets of environmental history and outdoor law. For readers who are unfamiliar with the rugged and beautiful Hood River area, he balances its undeniable perils with the joys of its scenic wonders, noting that "the thrill of risk is an inseparable aspect of adventure sport." 8 pages of color photos not seen by PW. (Nov. 13)