The Ascent of Denali »

Though born and raised in England, explorer HUDSON STUCK (1865-1920) epitomized the adventurous New World spirit of the American West at its closing. Drawn by the wide-open spaces, Stuck, an Episcopal priest and champion of a rugged brand of "muscular Christianity," volunteered in 1904 to serve as the archdeacon of the Yukon; his spiritual domain encompassed 250,000 square miles of interior Alaska. Here, he achieved international fame by leading the first successful expedition, in 1913, to scale the highest peak in North America: Mount McKinley, though Stuck, long a defender of native culture, insisted on calling it by its Indian name, Denali.

In this 1914 book, Stuck regales us with his dramatic account of the journey, from the dangers posed by sudden storms to the beauty of the glaciers, from the unexpected setbacks-like the fire that swept through their gear-to the "infinite attractiveness" of the challenge. Armchair travelers and lovers of extreme sports alike will thrill to this exciting tale.

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM COSIMO: Stuck's Ten Thousand Miles with a Dog Sled