Review by Wisteria Girl -- The Altitude Journals

[Wisteria Girl]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Altitude Journals" by David J Mauro.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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David J. Mauro is a fairly typical financial planner living in in Bellingham, WA, a small city about 80 miles north from Seattle, except that his life was falling apart. His marriage failed. Along with the background of growing up in poverty and not being able to feel a place he belonged in sports or other activities, having absent father after his parents’ divorce, and most recently losing his brother to alcoholism, his self-esteem reached the lowest point. So when his brother-in-law invited him to climb Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, as a non-climber on his expedition team for the human interest, he said yes. Against all odds (and even his own belief) he managed to summit; and he had a freeing moment. He realized the reasons for his low self-esteem, why he felt he was not good enough. Although he was unable to resolve them yet then, he was able to let go of his anger and find peace. As with Denali, Mauro continued to discover the reason – the “why” question – for each summit as he crested. He wrote the book, The Altitude Journal, to explain his answer to the “why” question of climbing the Seven Summits.

I decided to read this book because I am an avid hiker, and I wanted to find out what it took to be a mountain climber. I appreciated the information regarding logistics in getting to each mountain, climbing attires, nutritional needs, training regimens to prepare for different mountains – even about pee bottles. However, what I ended up enjoying more was about what he learned at each summit. He realizes somewhere along the way that he is not a true mountain climber, because even after having years of training to be a climber, he actually does not love the mountains. He describes himself as a seeker. He climbs a specific mountain because he is called to do so. He does not know the reason for the climb when he attempts, but it is revealed to him as he summits. I was a bit skeptical of this process, but his own admission that one of the climbs, to Vinson Massif, was a mistake – he was not called to the mountain, and Antarctica wanted him to leave – made it more credible. This climb was not a calling; Mauro himself had decided to go to Antarctica so he would have something worthy to write about.

Although I enjoyed his writing in general, as he was not only expressive but also humorous in just the right measure to offset the serious, sometimes life-threatening nature of mountain climbing, what I liked the most about this book was the honesty in which Mauro talked about his experiences. It was refreshing to read about a man talking about his emotions. During one of the climbs, he realized that he was a man at war with himself. He wasn’t fighting nature by climbing the mountains; they were just the battlefields where he fought the demons that had haunted him: his failed marriage, his fear of intimacy, his brother’s death, and his relationship with his father. He learned a profound lesson from each “battle,” and I felt we are brought into it to experience alongside him.

On the other hand, what I liked least about the book was in the Vinson Massif chapter, where Mauro was unable to reconcile a conflict with the guide for this expedition, Doug. In a way, this attests to his ability to get the readers actively involved in the story. I was feeling appalled when Doug said, “I know when someone is mocking me! I’ll leave you behind in that crevasse, mate!” How unprofessional can a guide be, especially in an expedition like this, where you must entrust the guide literally with your life? While I understand the importance of team cohesion in a successful expedition, I felt frustrated that he was unable to clear the air, for his own safety and security.

I rate this book, 4 out of 4 stars. It is one of the most entertaining books I have read in a long time. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in mountain climbing or reading about adventures; and to those who dare attempt to climb and conquer their internal mountains in life.

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The Altitude Journals
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[Reader5698]

Great review! I enjoy adventure stories, and it sounds like the book also has elements of self-improvement and self-discovery. I definitely want to give it a try.

[Magnify3]

I find it interesting that Mauro climbs specific mountains because he is called to do so. I thought that all mountain climbers were just thirsty for adventure. Thanks for this review!