Should I Not Return: The most controversial tragedy in the history of North American mountaineering!

by Jeffrey Babcock

Should I Not Return is the story of a young east coast climber, who joins his brother in Alaska to climb Mount McKinley. What set their climb apart from those before it, and even those afterward, was a disaster of such magnitude that it became know as North America's worst mountaineering tragedy. Prior to July of 1967 only four men had ever perished on Denali, and then, in one fell swoop, Denali--like Melville s, Great White Whale, Moby Dick--indiscriminately took the lives of seven men. The brothers survive one danger after another: a terrible train accident, a near drowning in the McKinley River, an encounter with a large grizzly, a 60 foot plunge into a gaping crevasse, swept away by a massive avalanche, and finally a climactic escape from the terror of 100 mph winds while descending from the summit. Should I Not Return is a one of a kind cliffhanger packed with danger, survival under the worst conditions, and heroism on the Last Frontier s most treasured trophy--the icy slopes of Denali, North America s tallest mountain--Mount McKinley.

Genres: Mountaineering, Nonfiction

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2012

Reviews

[Julie Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should I Not Return is a puzzling book in so much as it tells the story of the Wilcox disaster in a manner that is entirely different from the other four books written about the event. I read James Tabor’s book Forever on The Mountain when it first came out in 2007—and I have recently read Andy Hall’s addition to the ill-fated saga called Denali’s Howl.

Both of these books take a journalistic approach, with interviews from those involved, the actual transcripts from the radio contacts during the tragedy, and numerous other details and information which document the so-called facts about what happened. I enjoyed each very much.

What I found interesting about Jeff Babcock’s account is the fact that he was actually there on the mountain and was a member of the rescue team. The MCA team was led by Jeff’s older brother Bill, and his five-man team not only searched for the seven missing Wilcox climbers high on the upper slopes near the summit, but they also found three of the frozen bodies.

The thing that is confusing about Should I Not Return is that the author chose to change some of the names of those involved, and he also merged two separate expeditions into one story. Jeff returned to Denali ten years after the Wilcox disaster in 1977 (hence the title of the book), and in so doing he led his own 68-day expedition which began fifty miles from the base of the mountain. So, we have in Should I Not Return what Mr. Babcock calls a ‘non-fiction’ novel. James Tabor wrote the forward to the book and explains this approach right from the beginning.

Also, because of Mr. Babcock’s fascination with the climbing history of Mt. McKinley, the reader is given a substantial amount of information related to those events leading up to the Wilcox tragedy of 1967. Prior to this event, only four men had ever died on Denali.

As James Tabor puts it, “Though fiction, it hews closely to the truth throughout. The deaths of seven good, young climbers during the 1967 Wilcox Mt. McKinley Expedition form the book’s crucial event, true. But this core tragedy is wrapped within layers of drama—familial dysfunction, alcoholism, sibling rivalry, infidelity, to name a few—that raise this book far above the me-and-Joe-climbed-a-mountain genre.” Another reviewer, Alaskan author Steven Levi writes, “The photographs alone are worth the price of the book!”

If you are up for an in-depth telling of this major climbing disaster, one which goes far beyond the journalistic style of the other four books written about it, Should I Not Return is well worth the reading. I highly recommend it





Julie Cohen, Tucson, AZ

[Jim Dertien · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author chose to do a couple of unusual things. First, he has written a fictional/non-fictional narrative, mixing made-up characters (and a few events) with things that really happened. Second, he blended two different climbing expeditions to the top of Denali into one climb. The book could have used an editor. As published you find yourself reading what can best be described as a "train of thought" narrative. Whenever it strikes the author -- even in the middle of a key part of the climbing narrative -- he breaks away to relate some totally unrelated detail from the lives of the key people he is writing about. This jumping around gets frustrating, with much of the personal stories being totally unnecessary. Babcock writes well and provides excellent historical detail about the climbing history of the Denali. He also includes first-rate photographs supplemented with route additions that give one a very clear picture of the challenges posed by this mountain. As you read this, you eventually succumb to simply tolerating the poor editing while appreciating the excellent information provided.

[Micki G · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ponderous Psychobabble

OMG! I thought I was purchasing a book on mountain adventure disaster; instead, the first chapter past which I cannot slog is a never ending, self-absorbed, insecure whine! This touchy feely insecure individual has no business participating in a real adventure, most especially mountain climbing.
Horrible book. Can I get my money back?

[Abbigayle Palm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting?

There are parts of this book that I greatly enjoyed and then parts that made absolutely no sense. Though we get to read about a true adventure, there are many references to other peoples expeditions that are irrelevant to the current plot and therefore can become confusing. Transitions are awful and also make it really confusing, leaving your wondering what the heck you missed even though you’ve read every word.

[Martha Malavansky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should I Not Return

I found the book to be a very sad account of his time before and during the climb. There is a lot of repetition of historical accounts of past expeditions and of the authors personal experiences.

[Gerald Bergstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I could t put this book down.This book captures the raw emotions that come too play when men step into nature without the comforts of living that we are so use to expect.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

Kinda hard to follow sometimes. A great story though.

The family conflicts were a nice touch. Puts a human face on it.Not sure about the supernatural stuff or Sarah Palin?

[Maya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not about climbing. Read this is you want to know about the author’s family dramas and half-baked self discovery. DO NOT read this if you like outdoor adventure/climbing stories. The tragedy that this book is supposedly about is barely mentioned and not until the very end.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is based on the author's own experiences, lightly fictionalized, and a pretty good attempt for a first book.

[Donna Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real page turner. Not only a book about conquering the mountain, but a personal coming of age tale of entanglements between two climber brothers and the greater family they share. Babcock balances the tension between his personal struggles and the challenges of climbing the highest and perhaps the most difficult mountain on the continent, along with the historical climbs of those that went before, some surviving, some not . Along with breathtaking descriptions of the ice, wind, and snow of Mt. Denali, the author shares details about the effects of high altitude on the fragile human body both living and dead. The reader is astonished to learn how impossible it is to get identification from a corpse whose body and clothing are frozen solid as stone.

This is more than a book about struggling with the Mountain. It is a young man’s quest to carve out a place of his own and will appeal to a cross section of readers.

[Jimkinscherffhotmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Should I Not Return" is a book that I chose to read slowly because it is a combination of history, geography, and a personal "coming of age" story. Several times during reading I stopped, observed the photos, and tried to put myself into the author's frame of mind while he as a young man was traveling and/or climbing.
I enjoy books and movies based on true stories and even though the author has changed some of the names and timing it is very entertaining.
I recommend it.