Reddit mentions of At the Mercy of the Mountains: True Stories Of Survival And Tragedy In New York's Adirondacks

That one should be required reading for winter hikers (hikers in general). Not everyone dies but some do (tragically and needlessly), others escape with a few missing extremities, and yet others unscathed only due to pure luck.

Another good one, that's focused on the Adirondacks, is Peter Bronski's At the Mercy of the Mountains. If you found 'Not Without Peril' engrossing, you'll like 'At the Mercy' as well.

FWIW, check out chapter 8 about Steven Thomas. That one strikes a chord because I still recall seeing his "Lost" posters. They were nailed to trail-registers back when I started hiking in the High Peaks (in the Paleozoic Era). Talk about a sobering sight for a budding new hiker!

Unlike the recent Whiteface skier, who showed up in Sacramento, Steven Thomas was never found (not even a trace). However, I recall some people theorizing that he "disappeared himself" to start anew elsewhere. However, that theory is unproven and certainly doesn't give his family any comfort.

i picked up At The Mercy of the Mountains at the excellent ithaca book sale a few months ago. it covers the stories of a variety of misadventures, accidents, and deaths which have taken place in the adirondacks over the years. it was a pretty good read and absolutely worth the $.50 or so i payed for it.

Both of these books have strongly influenced my techniques with regards to risk management in the backcountry.

In the same vein as Not Without Peril is At the Mercy of the Mountains, by Peter Bronski, a similar book that focuses on misadventure in the Adirondacks iin NY (Howe's book focuses on the White Mountains of NH).