National Network for Equitable Library Service

"An exceptionally good book . . . worthy to stand on the nature shelf of anyone interested in mountainous America." - The New York Times. An eloquently written story, laced with appreciations of the region's natural history. Includes historic photographs. In midwinter 1920, Floyd Schmoe and his bride struggled up Mount Rainier on snowshoes on a long-delayed honeymoon. As the new caretakers at Paradise Inn, they would be alone in a towering world of snow and ice and incomparable beauty, until the plows arrived to free them on the fourth of July. So began a long love affair with Mount Rainier. And here is Floyd Schmoe's account of it; a delightful and informative portrait of a mountain through the seasons of the year. Through his personal narrative, Schmoe writes of many things that combined to cast a spell on him: the shy mountain goat, the reproductive processes of trees and plants, techniques of climbing, the habits of glaciers and volcanoes, the curious fact of a mouse being found at very high altitude, the peculiarities of tourists - and much more. This is a book for anyone drawn to the mysteries of the high country. The author was the first naturalist for Mount Rainier National Park and a two-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.