The Darkest White

A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche That Took Him

By: Eric Blehm

Narrated by: Dan Bittner

“Eric Blehm offers an insightful perspective on how Craig Kelly became the effortless icon that we all revered as well as sobering details of how his heroic journey tragically ended. The Darkest White is a must read, not just for fans of snowboarding, but for anyone looking for inspiration from an unlikely hero.”—Tony Hawk

From Eric Blehm, the bestselling author of The Last Season and Fearless, comes an extraordinary new book in the vein of Into the Wild, the story of the legendary snowboarder Craig Kelly and his death in the 2003 Durrand Glacier Avalanche—a devastating and controversial tragedy that claimed the lives of seven people.

On January 20, 2003, a thunderous crack rang out and a 100-foot-wide tide of snow barreled down the Northern Selkirk Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. More than a dozen skiers and snowboarders were thrust down the mountain, buried beneath several tons of rock-hard snow and ice in the Durrand Glacier Avalanche. A heroic search and rescue ensued. Among those buried was Craig Kelly—“the Michael Jordan of snowboarding”—a man who had propelled the sport into the mainstream before walking away from competitions, to rekindle his passion in the untamed alpine wilds of North America

The Darkest White is the story of Craig Kelly’s life, a heartbreaking but extraordinary and inspiring odyssey of a latchkey kid whose athletic prowess and innovations would revolutionize winter sports, take him around the globe, and push him into ever more extreme environments that would ultimately take his life. It is also a definitive, immersive account of snowboarding and the cultural movement that exploded around it, growing the sport from minor Gen X cult hobby to Olympic centerpiece and a billion-dollar business full of feuds and rivalries. Finally, The Darkest White is a mesmerizing, cautionary portrait of the mountains, of the allure and the glory they offer, and of the avalanches they unleash with unforgiving fury.

“Eric Blehm took on this biography as I imagine Craig Kelly took on the halfpipe. He studied it, chose his line, and pulled everything off—even tough parts—with grace and style. It’s not just a terrific story of an amazing life, not just the origin story of an entire sport, but a riveting disaster narrative that builds tension masterfully. The Darkest White grabbed me and didn’t let go."—Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Terminal List series

©2024 Eric Blehm (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Legend

Kelly's story is one of a kind. True legend of his time and taken to early.

Gripping

I love snowboarding and historical non-fiction so this hit the mark. It's gotta be the definitive Craig Kelly book.

Great but sad story

This book was great. I went looking for a book to better understand who Craig Kelly was and this was just what I was looking for. I do honestly feel that the author did a great job of looking at and understanding all sides and everyone’s story from the day.

Incredible!!

If only there were more than 5 stars to rate a book!
This book was perfection. I knew nothing about snowboarding. I don't even ski. But this book was riveting...everything about it,..both the story and the narrator...absolutely excellent! Be prepared to have tissues on hand for the ending. I HIGHLY recommend this incredible book.

My favorite rider of all time

Craig was a massive influence to me as an unapologetic knuckledragger. He showed me that the mountains are where it’s at, not in the lift lines or jib parks. I loved this book but it suffers from overly theatrical narration and mispronunciations of certain words specific to the subject. I was able to overlook it but in hindsight I’d prefer this in print form. Overall this book did tremendous service to Craig and his groundbreaking achievements in the golden years of snowboarding. Long live CK.

It feels like you are there!!

Eric Blehm continues to impress. You can tell how much he puts into his books to get it right. I was floored by his military books which led me to read all of them. This one did not disappoint. When he gets to the avalanche its feels like you are there. Im a military guy and never really participated in snow sports. Eric hooked me with Fearless and Legend and i have enjoyed this and his other books just as much

Craig Kelly, Legend

The story of Craig Kelly's rise with the sport of snowboarding is legendary. I started snowboarding in 1987 at Mt. Bachelor and Craig Kelly was our idol. I learned how to ride on a Sims and I've been riding Burton ever since. To this day, his riding style is unmatched and a thing of beauty. I like how this story showed us who Craig was off the slopes - a humble, hard working, and loyal person who lived in the moment, a true zen master. RIP to all who died that day. #CraigKellyIsMyCopilot

Split Craig Kelly

Kelly’s persona was a hardworking and party hard snowboarder before snowboarding was widely accepted. This book with really well written and good narration it dives into the life and details that most will never know nor appreciate. Kelly was truly a beacon to inspire others. Truly enjoyed the book and the narrator.

Craig, falling in style

Amazing story of snowboardings’ most beloved god father, Craig Kelly. From pushing style and the direction of snowboarding, to teaching people about safety when heading into the backcountry. The mountains are playgrounds but they do not care who you are or your
accomplishments. Please enter with a humble mind.

So many great things to know about Craig Kelly

A beautiful and articulate writing of Craig Kelly’s life. If you are a fan of Craig Kelly and/or the early days of competitive snowboarding, you will love this book. It starts with his early life and takes you through his early athletics, education, and rise to competitive snowboard dominance. It covers his travels as he and many other pro snowboarders work to get professional snowboarding on the map, and takes you all the way through his pursuit of mountain guiding, and ultimately to the end. Such a great story, by with a sad ending, but a story worth knowing. Much to learn if you just want to know more about Craig Kelly or if you want to learn more about The risks and consequences of decision-making in backcountry skiing and snowboarding.