The Ledge

An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier

By: Jim Davidson, Kevin Vaughan

Narrated by: Jim Davidson

On June 21, 1992, two best friends summited Mount Rainier. Within hours, their exquisite accomplishment would be overshadowed by tragedy. On their descent, Jim Davidson fell through an ice bridge on Rainier's northeast flank, plunging eighty feet into a narrow crevasse inside the Emmons Glacier and dragging Mike Price in after him. Mike fell to his death; Jim, badly injured and armed with minimal gear, faced an almost impossible climb back out of the crevasse, up a nearly vertical ice wall. Mourning his friend's death, he miraculously climbed out of the crevasse and lived to relate his experiences.

Told in parallel narratives of the tragedy and the climbers' lives, The Ledge is both a riveting, wrenching story and an inspirational adventure tale.

©2011 Jim Davidson and Kevin Vaughan (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Davidson and journalist Vaughn have crafted a modern Aristotelian tragedy." ( Publishers Weekly)

Very Well-Told Story

In the first part of the book I kept thinking “is this the step he’s going to take that causes the fall?” The further into the book I got, the more suspense I felt.

The transformation the author underwent and the palpable spirit guidance he received that assisted him in the hole made me say “Wow!”

If you believe in spiritual contracts that are established before we incarnate, and if you believe that earth is a school for our souls, one could make the argument that this scenario was Mike fulfilling his ultimate spiritual purpose of providing the catalyst for the author to grow. Jim had a decision to make. What would he choose? To stay small and meek and die or overcome his self-doubts and push himself to take calculated risks to live.

The most beautiful part of the story was that Jim was never alone and that it was his love for Mike and family members that helped give him the strength to escape the hole.

As in a fable, the message is: a coward dies 1000 deaths from which he never escapes, where as a brave person only risks one death, and is rewarded with freedom either way.

yellow kayaker

I absolutely loved this audio book. I was riveted to it from beginning to end and felt that I lived the challenges with Mike and Jim. Thank you yellow kayaker

Heartfelt and Brave.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Not really, but he does kind of draw it out with all the talk of going to Nepal, but I understand as it was to honor his friend.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Ledge?

The parts where he cared so much for his friend that he still treated his body like it was still alive and important, and did not want to lose him.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

No much. He was an armature, but it was cool that it was the real guy.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I think it is already on a tv show "I shouldn't be alive".

Remarkable

Interesting story, well told. It starts slowly with the necessary background info but i listened to the entire book in a single day because it became that compelling.

Fantastic post read to "Deep Survival"

Awesome book arraigned modestly and with raw emotion. Great read for adventure, military and first responders.

Awesome book

I’m not a huge reader but I’ve read this book and one other from Jim and they are both amazing. I hope he will write about more of his adventures in the future.

Just a great story and the effects of Mountains.

I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. I first read about this from an article I read in Climbing magazine. The whole time I listened I kept thinking, how would I react in this situation. I loved how the author scratched the blood off the wall in the cravasse because it was a false high point. SO COOL. Way to be true to your self.

Such an Inspiring Story

Jim,

Hey man. I felt inspired after just finishing The Ledge on Amazon Audible. I couldn’t stop listening and I still have teary eyes. My climbing partner, Mark, recently referred this read to me and I am so glad he did. Wow, what an adventure you have been through. Facing perseverance among unfathomable odds. Going on to tell your story and to relive your late partner Mike’s life. I never knew Mike, but I now know he was the man among men. A true leader, calmer, and teacher. A guide and a true friend. You and him will forever share a rare and precious bond that your meant to live with and tell others about. I’m so happy to learn that you still climb (such amazing climbs), still tell your story publicly, and shared The Ledge with the world.

One year ago on August 23, 2019, I summitted Mt. Rainier with Rainier Mountaineering International (RMI) via the DC route. My Seattle based climb team, the Tideworks Mountaineers, had trained a year and a half for one moment … to reach Rainier’s summit. Our team had a failed summit bid on July 18, 2019 after torrential downpour and 30 MPH winds left us and our gear soaked from our Paradise to Camp Muir climb. The guides (Win Whittaker himself) made the call to not pursue the summit bid the following morning leaving us all devastated and even more hungry for the summit. Three of the five of us decided that we couldn’t wait another year to reach the summit, so we contacted RMI and got three remaining spots on three separate summit bid days: Aug. 5 (Mark Pengelly), Aug. 6 (Hugh Gallagher) , and Aug. 23 (myself). All three of us made the summit albeit we weren’t together. But we were all with each other in spirit providing encouragement every painful step of the way.

Since last August, we’ve added five new team members and made plans for 2020 to summit Mt. St. Helens (Apr. 2020), Mt. Hood (June 2020), and Mt. Rainier (June 2020). Due to COVID-19, those three climbs were sadly cancelled. But looking to 2021, we are planning for those peaks and possibly others. It’s likely a longshot, but if your up for climbing some PNW volcanoes with us, man it would great to have you on our team. You are truly inspirational! THANK YOU for sharing you and Mike’s story. Send my best to Gloria and the kids.

Check out our photos at https://www.instagram.com/tideworksmountaineers/

wholesome and honest account of tragedy

Jim is not a seasoned writer but his words are well thought out. He has put a lot of work into dealing with and portraying every detail, emotional and physical, of a tragic climbing accident.

Great listen

Great story and couldn’t stop listening. This is the 2nd audio book I’ve listened to by the author.