A Bolt from the Blue

by Jennifer Woodlief

  As a mathematician, George Montopoli believes in two types of luck, the self-created variety and the by-chance kind. In this rescue, there was clearly a phenomenal amount of each. The rangers were trained expertly and performed selflessly, but they still required virtually every element of the operation to fall their way, and that is precisely how it played out. The accident was reported promptly by a cell phone that had both batteries and service range. The two pilots and the two helicopters were in the immediate vicinity. The weather broke in time for the rescuers to reach the scene and get everyone safely off the mountain by nightfall.

  Then again, all of the experience and bravery in the world wouldn’t have helped the climbers if the lightning had struck a split-second earlier, before Clint had reclipped the belay device. His anchor would have almost certainly failed, knocking the third and fourth rope teams down off the mountain on top of one another, likely resulting in six fatalities. The rangers would have come in and cleaned up the carnage, but it would not have made for nearly as good a story.

  You need both kinds of luck.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  My first thank-you goes to Lanny Johnson, my idea guy and a true Renaissance man. I could not have told this story in such depth without the multiple doors he opened for me. Thank you also to each of the Jenny Lake climbing rangers involved in this rescue—every one of them was a reluctant hero during our interviews, and one of them even required a Renny Jackson–style ambush to speak with me (I’m talking to you, Jack). In the end, however, they were all not only exceedingly helpful but also incredibly responsive.

  I am especially grateful to Leo, Chris, Brandon, and Jim for giving me access to such phenomenal photographs, and to Dan for enduring many a late-night e-mail request for additional minutiae about the climbing world. Over one very long cup of coffee, Craig was shockingly honest with me about the events of a day that forever changed him—a conversation that no doubt added a crucial intensity to certain passages in the book. A special thanks to Laurence for an above-and-beyond willingness to meet with me that extended to a California house call.

  My appreciation as well to the Idaho climbing party, particularly Clint, who endured my need to prod at the most painful wound imaginable. Jake and Rob willingly filled in details from invaluable perspectives, and Rod allowed himself to relive the horror of July 26, 2003, with me over and over until I was convinced that I had the details of that day (and beyond) exactly right.

  I owe an enormous debt to my agent, Scott Hoffman of Folio, who steadfastly believes in my writing and also regularly feeds my ego by making me feel like I am the smartest person in the room (next to him). Thank you also to Sarah Durand of Atria, who embraced this project and showed an infinite amount of patience with an author who is something less than tech-forward.

  I would not have been able to give this story the focus it deserved without my husband, Nick, who was nothing but relentlessly encouraging throughout the past two years, readily accepting my penchant for quirky work hours, wrangling our kids with reckless abandon, and rarely venturing into my office without bearing black licorice or peppermint tea. In the final few months of the project, he proved to be every bit the staggeringly gifted editor that I suspected him to be, as well as a much more indulgent listener than I had any right to expect. His unwavering support takes my breath away.

  And finally, thank you to my children, who always manage to assist with my manuscripts in their own special ways: Tess, who displayed a surprising knack for photo layout; Griffin, whose unflagging fascination with the logistics of the rescue inspired me to dig deeper; Ellie, whose merciless calculations of how many pages I had yet to write spurred many productive nights; Owen, who never tired of having passages read aloud to him; and Jack, who was awed and delighted to meet a real-life rescue hero.

  Photographs

  Grand Teton.

  (Photo courtesy of Lanny Johnson)

  (Photo courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Lightning in the Tetons.

  (Photo courtesy of Lanny Johnson)

  Leo Larson.

  (Photo courtesy of Lanny Johnson)

  Renny Jackson.

  (Photo courtesy of Brandon Torres)

  Laurence Perry.

  (Photo courtesy of Laurence Perry)

  Jenny Lake ranger rescue cache, 2003.

  (Photo courtesy of Brandon Torres)

  L to R: Scott Guenther, Dan Burgette, Renny Jackson, Chris Harder, Brandon Torres.

  (Photo courtesy of Brandon Torres)

  Erica Summers, with Adison and Daxton.

  (Photo courtesy of Clint Summers)

  L to R: Justin Thomas, Rod Liberal, and Reagan Lembke.

  (Photo courtesy of Jake Bancroft)

  Clint and Erica Summers.

  (Photos courtesy of Clint Summers)

  Aerial recon photographs.

  (Photos courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Brandon Torres in the rescue cache, July 26, 2003.

  (Photo courtesy of Lanny Johnson)

  Leo Larson being inserted into the scene, taken as Jim Springer ran up the mountain.

  (Photo courtesy of Jim Springer)

  Laurence Perry flying helicopter 2LM.

  (Photo courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Chris Harder and George Montopoli being short-hauled together.

  (Photo courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Chris Harder providing medical assistance at the lower scene while Jim Springer awaits the short-haul rope.

  (Photo courtesy of Jim Springer)

  Jake Bancroft at the lower scene.

  (Photo courtesy of Chris Harder)

  Jim Springer reaching for the short-haul rope.

  (Photo courtesy of Jim Springer)

  Jake Bancroft being flown off the Grand.

  (Photo courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Craig Holm rappelling down Friction Pitch to reach Rod.

  (Photo courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Jack McConnell and Marty Vidak hauling Rod up Friction Pitch.

  (Photo courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Craig Holm with Rod approaching the top of Friction Pitch.

  (Photo courtesy of Chris Harder)

  Shadows moving over the mountains, July 26, 2003.

  (Photo courtesy of Chris Harder)

  Craig Holm with Rod at the top of Friction Pitch.

  (Photo courtesy of Chris Harder)

  Sunset over the Grand.

  (Photo courtesy of Lanny Johnson)

  Craig Holm attending Rod in short-haul off the Grand.

  (Photo courtesy of Chris Harder)

  Laurence Perry’s final flight of the evening.

  (Photo courtesy of Chris Harder)

  Laurence Perry next to blue helicopter, Rick Harmon next to yellow helicopter. Rangers (in uniform) L to R: Tom Kimbrough, Jim Springer, George Montopoli, Chris Harder, Helen Larson, Craig Holm, Leo Larson, Helen Motter, Andy Byerly, Renny Jackson, Jack McConnell, Brandon Torres, Dan Burgette, Scott Guenther, and Marty Vidak.

  (Photo courtesy of Leo Larson)

  Rod’s homecoming from the hospital. Standing, L to R: Reese Jackson, Bob Thomas, Rob Thomas, Dave Jordan, Reagan Lembke. Sitting, L to R: Clint Summers, Rod Liberal, Sherika Thomas, Steve Oler, Justin Thomas, Jake Bancroft.

  (Photo courtesy of Jody Liberal)

  Jody and Rod Liberal with sons Brennan, Easton, and Kai, 2011.

  (Photo courtesy of Rod Liberal)

  We hope you enjoyed reading this Atria Books eBook.

  Sign up for our newsletter and receive special offers, access to bonus content, and info on the latest new releases and other great eBooks from Atria Books and Simon & Schuster.

  or visit us online to sign up at

  eBookNews.SimonandSchuster.com