A true story of survival and tragedy discussed at The Bookworm of Edwards
New book, “The Way Out” by Devon O’Neil reveals the harrowing, never-before-told story of life and death in the Colorado mountains
Courtesy of HarperOne
The lure of the mountain peaks, weightless powder turns and the solitude of the backcountry draw many, but the rewards of thrill and adventure also come with huge risks. Those risks and rewards are measured in a new book that will be featured at The Bookworm of Edwards this Thursday. “The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies” by Devon O’Neil will take you through the heartbreak, blame, resilience and challenges that shook up a small town in Colorado.
Tragedy struck in January 2017 after three fathers and four teens from Salida went on a hut trip in the beautiful backcountry outside of Leadville. A perfect bonding experience between dads and their kids was turned upside-down when two people failed to return to the hut.
O’Neil is an acclaimed journalist from Breckenridge, who heard about this tragedy from a friend who moved to Salida. As a backcountry adventurer himself, the situation intrigued him and raised a lot of questions about the cost of adventure.
“I think as a freelance writer, you’re always watching for stories that you think are potentially impactful,” O’Neil said. “But I had no clue the kind of direction this story would take and how big it would become.”
O’Neil spoke to a key source about this event in 2019, but people weren’t quite ready to talk. Six years later he’s interviewed over 100 people who were involved in and affected by the devastating conclusion.
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“I started to really realize the scope, the depth of this event’s impact on not just the individuals who were at the hut or who were related to those at the hut, but the entire community of Salida. And this was a community that had been through so much loss and trauma already,” O’Neil said.
In the book, O’Neil also delves into the concepts of survival, family bonds, grief and healing. The two who were lost were out in the elements for over 30 hours in a once-in-a-decade storm that pounded the Sawatch Range. He addresses the relationship dynamics of the family members and friends on the hut trip. He also shares the broad reach the rescue efforts had – even bringing in a gold medalist from Aspen X Games to help find the victims via his snowmobiling prowess. O’Neil also gives readers a glimpse of other losses this mountain town has faced with various adventure-related casualties, suicides, deaths by illness and more.
Hearing about this story and working on it so intimately also caused O’Neil to question his own choices of adventure-seeking in the backcountry. As a husband and father of two young children, he thinks differently about how he seeks his thrills.
“This event offered a way to really dissect the way we live in the mountains and why we live in the mountains and what we want out of it and what it can do to us when it doesn’t go right,” O’Neil said. “As a reporter, what really struck me, especially as I got deeper into this story, was how this event had forced so many really accomplished adventurers and outdoors people to reevaluate their whole lives. I had a really close call with a completely unsurvivable avalanche myself while I was reporting this. And that became an integral theme to the book. And there’s no right answer. It really forces us to stare at ourselves in a mirror and be brutally honest with our intentions and our preparation and ultimately what we want to get out of our time outside.”
O’Neil’s time with the people he interviewed was testament to them trusting him to share this story. Maybe it will prevent another tragedy, or maybe it will just offer some hope by giving a glimpse into what the residents of Salida did to tackle grief and loss.
“I got to follow various key sources for a period of multiple years. I was able to see some of the kids grow into these amazing adults, super strong people, with great heads on their shoulders,” O’Neil said. “It’s a rare perspective on life and not just mountain life, but what life can be when it’s hard and when it doesn’t go the way you want it to and how you move forward from that.”
“The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies” is on sale now and The Bookworm of Edwards invites to you hear O’Neil speak about the book. On Thursday at 6 p.m. there will be a talk, book signing and Q and A with O’Neil. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, go to BookwormOfEdwards.com and DevonONeil.com.
