Holding Fast: The Untold Story of the Mount Hood Tragedy

"Holding Fast", the story of the Mount Hood tragedy that took place in December of 2006 is written by Karen James, the wife of one of the climbers lost in this tragedy. I remember hearing this story on the news when three climbers were lost on Mount Hood when the storm of the decade blew through. The book reveals the tremendous ordeal, heartbreak and eventually the ultimate triumph Karen experienced from this life changing tragedy. On December 6 Kelly James kissed his wife and family goodbye and headed from Dallas to Oregon. An experienced and seasoned climber he and two other climbers were headed for the summit of Mount Hood. December 10, Kelly received the phone call that changed her life. The climbers had missed their pickup time at the base of the mountain and a search party was about to be launched to look for the climbers. Several attempts by Karen to reach Kelly on his cell phone failed, but later that day they received a phone call from him as he described his location. He was stranded in a snow cave below the summit of the mountain. As the search party attempted to look for the climbers the storm ravaged Mount Hood with snow and wind that constantly caused the search and rescue efforts to be postposed. December 17 the search and rescue team found Kelly's body in a snow cave three feet below the summit. The other two climbers were no where to be found. The story that unfolds over the next seven days and the following year is a testimony to the strength of Karen's faith and her trust in God. At no time did her faith in God waver. She is a witness to all in what it means to put all your faith and trust in God and know that He is in control. Through what Karen describes as "blessings in sorrow", she discovers that God sometimes gives us tragedy in our lives to show us what His purpose may be for us. Instead of focusing on what she lost, she decided to focus on what she had and as she slowly put things together she discovered that "life is not a series of accidents strung together". Karen James is an inspiration to all and I most certainly would recommend this book to anyone that has suffered a tragic loss in their life and is searching for the pieces.

HOLDING FAST The Untold Story of the Mount Hood Tragedy By Karen James, Wife of Mountain Climber Kelly James As Karen James says in the beginning of her book, "That last phone call was like none other;" likewise, this book I found to be like none other. Even though you know the outcome of Karen's husband, Kelly James, this book, Holding Fast, is spellbinding. I found it extremely awesome to hear of Karen James' strong faith and strength that she received from God through this most devastating catastrophe in her lifetime. Karen and Kelly James had a marriage truly blessed by God. They were so "in tune" with one another, that Karen actually writes some parts of her book as if it were Kelly talking and thinking. She just knew what was going on in his mind while he was fighting for survival on Mount Hood in Oregon. During their short-lived marriage, they had outwardly discussed the hazards of mountain climbing, along with discussions regarding dying and heaven. Kelly came to know the love of God at a young age. He had a passion for life and a love for people. His love of the mountains and climbing became a passion that stirred his soul. Kelly James involved his entire family in planning mountain-climbing trips or stories of the summit. They all enjoyed together the adventure and romance that Kelly experienced when he felt the closest to God on the tops of the mountains. However, the strongest bond they shared was their faith. They learned to keep their eyes on God in their everyday life. When Karen received "the" phone call confirming her missing husband and two other fellow climbers, she knew it was the "real deal," which had been her greatest fear of being a mountain climber's wife. Throughout the entire search for her husband, she remained strong, positive, hopeful, and encouraging, with a tremendously strong faith in God. All three mountain climbers were men of faith. This was also shown through their families, who were concerned for the rescue workers, and periodically sent food and drink. Kelly James and his two friends, Brian Hall and Jerry Cooke, were prepared and experienced climbers. Karen's steadfast faith remained with her, even while being tested, but she knew it was their time to go home to God. In her book Holding Fast, Karen James shares her most intimate feelings and emotions, and how she was able to come to terms with her husband's death and find a sense of peace.

This book is an amazing story of faith. Karen James, wife of Kelly James, takes you inside eight long days as many people attempt to rescue her husband and two other men off of the top of Mt. Hood. Karen provides detail into her ordeal, focusing on how she relied on God through it all. The first half of the book details the account as many rescue workers worked day after day in the worst storm on Mt. Hood in a decade. When I first started the book, I had some recollection of what happened in 2006 as the entire country watched the events unfold. As I read further through the pages, many more of my memories of the story surfaced. Ms. James does a great job of detailing her feelings as well as what was happening day in and day out. In the second half of the book, she provides detail of how she copes daily without the love of her life and how her faith in God has been strengthened through the entire process. Ms. James did a great job of making me feel like I was in the story. The way she discusses the details and her feelings is truly remarkable. This book is a must-read for anyone, especially those going through the loss of a loved one.

Living on an island in Puget Sound, I am surrounded by mountains. I remember listening to the daily reports, not quite two years ago, of the rescue efforts to find three men on Mount Hood. I though at the time, "What would make one want to climb a mountain in the midst of winter?" Karen James answered that question in Holding Fast, the story of her husband Kelly - one of those three stranded on Mount Hood. Through pictures recovered from her husband's camera, Karen was able to reconstruct what happened on that fatal climb. The men were avid ice climbers and had planned the climb for some time. After they began their ascent, they were aware of the impending bad weather and changed their plans to shorten their time on the mountain. It seems Kelly must have fallen and was injured. An ice cave was dug out for him while the others tried to go for help. As the storm of the decade settled in, with hurricane force winds near the peak, rescue attempts were thwarted. Only Kelly's body was eventually found. It is thought the others were swept off the mountain. Kelly's death was a very public event and Karen shares the struggles she had. Yet her faith in God was sure as was the help and support of her friends. For Kelly, climbing was like breathing - he had to do it. Karen surmises that all of this happened to show that Christianity is for adventurous and daring men. When people ask her, "Where was God?" she answers, "In the ice cave with Kelly, holding him." Holding Fast is a refreshingly honest look at how Christians deal with tragedy. It is an amazing story of God's comfort and support in a time of great distress.

I too needed some closure. I didn't realize how this very public tragedy had lingered in my life. During the event I was watching the news everyday and scouring the web for updates, or any hopeful information. It was difficult, and I think for most of us observers, painful. I think we all wanted to see the victorious return to their loved ones. For them to have beaten the odds, survived the unsurvivable. I know I measured myself everyday too...could I hold up? Could I stand in front of cameras and give interviews with such grace amid such pain. What do I have to hold onto if I was so challenged? This book helped me understand the depths of their pain and how they coped. It also provides hope in that we humans, with love and faith can survive almost anything. Through this book, I am secure in knowing there is a way for us survive the unthinkable, to hold fast to our anchors in life. Its all the details, and then some...