The Mountain Between US

The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin    336 pages

Dr. Ben Payne is trying to get home to Jacksonville, Florida, after attending a medical conference. He is on a layover. Ashley Knox, a successful freelance journal, is eager to get home to Atlanta. Her wedding is in two days. 

Ben and Ashley are sitting near plugs, on the floor, working until they can board. However, a rapidly approaching winter storm is impacting the Salt Lake City airport. Flights are being canceled, but they each hold out hope. When one of the two de-icing trucks breaks down, a fight out that night seemed remote.

After they pick up a hotel voucher and trudge toward baggage claim, Ben spots a charter plane service across the way. He races over and convinces the pilot to take him to Denver. Grover, the pilot, reluctantly agrees. Remembering Ashley and her need to get to Atlanta, Ben hurries back to the terminal and asks her if she wants to catch a ride.

Agreeing, the two hop aboard with Grover and his dog, Tank. They take off with only minutes to spare before the storm closes the airport.  Mid-way through the flight, Grover suffers a massive coronary. The plane crashes into the High Unitas Wilderness---one of the harshest (the area gets 500-700 FEET of snow each year) and remotest areas in the continental U.S.

When Ben comes to, he is suffering from several broken ribs. Ashley has a leg fracture. The dog seems to be okay. It’s snowing. Hard. And it’s bitterly, bitterly cold.

Thankfully, Ben is a mountain climber. He has some equipment with him. One big problem. He could hike his way out; if he knew where he was. Not only that, Grover didn’t have to file a flight plan, so no one knows they are missing.

The story that follows is Ben, Ashley and Tank’s month-long quest to find food, water, warmth, and a way out.

Author Martin did an amazing job of repeating the same harrowing scene without the story becoming repetitious. Along the way, the two learn about each other lives, but Ben has a secrets. They are doled out slowly and are shocking, which only added to the tension of the story.

The Mountain Between Us gets 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

I received this book from Blogging for books in exchange for this review.