Whiteout refers to a weather phenomenon in the high mountains and polar regions. Light reflections caused by snow and ice cause the horizon and contours to disappear, which can result in a person becoming disoriented. The British mountaineer and sports adventurer Mollie Hughes not only knows this special meteorological phenomenon from her own experience. She also titled her book, in which she chronicles her tours in the Himalayas and Antarctica, “Whiteout.” She reached the summit of Mount Everest for the first time when she was just 21 years old, and again five years later. On January 10, 2020, she reached the South Pole after a solo expedition through the eternal ice and 1,000 kilometers on skis. They are tours that only a few people experience.
In her book, Hughes describes how her fascination with the highest mountain in the world came about and how intensively she prepared for the extreme tours with endurance, will and some crazy ideas. The British woman takes the reader through fields of snow and ice, mountain ridges and glaciers to these two hostile places on our planet. She combines her honest and impressive report of her experiences in seven lessons with advice about mental strength for everyone. She describes her own experiences and discusses scientific studies on human psychology and physiology in a very understandable way. She clearly describes the effects on body and mind. In addition, other extreme athletes from different disciplines such as swimming, stand-up paddling and base jumping will have their say. None of them are superheroes, but normal people who can achieve top performance thanks to their mental strength – despite their fears and weaknesses. Mollie Hughes was also plagued by doubts; she also suffers from a fear of heights and dealt with trauma after experiencing a fatal fall of a friend in the Himalayas.
After reading it, not every reader will certainly climb to the roof of the world or go to the South Pole. But the author’s advice – for example on breathing, self-awareness and affirmation – can also be helpful in everyday life. And Mollie Hughes’ educational book is an experience in itself just for the journey from the sofa to these fascinating landscapes.
Review: Constanze Matthes
Mollie Hughes
Whiteout – My way through the eternal ice
Goldman Publishing. 288 pages, €18