Gave this to my skier grandson and he loved it!

I couldn't put this book down...in fact I finished it in a day. The flow of words were smooth, and Cocuzzo's style of writing is established while not giving off a pretentious feel. I will be reading this again on my cruise in March because I liked it so much. Coombs' life is a remarkable one to read about and it was sincerely fun to hear Cocuzzo tell of his tales following in the footsteps of his hero. One of the best things in life is to hear someone talk about something they are passionate about, and this book does just that. Cocuzzo's talent with words is such that if he were to be passionate about life selling fruit at a farmers market, I'd probably give it a read.

Fantastic read! Rob Cocuzzo crafts a spellbinding and inspiring tale of both Coombs' and his own journeys through the world of big mountain skiing. I could not put this book down. To read this book is to feel the fear and elation that a regular skier experiences on steep runs. If you ski, get this book.

I got this book from my husband, who loves stories about daring adventurers--Shackleton, Earhart, you name it. This book brings to life the adventure and the personality, all with a lively and personal writing style. A great read that we both enjoyed.

Great read, loved it! Highly recommended for those interested in ski history. RIP DC!

Good read!!

Well written look into the life of Doug Coombs and the people he touched. Breezed through the book in only a few sittings.

Robert does an amazing job enveloping the reader into the rich tapestry of the life of Doug Coombs. Ripping through the book was like eavesdropping on a conversation you simply can't ignore. I couldn't put it down and I eagerly look forward to Rob's next piece. Selfishly, I hope it takes place in the mountains I love so much.

nbsp;UPDATE: The author sent me a new and signed copy making complete amends for the publisher screw up. I'm a long time admirer of Doug Coombs and am very familiar with his story. I'd say the author did an excellent job researching who Doug was and telling his story with all the detail and personal insight his fans are looking for. Major publishing screw up and the book has over 20 blank pages. The pages are there just no words are printed on them. I cant imagine mine is the only copy with that problem.

Great book! If you love skiing or enjoy books about adventure this is one incredible story. I couldn't put it down!

I can't say enough great things about this book. It's engaging from the very beginning, extremely descriptive and emotional. Just like any great book, if you are unaware of all the live surroundings around you while submersed in the words, the book has captured you and done it's job! It's an amazing life story told of Rob's adventurous journey and the amazing life of Doug Coombs. Well done! -Lisa T.

This was a great story and tribute to not only Doug, but to Emily and many other great skiers and mountaineers.

Like Robert, and Doug before him, I too grew up in Massachusetts before eventually settling out West to ski the steep, powdery lines of the Colorado Rockies. Today, as a professional skier living in Aspen, Colorado, I often get to ski in excess of 150 days per year on some of the most exciting terrain in the country. This book, however, opened my eyes to a part of the ski community that I had only recently become aware existed. From the time I opened the cover of this book, I was immediately taken on a mesmerizing ski journey that made me want to race to the airport and jump on the next plane to both Chamonix and Le Grave. From his early days exploring the icy steeps of Tuckerman's Ravine, to his backcountry exploits as a member of the Jackson Hole Air Force, and eventually to his final descent into the Couloir de Polichinelle, Doug's story was brought to life in a way that both skiers and non-skiers alike can appreciate. At times, I felt as though I was standing at the top of the Chugach right alongside both of them, stomach churning, eyes wide as saucers, about to drop into Stairway to Heaven for the very first time. For those of us who ski for a living, Doug Coombs is the skier that we all aspire to be. While most of us will never experience the thrill of a first descent or the rush of adrenaline that comes from narrowly skiing out of the path of an oncoming avalanche, we all have heroes to whom we look up to for inspiration as we go about daily lives. Not only has Robert brought his hero to life on the pages of this book, but he has also allowed us to ski right alongside him as he relived each exciting moment in Doug Coombs short, but greatly fulfilled life.

Rob's accounts in Tracking the Wild Coomba are legit. Having been one of Doug's first paying clients up in Valdez in the mid 90's with Doug, Jerry Hance, Dave Miller, Theo RoboGuide Miners, Rick Armstrong,and Jeff Zell, the book portrays the early AK ski scene accurately.From Uzi toting crack dealing kids in the Heli pad lot on Thompson Passto to watching Doug and Dave and Rick reviewing hand held videos in the Motel Six in Valdez to determine which routes we would ski the next day ...it was Wild. On our runs, we would alight with tree shrubs in our backpacks to lay on the LZs at the various peaks as they were almost always first landings and descents. Cherry, The Books, Viper, Happy Face - crazy early runs that bring back surges of adrenaline and smiles. Congrats Rob on a great read!

exciting read

From start to finish the authors passion was evident. He captured the true essence of Coombs. Hard to put down!

A great read for all skiers at all levels. Cocuzzo does a fantastic job of taking you to the places that put Coombs on the map. Having skied in Jackson Hole and La Grave (and Chamonix soon), he brought those places to life in a great way. I skied one day in La Grave and his description of the lift, runs, and apres bar at the top of the mountain really made me go back to some great memories, Coombs' story aside. I did not know much about Doug Coombs before I read this book and now have a much greater appreciation for the man. Well done Robert Cocuzzo.

Nice story

Great book. What a LEGEND!

Have lived in 3 different ski resorts . The author , the subject and the writing was spot on ! Get It !