On January 25, 1982, during a four-day search for two missing ice climbers on New Hampshire's Mount Washington in extreme weather conditions, Albert Dow, a member of the all-volunteer Mountain Rescue Service, became the first—and so far the only—member of a backcountry search and rescue team to be killed in the line of duty in the White Mountains. He was caught in an avalanche in terrain previously thought to present no risk. His teammate, Michael Hartrich, was injured in the accident.

In The Lions of Winter, author Ty Gagne describes the ordeal of the missing climbers, the selflessness and courage of the dedicated rescuers, the tragic circumstances surrounding the avalanche, and the heartbreak of the family, friends, and teammates of the fallen rescuer. Gagne also chronicles how this grueling event became a landmark of White Mountain history, ushering in a new era in the search and rescue community of New Hampshire.

In what is by far his longest and most in-depth book yet, The Lions of Winter, author Ty Gagne describes the ordeal of the missing climbers, the selflessness and courage of the dedicated rescuers, the tragic circumstances surrounding the avalanche, and the heartbreak of the family, friends, and teammates of the fallen rescuer.