A forensic look at Frederick Cook’s contested 1906 claim to have climbed Mount McKinley, drawing on decades of sleuthing and newly surfaced material. The narrative profiles Cook’s showmanlike career, his role in early polar expeditions, and the inconsistencies that have long invited scrutiny.

Central to the book are rare photographs by Bradford Washburn and careful photographic reconstructions that reproduce Cook’s views from later vantage points. Those visual comparisons, paired with archival research, form the book’s most persuasive evidence against Cook’s ascent claim.

• Detailed account of Cook’s expeditions and controversies
• Eight previously unpublished Bradford Washburn photos
• Side-by-side photographic comparisons and analysis
• Hardcover, 185 pages; Mountaineers Books (2001)

Recommended for readers drawn to mountaineering history, expedition detective work, and historical photography that reframes a famous claim.

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