The Night the Mountain Fell

This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design. The Night the Mountain Fell plunges into the 1959 Montana-Yellowstone earthquake, when a summer paradise of geysers, mountain roads, and crowded campgrounds was shattered by one of North America's most violent quakes. In a single night, Hebgen Lake surged, Madison Canyon collapsed in a catastrophic landslide, and a deadly natural dam trapped travelers, flooded roads, and cut off hundreds from escape. Through ranger reports, eyewitness vignettes, and geologist Irving J. Witkind's stunned recognition of a landmark event, the book captures both the scientific significance and the raw terror of the disaster. At the center are ordinary people thrust into extraordinary danger: the Ost and Fredericks families camping near Rock Creek, an elderly couple in a trailer, lodge owners, drivers, and park visitors at Old Faithful. Their peaceful summer routines turn to chaos as the quake strikes at 11:37 p.m., tents are torn apart, cars are hurled, roads crumble, and communication fails. In the darkness, survivors cling to trees, search for one another, and rescue the injured while rumors of dam failure and floodwaters deepen the panic. This is a gripping true account of resilience, randomness, and survival in a shattered landscape.