Maria Coffey

They've paid their dues, mastered their game, and pushed the limits. And this year, they've been blowing our minds. Meet the new icons of cool.

"He died doing what he loved best," they always say. But when climbers meet their end on the high peaks, the ordeal is just beginning for their wives, husbands, children, parents, and friends. An exclusive excerpt from Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow