At twelve, Lance Fenske survived a night of unimaginable violence that would shape the course of his life. At fourteen, he discovered bourbon, beginning a decades-long struggle with addiction and the ghosts of his past.

But Lance's story is not one of simply surviving.

At forty-two, he found sobriety—and the mountains. What began with climbing in Colorado became a worldwide pursuit of summits, taking him from the Rockies to the Himalayas, Africa, South America, and beyond.

Along the way, he discovered something he had been searching for all his life: freedom.

I Chose the Mountain is a story of survival, addiction, adventure, love, and transformation—and a reminder that no matter how difficult the climb, the next step is always yours to choose.