Devon O’Neil is a freelance journalist based in Breckenridge, Colorado, and the author of “The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies.” He has worked as a daily newspaper reporter, a staff writer for ESPN.com, and a correspondent for Outside magazine. O’Neil’s stories have been anthologized in “The Best American Travel Writing” and noted in “The Best American Sports Writing.” During the winter he moonlights as a hutmaster, helping to maintain a network of backcountry cabins above 11,000 feet.
SunLit: Tell us this book’s backstory – what’s it about and what inspired you to write it?
Devon O’Neil: “The Way Out” chronicles a hut trip in January 2017 involving a trio of families from Salida — three dads and their four teenage children. A father named Brett and a 15-year-old boy named Cole got lost in a massive storm, and one of them didn’t come home.
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The outcome devastated their close-knit community and forced a reckoning about mountain life. I heard about the accident from a friend in 2019. The survivor wasn’t ready to talk, so I waited for three years until he was. Then I spent almost four years reporting and writing. Most of my interviews took place in Salida. I would say the mystery of what happened initially drew me in, but as I talked to more people the scope expanded to deeper questions, including whether our adventures are worth it.
SunLit: Place the excerpt you selected in context. How does it fit into the book as a whole and why did you select it?
O’Neil: This section details the moment Brett and Cole left Uncle Bud’s Hut, a decision that set the whole ordeal in motion. They didn’t tell anyone where they were going, and Cole’s father, Joel, and sister, Morgaan, initially tried to catch up to them. All of this transpired just as a monster storm arrived — a pivotal time in the story.
SunLit: What influences and/or experiences informed the project before you sat down to write?
“The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies”
Where to find it:
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O’Neil: In late April 2022, while I was reporting on this accident and how it had impacted people, I went backcountry skiing with a buddy above where we live in Breckenridge. We triggered an enormous avalanche and were lucky to survive. That close call crystallized the story at hand — how our seemingly innocent, recreational outings can forever alter our loved ones’ lives. It took me a while to get past the trauma of that day, but it also reinforced the broader takeaways I was writing about.
SunLit: What did the process of writing this book add to your knowledge and understanding of your craft and/or the subject matter?
O’Neil: For years, I worried about how I would write a true story while honoring the people in the book. I feared I wouldn’t be able to do both and that I would disappoint my sources, who had given me so much. I think that’s natural for a journalist; true stories can be unforgiving. But this project also reminded me how powerful truth can be, as a point of adherence when writing. I leaned on that often.
SunLit: What were the biggest challenges you faced in writing this book?
O’Neil: Earning the trust of sources who had been scarred by what I was asking them about. They are private people but also incredibly brave; many told me things they had never told anyone. That created a responsibility to represent their memories and feelings not only accurately but also sensitively. I tried my best to do that throughout.
SunLit: What do you want readers to take from this book?
O’Neil: That even though nature can be savage in its objectivity, it is important to keep going — with ample preparation. Also: that we all are imperfect and we all make mistakes. I hope readers think about how they are living and whether their decisions serve what they want out of life.
SunLit: Your book explores the challenges of navigating trauma and grief in a small community. What did you learn from talking to people about that?
O’Neil: First, it’s important to acknowledge someone’s pain, even if you don’t know what to say or feel uncomfortable addressing it. You can simply say, “I’m sorry for your loss.” Also, a lot of people who are grappling with grief struggle to express it. But I found that those who buried their thoughts were more haunted in the long term. Even just having one person to share your feelings with helps tremendously.
SunLit: Tell us about your next project.
O’Neil: I’m in the early stages of reporting a book about a place that informs much of what America — and Colorado — struggles to balance: quality of life, community, and money. It is the saga of an American supertown, told through people who have lived it.
A few more quick items
Currently on your nightstand for recreational reading: “10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People,” by David Yeager
First book you remember really making an impression on you as a kid: “The Hardy Boys”
Best writing advice you’ve ever received: Show, don’t tell.
Favorite fictional literary character: Santiago from “The Old Man and the Sea”
Literary guilty pleasure (title or genre): Adventure stories
Digital, print or audio – favorite medium to consume literature: Print
One book you’ve read multiple times: “Touching the Void”
Other than writing utensils, one thing you must have within reach when you write: Herbal tea
Best antidote for writer’s block: Reading back through my notes and asking myself, What is the story?
Most valuable beta reader: My wife, Larissa