When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for. Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task. In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut. It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why. Ben became stuck on the glacier. He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below. That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice. He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety. Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....