A semi-fictional account of
Jill Kinmont is presented, the account primarily on the transition out of her life as a skier. It's 1955, and she's part of the successful ski team of Bishop High School in Bishop, California under coach Dave McCoy. She and her best friend and teammate A.J. Nicholson dreamed of skiing in the Olympics together, dependent next year on they doing well in the regionals which factors into who is named to the national team. Much is made in the press of a relationship between Jill and
Buddy Werner, arguably the most accomplished male skier on the regional circuit from the rival team from Boulder, that relationship despite Jill being more attracted to Dick Buek, a proverbial hot dogger who is already on the national team but who is engaged to someone else. Jill's Olympic dreams with A.J. are shattered when both their skiing lives are permanently sidelined, first A.J. due to health issues in a polio diagnosis, and second when Jill is involved in a horrific crash in the last race of the season. Her injuries lead not to a question of if she will ever walk again - which she won't - let alone ski but rather whether she will survive. Coming out the other end a quadriplegic, Jill has both to believe in herself in identifying as someone other than a skier, and to have others provide the supports she needs in seeing beyond her physical disability. One person arguably provides that support more than anyone else in truly believing in the strength within Jill if she only believes it herself.
—Huggo