By kayaks, definitely! In the midst of this crisis, beneath the light of a full moon, a trio of river guides secretly launched a small, hand-built wooden boat, a dory named the Emerald Mile, into the Colorado just below the dams base and rocketed toward the dark chasm downstream, where the torrents of water released by the dam engineers had created a rock . I am very impressed that Matt and Ben succeeded on relatively low-volume fluctuating flows in mid-winter, and Im surprised that the new record was set on an average flow of barely 14,500 cfs. "Kevin Fedarko's new brilliant work is the story about wilderness and the American mind, albeit an American mind juiced on Class V adrenaline Perhaps because we sympathize so strongly with the characters of The Emerald Mile--thanks in no small part to Fedarko's flowing prose--you'll feel yourself lurching along with them on wooden boats, in ocher-hued canyons, beneath cobalt skies, into the frenzied thrashings of the Colorado river as the very lanscape of the West attempts to choke it." Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? Where did you come from? So much history and info! In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the l Theres a rumor that Kenton built another dory specifically for a speed attempt. It took me a while to understand the author was painting a broad picture of the background leading up to the main event, and after my initial impatience to get to the adventure, began to really enjoy the detail of the lead up to the speed run. 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The saga of The Emerald Mile is a thrilling adventure, as well as a magisterial portrait of the hidden kingdom of white water at the bottom of the greatest river canyon on earth. The author really takes you there with all the details of the history of the Grand Canyon, John Wesley Powell and his explorations, geology of the area, background of all the characters involved, the history of the Glen Canyon Dam and many others and the environmentalist fighting against their construction. At age 12, Grua was enthralled by a whitewater rafting trip taken with his father on the Green River, a tributary of the Colorado River. , The book is at its heart an engrossing meditation on the eternal struggle between man and nature. This was a trip of a lifetime for this decidedly no camping, I need to sleep in a bed at night, no discomfort, but adventurous soul, middle-aged lady. I had an 8 day journey that I will never forget. Secondly, a longer dory would sacrifice ease of pivoting. Here is an instant classic of adventure literaturea story shot through with bravura but also touched by the rarest kind of grandeur." Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. Hi! Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest adventures, workouts, destinations, and more. So I asked him if he knew Kenton Grua. For instance, the three of us took turns at the oars, while paddlers are on their own the whole way. Kenton felt (I disagreed) that such a dory custom-designed for this purpose would allow him to break 24 hours on a solo run. I decided to go over to the Dory and talk to the guide. This book is full of adventure, chronicling the fastest journey through the Grand Canyon on a watercraft. Not everyone will want to invest the time necessary to fully appreciate this exquisite work of narrative nonfiction. Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2015. In addition to his travel narratives in Outside, where he worked as a senior editor, Fedarkos work has appeared in Esquire, National Geographic Adventure, and other publications, and has been anthologized in The Best American Travel Writing in 2004 and 2006. And I had no idea we narrowly missed what would have been probably the greatest national disaster of the almost failing of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1983. I tried in vain, at that moment, to imagine Powells incredulity about the time we had just set, as I was overcome by a feeling of deep humility that the powerful river looked favorably upon this little boat, slapped it around a bit just to put things in their proper perspective, then allowing it through to complete its mission. It took me a while to understand the author was painting a broad picture of the background leading up to the main event, and after my initial impatience to get to the adventure, began to really enjoy Just finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story. Rudi Petschek on the river. Kenton Grua was born and raised in Vernal, Utah. Let me count the ways I love this book! This book is full of adventure, chronicling the fastest journey through the Grand Canyon on a watercraft. The story of this epic run became widely known through Kevin Fedarko's 2013 book also called The Emerald Mile, which relied heavily on interviews conducted with Petschek. I love Fedarkos description of what was going on in Glen Canyon Dam and the accident at Crystal Rapid. Their aim was to set a speed record for the 277-mile passage, a record that could never be beaten. Read reviews from thousands of our guests on a variety of trips. Do you think a team in such craft could challenge the Emerald Miles time at normal flows or on a 40,000 cfs pulse flow? This lost treasure still evokes wonder in what lies in Glen Canyonthe 170-mile natural paradise legendary for its secret grottoes, waterfalls, beautiful ravines and isolated side canyons like Hidden Passage before it was flooded by Lake Powell upon the completion of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963. Where human history and natural history collide! . Experience a 3 to 7 day expedition filled with whitewater excitement, spectacular waterfalls waterfalls and starry nights. I picked up this book for my teenage son while my husband and I visited the Grand Canyon. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. This is a story of a super-man deliberately pushing himself physically to his limits, which the Emerald Mile story is not. I argued that if he were to follow this plan it would be more realistic for him to set 30 hours as a goal, but he remained adamant about a sub-24 hour run. But Reality check: many (though by no means all) of Kentons hair-brained ideas turned out to be not only feasible but also practical. Still, in this case, I remain super-skeptical. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named "The Emerald Mile" at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal. Highly recommend it. No Hassle Return. One of the best non-fiction books Ive had the privilege of reading. To float, to drift, savoring the pulse of the river on its odyssey through the canyon, and above all, to postpone the unwelcome and distinctly unpleasant moment when one is forced to reemerge and reenter the world beyond the rim-that is the paramount goal., But they have preserved an aspect of the American persona that is uniquely vital to the health of this republic. One thing Team Beer emphasized was how, for them, making the speed attempt wasnt so much about getting the record as it was about bonding with good friends under very demanding circumstances. He loved all the details and the grip as he called it. Many people have been discussing whether its fair to put your dory run in the same category as a kayak descent. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included . We caught up with Rudi Petschek, the last surviving member of the three-man crew which set the previous speed record. In the midst of this crisis, beneath the light of a full moon, a trio of river guides secretly launched a small, hand-built wooden boat, a dory named the Emerald Mile, into the Colorado just below the dam's base and rocketed toward the dark chasm downstream, where the torrents of water released by the dam engineers had created a rock-walled . In 1983, as we turned the last corner into the open Lake Mead, I remember, as I sat on the EMs stern seat, tears coming to my eyes as a lump lodged in my throat. We were the first raft of the season on the back of high spring rains (but far less than The Emerald Mile had to cope with) and we camped out taking 10 days Holiday of a lifetime! He spoke to the BBC about an . The saga of "The Emerald Mile" is a thrilling adventure, as well as a magisterial portrait of the hidden kingdom of white water at the bottom of the greatest river canyon on earth. The Emerald Mile is a fantastic read, and an instant throw-back for me to those days on the river. ${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}. The Emerald Mile is the best combination of journalistic reporting and eloquent storytelling. Grand Canyon River Guide Buzz Belknap 1975 Pure Land Annette McGivney I knew from a friend's recommendation that this book would be exciting, and it was. Last June, I went and listened as Kevin Fedarko gave us a presentation and overview of the Emerald Mile. Your non-motorized record, which lasted more than 30 years, has been broken twice in three days. For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! A great read. On normal flows, I dont think the extra straight-line speed would have sufficed; on a 40,000 flow the boats extra length would have been a handicap in the turbulence which began to manifest itself at that level. "The Emerald Mile is the rarest of creations-a magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice. Lol, just kidding (barely). The only reason I didn't rate this book with five stars is because it is LONG. If you are interested in the Colorado Rive and the Grand Canyon, then I highly recommend it. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named "The Emerald Mile" at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal. Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022. In the midst of this crisis, beneath the light of a full moon, a trio of river guides secretly launched a small, hand-built wooden boat, a dory named the Emerald Mile, into the Colorado just below the dam's base and rocketed toward the dark chasm downstream, where the torrents of water released by the dam engineers had created a rock-walled . Learn how your comment data is processed. Also, I have issues with people taking extreme risks just to set a record but that doesnt affect the quality of the book. Please use a different way to share. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named "The Emerald Mile" at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal. Rapid snowmelt in June of 1983 created the highest water in the Grand Canyon in 25 years, the likes of which hadn't been experienced since before Glen Canyon Dam was built. I try to picture myself in the EM during our speed run, in the thrashing turbulence and the monstrous waves which, as the boat approached them, kept changing the direction so we wouldnt know how to point the boat to hit them straight, often requiring a major adjustment at the very last instant. The Emerald Mile. But Kenton Grua, the captain of that dory, was determined to use the flood as a hydraulic slingshot that would hurl him and his companions through 277 miles of some of the most ferocious white water in North America and, if everything went as planned, catapult the Emerald Mile into legend as the fastest boat ever propelled - by oar, by motor . And read the book first. And he motioned, with his head, towards the river. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at . My expectation based on the title, the cover and the synopsis I read was that it would be an exciting, adventure read. A steady flow (not in the cards) would be essential. The unprecedented weather, the inner workings of a dam, and how threatening it was to downstream USA. Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022. We could intermittently relax our bodies because we took turns rowing, but not our minds because of the extreme turbulence. An epic-sized true-life adventure tale that appeals to both the heart and the head. In 1983, following a devastating flood that led to one of the most disastrous dam wreckages in history, a trio of rafters launched a small wooden dory named The Emerald Mile just 15 miles from the failed Glen Canyon Dam. The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko Summary: The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko is a novel about the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon. I told the guide my storyhow Tom had given me the book and how Kit and I had gone to Oars Dories to see the Emerald Mile. And even if your acquaintance with the two is fleeting (as is mine), you may want to read this thorough account of a speed run down the Colorado River in 1983 after one of the biggest water years in the western. Well-told, deeply-researched, engaging to read book. Neither experimental flows nor the big flood were considerations, as at the time these were beyond even our imagination. The authors writing style was very cumbersome and he seemed to take two or three sentences to say what could have been said more simply with one. This book announces Fedarko as a major writing talent and at last sets forth the full story of an American legendthe legend of "The Emerald Mile". The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story Of The Fastest Ride In History Through The Heart Of The Grand Canyon ISBN: 1439159866 EAN13: 9781439159866 Language: English Release Date: Jul 1, 2014 Pages: 448 Dimensions: 1.5" H x 8.35" L x 5.51" W Weight: 0.79 lbs. Holly Black is theauthor of more than 30 fantasy novels, including Tithe, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, and her 2022 adult debut,Book of To see what your friends thought of this book, The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon. In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River confronted a team of engineers at the Glen Canyon Dam with an unprecedented emergency that may have resulted in the most catastrophic dam failure in history. This book is a kind of love letter to the Colorado River and its Grand Canyon. ${cardName} not available for the seller you chose. I noticed a Dory painted in the colors of the Emerald mile. The Emerald Mile crews that set the 1980 and 1983 records were, although very experienced in Grand Canyon, just journeymen commercial river guides attempting our speed run during a break in our commercial boating schedule. Documents the 1983 Colorado River flood that threatened the region with a catastrophic dam failure and prompted oarsman Kenton Grua's near-suicidal effort to navigate the turbulent waters of the Emerald Mile on a small wooden dory to achieve a world speed record Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, [{"displayPrice":"$14.19","priceAmount":14.19,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"19","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"DA893m45iemc18M6I8TdWZ9mwzwwj9Bq6SBWJOc3LV%2FSz2A6CkKToDR2RreZING%2BqlZM162%2FSRasqnEAFMZXRRQxsDJNitNtv%2F9907E5SIvUrV7D2pGYjBW6tZ4BI5m%2FLDP5Utv1aKjH9PRT%2F9wI1w%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$12.76","priceAmount":12.76,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"76","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"LP7kqmPcrdBJ15ej990abviJoPYNen4L9ueiI9QVBME0FKVMHlQgLbnszsHwi%2BduYh43pcQ%2B11MPi3dVl3SbhJOGxtqgvYvkmTqVx8LSevvHGS2F9%2FCxDG3nZfwE41H%2FtsR2Njro%2F9iiLJoQ7f2CM6IUv%2FaJWsxBL1uaLvlJB9dM9jd91Ya0S3CK4BtYPsiL","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]. 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