Fortunately, they've gifted those of us who would like to live vicariously through them with a new collection of whitewater guide stories from all of these great Western rivers: 'Halfway to Halfway and Back: More River Stories.' These are the kind of stories you'd hear folks tell around a camp after a day on the river, watching the sun creep over the canyon walls, beer in hand. Goofy clients, funny personalities, that big drop around the bend, and runs and trips gone horribly (and hilariously) wrong—it's all here. If you can't get out and run big water this summer, this might just tide you over until the snows melt and the water thunders over boulders again next year.
Around the Edge
In 'Tip of the Iceberg,' Mark Adams uses the Alaska ferry system (and float planes) to follow the famous 1899 Harriman Expedition that traced the Alaskan border from near Bellingham up to the Arctic Circle. Two of the more famous passengers on that expedition included Edward Curtis and John Muir, and they found a land faced with looming environmental issues. More than a century later, Adams finds a land struggling to adapt to climate change. A great combo of history and travelogue that does not disappoint.
