What You Don’t Know About the Colorado River
Read this! River Notes: A Natural and Human History of the Colorado by Wade Davis
Just published this month, we had the chance to get our hand’s on a copy of River Notes
In 2006, filmmaker and conservationist Greg MacGillivray invited Wade Davis, acclaimed author and Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, to take part in a Grand Canyon expedition. What resulted was not only the 3D IMAX film Grand Canyon Adventure, but also this fine historical adventure from Davis who simultaneously takes you back in time and downstream through some of the world’s most famous rapids.
In short, River Notes is everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Colorado and more. In this surprisingly quick read (for how much info is packed into it), Davis paints an intimate portrait of the river’s past and urges us to consider its future. With an expert’s knowledge and storytelling finesse, he details the people of the river canyon’s past, like the Havasupai and John Wesley Powell. He dives into the mind-blowing geology dating back 1.8 billion years, and the wild stories that have become the legends of the “Great Unknown.” Through all this, he also weaves in a message of caution. He reminds us how much we’ve come to rely on the Colorado River and the past mistakes of earlier generations.
If you’ve ever pondered a trip down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon it’s definitely worth a pre-trip read. When the time comes, you’ll appreciate the journey all the more. And those who have had the great opportunity to travel by way of the river will cherish having this book by their side so they can slip back into the canyon and down the river whenever they feel the urge.
Lose yourself on the Colorado River. Order River Notes
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