Kevin Fedarkos superb book presents the Grand Canyon in a way most people will never see it from the bottom up, with a strong emphasis on the river that carved the Canyons unique features and which provides the most accessible route for the much smaller number of tourists lucky enough to experience the beautiful natural and geologic features of the lower Canyon. Did he survive? If you ever get the chance, ride it through. 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. On the latter trip, the three men took turns on the oars, rowing illegally through day and night on a flood of 72,000 cubic feet per second, the largest the Grand had seen since the construction of Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s. For both runs, their craft was a wooden dory named the Emerald Mile. 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. I was further interested when the group pulled up on the beach. Lol, just kidding (barely). This book was hard to put down. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. We caught up with Rudi Petschek, the last surviving member of the three-man crew which set the previous speed record. Book has great history lessons as well. The Emerald Miles 1983 record run was perhaps more risky on account of our scant familiarity with the extreme turbulence of 72,000 cfs, which kept us constantly on edge. One of the best I've seen lately. 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. I almost didn't finish this book. Rudi Petschek on the river. Grua resting in the Emerald Mile. While some visitors undertake back-country hikes, most people are content to enjoy the views from the South Rim, and do not venture much below the rim. I didnt expect it to be so dense looking! List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price. Deseret News"The Emerald Mile is the rarest of creationsa magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice. This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. He writes so vividly that your favorite reading chair becomes a spray-soaked perch on a bucking boat hit hard by a river running high and fast." This book announces Fedarko as a major writing talent and at last sets forth the full story of an American legend--the legend of The Emerald Mile. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named "The Emerald Mile" at the head . The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Accessory - June 3, 2015 by Kevin Fedarko(Author) 4.8 out of 5 stars1,985 ratings 4.4 on Goodreads 9,246 ratings Editors' pickBest Nonfiction See all formats and editions Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. The flood caused two states of crises for two groups of people fundamentally at odds with each other - the engineers at Glen Canyon Dam and the river runners in the Grand Canyon. A unforgettable journey of 188 miles from Lake Powell to Lava Falls. I really enjoyed that book, especially Kevins deep dive on Glen Canyon Dam and Crystal Rapid. 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. It helps that I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time this summer. In fact, it would not be overblown to say The Emerald Mile deserved a spot on the bookshelf alongside such enduring classics as Cadillac Desert, Desert Solitaire and Encounters with the Archdruid. Start by marking The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon as Want to Read: Error rating book. The challenges faced by kayakers attempting a Grand Canyon speed run are, for the most part, entirely different from those faced by an oar-powered row boat, so much so that it becomes a stretch to compare the two (apples and oranges). This one is, and Fedarkos book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Some of it, like the struggle for protection of the grand canyon itself and how it almost got turned into a reservoir, was v. This is my first book ever listening to, and I think listening to some of the names rather than being able to see them on paper might have helped keep track of some of the names, but that's largely unimportant. 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. It takes almost 3/4 of the way into the book to actually get to The Emerald Mile water run, but it is so worth the wait! Lol, just kidding (barely). To see our price, add these items to your cart. Ok, if you have an issue with whitewater, don't read this before going on a Colorado River trip. *Unsubscribe Anytime See Our Privacy Policy. Also, the depth and level of detail that Kevin Fedarko takes us towhile weaving much of the background story of Grand Canyon into this epic tailis fundamentally necessary to help us fully understand those moments surrounding the speed run. "The Emerald Mile" by Kevin Fedarko . He had Rick Parsons and Henry Dhieux speak about putting up those plywood flash boards that held off the flood at Glen Canyon Dam in 1983 while the Bureau of Reclamation considered their options to contain and control the Colorado River. 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. This book started out slowly, and I found some of the flowery prose to be ponderous, but the second half was much better than the first. I feel like if I would have read this before, I would have had a much greater appreciation for all that I was seeing and doing. .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look. Fedarko was a staff writer at Time magazine from 1991 to 1997, where his work helped garner an Overseas Press Club Award for a story on the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Fedarko was a staff writer at Time magazinefrom 1991 to 1997, where his work helped garner an Overseas Press Club Award for a story on the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Kenton Grua, Rudy Petschek, and Steve Reynolds, https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Mile-Fastest-History-Through-ebook/dp/B00ALYY6W8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1613844144&sr=8-1. The Emerald Mile | Book by Kevin Fedarko | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster About The Book About The Author Product Details Related Articles Raves and Reviews Resources and Downloads The Emerald Mile The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon By Kevin Fedarko Trade Paperback LIST PRICE $19.99 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 United State's history. Just got off the river last week at mile 225. 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 . The boat flipped in a mammoth incarnation of Crystal Rapid, but through combination of luck and honed whitewater skill, the trio was able to climb back aboard the dory in the runout to the swollen rapid, right it, and go onto set the record time. One of the most enthralling books I have read in a long time. Would you agree based on your speed descents? This past August 2018, I had the great privilege to take a 5 day journey down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. This was his fantasy a sub-24 hour solo dory run. Where did you come from? The first few chapters stumble a bit but once you get to the beginning of Powell's adventure, Fedarko has found his stride. Expecting a mild adventure read, I ordered this book based on some comments in the Outside book club Facebook group. Your email address will not be published. I recently went on a Grand Canyon river rafting adventure. Kevin Fedarko lives in northern New Mexico and works as a part-time river guide in Grand Canyon National Park. This one is, and Fedarko's book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. He brings alive the Canyon, the Colorado River, and the people who are drawn to protect it or dam it. He absolutely devoured this book. Fedarko earned a Masters of Philosophy in Russian history at Oxford in 1990. No Hassle Return. I sent an email to my party promising to find the Emerald Mile and to visit the grave of famous river guide Kenton Grua. Now a resident of Nevada City, California, the 82-year-old river guide whos been down the Grand Canyon a whopping 94 times, shared his thoughts on the recent events over email. 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. The 135 miles that we experienced, never lost its magic. But once I started reading I was enamored by the stories of the history of the canyon and those that experienced and changed it over the years. This book. A good friend of mine suggested I read a book titled the Emerald Mile prior to going to the Grand Canyon I did that. It appealed to two of my interests: engineering, with its descriptions of how the personnel at the Glen Canyon Dam dealt with the huge water inflows from the El Nino event and the damage caused to the spillways, and whitewater rafting, with its descriptions of the fastest ride and how rafting companies, their customers, and the river rangers dealt with the dang. Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022. 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.The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at . Was there story that inspired you in the early 80s? 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.The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at . His descriptions brought every scene to life for me - even when (or especially when) he goes off on a lyrical tangent - e.g., " And peeking over the cliffs like a Chinese lantern was a swollen, yellow globe that draped the folds of the surrounding plateau in moonbeams" sigh. 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 Best book about a true story that I've read in a long time! Their aim was to set a speed record for the 277-mile passage, a record that could never be beaten. 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 . Browse by topic or book Browse The Best Books For Authors Follow Our Story . Highly recommend it. Still holding the record, even with a recent attempt at breaking it on January 7th, 2015 by Ben Orkin and Harrison Rea in Kayaksof 37 hours and 48 minutes, Kenton Grua, Rudy Petschek, and Steve Reynolds still hold the record of 36 hours and 38 minutes! It would have been longer for better straight-line speed, and outfitted for a solo run. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water, Revised Edition. It takes almost 3/4 of the way into the book to actually get to The Emerald Mile water run, but it is so worth the wait! Do yourself a favor and check out this exciting literary adventure! The Emerald Mile Choose your Destination Choose your Experience Choose your River Book My Expedition Call Us 866.904.1160 The Emerald Mile Douglas A. Kenton Grua in the Emerald Mile, the dory used on the speed run. Let me start, I am not a boating person. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? The ebook version of The Emerald Mile is epically BAD. Where human history and natural history collide! ${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}. Enjoy! Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? Okay. Fedarko earned a Masters of Philosophy in Russian history at Oxford in 1990. Click Here : https://clickhere-03.blogspot.com/?book=1439159858 From one of Outside magazine?s ?Literary All-Stars? The tale of your speed descents has no doubt inspired new generations to take up the challenge presented by the canyon. We small talked for a while and I learned he was working for Oars Grand Canyon Dorys. Whats one of the best memories from your speed runs? That spring, a massive snowmelt sent runoff racing down the Colorado River toward the Glen Canyon Dam. 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: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon is a 2013 non-fiction book written by Kevin Fedarko. 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