The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon

The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon

by Kevin Fedarko

Narrated by Kevin Fedarko

Unabridged — 17 hours, 28 minutes

The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon

The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon

by Kevin Fedarko

Narrated by Kevin Fedarko

Unabridged — 17 hours, 28 minutes

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Overview

From one of Outside magazine's “Literary All-Stars” comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, during the legendary flood of 1983.

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. 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 the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. The goal was to nail the all-time record for the fastest boat ever propelled-by oar, by motor, or by the grace of God himself-down the entire length of the Colorado River from Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead. Did he survive? Just barely. Now, this remarkable, epic feat unfolds here, in The Emerald Mile.

Editorial Reviews

Dallas Morning News

"Kevin Fedarko's remarkable The Emerald Mile re-creates an incredible voyage through the flood-swollen Grand Canyon in such heart-pounding detail that you need to pause every few pages to catch your breath... 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."

Durango Telegraph

"Crafting a tale as graceful and powerful as the natural wonder of which he writes... the books goes beyond your typical river porn, offering a wide appeal to everyone from history buffs and the Popular Mechanics set to environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts. 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. It's that good...Fedarko will have you posied on the edge of your seat like a high-sider at in Lava Falls."

Cleveland Plain-Dealer

Kevin Fedarko's magnificent book covers a lot of ground – and water... So it is a great boon of Fedarko’s book that he tells the story of the dam, and of the engineers and technicians who built it... with as much respect and homage as he gives to the dorymen.

Christine Wald-Hopkins

"Journalist and part-time river guide Kevin Fedarko has produced a work of jaw-dropping scope and page-turning action in this account of a speed record of rowing the length of the Grand Canyon that remains unmatched.... An unforgettable read, rendered in vivid, sometimes majestic, prose."

Bill Broyles

"This spellbinding true story leaps from the inner workings of Glen Canyon Dam and the psyches of river guides to boat-eating whirlpools and a wooden river dory named the Emerald Mile. Kevin Fedarko’s prodigious research and breathtaking narrative transcend the Southwest. It’s a roaring adventure with wave after wave of spills and thrills. Let’s hope Fedarko owns the movie rights."

Deseret News

His poetic and descriptive writing should only brighten his accolades and helps his non-fiction book read like a fast-paced fiction adventure... It isn’t necessary to be a history buff or whitewater expert to enjoy this story...With meticulous research, notes and epilogue, Fedarko tells a satisfying story that is quite an entertaining ride.

author of Swimming in the Volcano and Easy in the Islands - Bob Shacochis

"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. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? This one is, and Fedarko’s book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. I have no doubt it will become an instant classic, a timeless chronicle of what can still be legitimately called the American spirit."

Mountain magazine

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 proseyou'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 landscape of the West attempts to choke it.

Publisher’s Weekly

Grua’s wild ride on the Colorado, how it mirrored his mercurial personality, is just one part of Fedarko’s story; however, the ride, which runs through seven states, and the canyon, rich in both geological and political history, prove to be the real protagonists.

The Oklahoman

"Fedarko's first book is a masterpiece of literary nonfiction, a method of writing that uses the techniques of novelists and short story writers to tell true stories in a compelling manner. Think Into Thin Air or The Perfect Storm. Fedarko spent years as an editor at Outside magazine, working with some of the best writers in the world; with The Emerald Mile, he has joined them as a thoughtful, thorough researcher and superb storyteller."

Boulder Weekly

Fedarko’s effortlessly engaging narrative... is a labor of passion from an adventurous journalist who still calls the Grand Canyon home.

editor-at-large at Outside magazine and author of Blood and Thunder and Ghost Soldiers - Hampton Sides

"From the bottom of our planet's most awesome landscape, Kevin Fedarko has found and rescued a great American tall tale that just happens to be true. As a boatman, Fedarko knows this world intimately. As a writer, he'll make you understand it, savor it, and ultimately love it as you never have before. Here is an instant classic of adventure literature—a story shot through with bravura but also touched by the rarest kind of grandeur."

Pittsburg Post-Gazette

At its heart an engrossing meditation on the eternal struggle between man and nature.

Publishers Weekly

Grua’s wild ride on the Colorado, how it mirrored his mercurial personality, is just one part of Fedarko’s story; however, the ride, which runs through seven states, and the canyon, rich in both geological and political history, prove to be the real protagonists.

Publisher’s Weekly

Grua’s wild ride on the Colorado, how it mirrored his mercurial personality, is just one part of Fedarko’s story; however, the ride, which runs through seven states, and the canyon, rich in both geological and political history, prove to be the real protagonists.

JULY 2015 - AudioFile

Author Fedarko recounts the true adventure of a speed run through the Grand Canyon in a wooden boat during the terrifying 1983 flood. Narrator Paul Michael Garcia grabs listeners' attention right away with his ominous tone. There are some side trips, though, that are less gripping. The early sections of the audiobook provide background information on such things as the Spanish exploration of the region and dam building. It's interesting but a bit long. Garcia's graceful voice works well for the descriptions of the canyon’s beauty, but some listeners may still feel like listening to the book’s opening and then skipping to the second half. From there, Garcia delivers the drama of the run itself with every word, for an edge-of-the-seat thrill. Listeners will want to keep going to the last drop to learn the Emerald Mile crew's fortunes. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID: 2940192520727
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 05/28/2024
Edition description: Unabridged
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