The American West, with its splendid mountains, forests and deserts, has been my home for most of my life. For the past 12 years I've been writing about its wildest places and the people who've explored and protected them. Their stories are fascinating and instructive, and I invite you to have a look. Happy reading!
WILD LANDS OF MONTANA AND IDAHO:
CANYONS AND DESERTS OF THE COLORADO PLATEAU:
Coming Soon!
Wonders of Sand and Stone:
A History of Utah's National Parks and Monuments
Why is the canyon country of southern Utah--once thought to be a useless wasteland--now home to five national parks and seven national monuments? In my next book from the University of Utah Press,* I take a look at how native Utahns and visitors to our state have viewed the landscape of the Colorado Plateau over the past 150 years, and examine how changing attitudes toward these lands led to the creation of Utah's signature national parks. As integral parts of the great expanse of wild lands known as "canyon country", these park units face multiple challenges from increased use and from development beyond their borders.
* Note: The June 2020 publication date for my book has been postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic. I'm hopeful it will be released later this summer. You can Pre-order the book now, though!
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Interested in more? See my recent essay "A Voice from a Separate World" in the new journal Deep Wild . Also, a journey down Utah's Desolation Canyon in National Parks Traveler.
Interested in more? See my recent essay "A Voice from a Separate World" in the new journal Deep Wild . Also, a journey down Utah's Desolation Canyon in National Parks Traveler.
Masthead Photo: George C. Fraser and G.C. Fraser, Jr., in Cathedral Valley, 1915. Photo by Dave Rust, courtesy Mrs. Eldon Rasmussen.