Frederick H. Swanson
The wild landscapes of the West have entranced me ever since my youth, beginning in the deep forests of Oregon and later in the superb mountain ranges of Montana. These days my wife and I enjoy exploring the canyons and deserts of southern Utah, where my first two books are based. As an environmental historian, I’ve profiled some of the twentieth century’s notable explorers and conservationists, including pioneering Colorado River guide Dave Rust, Montana forester G. M. Brandborg, and the renowned biologist Olaus Murie.
My work has appeared in High Country News, International Journal of Wilderness, Montana: The Magazine of Western History, Forest History Today, Dark Mountain, National Parks Traveler and other journals. I’ve been honored to receive the Wallace Stegner Prize in Environmental Humanities from the University of Utah Press for my book The Bitterroot and Mr. Brandborg. This title was also the recipient of the Spur Award of the Western Writers of America, in the category of Best Contemporary Nonfiction.
I formerly worked as publications editor and hold a graduate degree in environmental studies from the University of Montana. My family and I enjoy visiting the less-traveled places of the western United States on foot, by canoe, and (climate willing) cross-country skis.