Woman Of The River: Georgie White Clark, Whitewater Pioneer

by Richard E. Westwood, Roy Webb (Foreward)

Georgie White Clark-adventurer, raconteur, eccentric--first came to know the canyons of the Colorado River by swimming portions of them with a single companion. She subsequently hiked and rafted portions of the canyons, increasingly sharing her love of the Colorado River with friends and acquaintances. At first establishing a part-time guide service as a way to support her own river trips, she went on to become perhaps the canyons' best-known river guide, introducing their rapids to many others-on the river, via her large-capacity rubber rafts, and across the nation, via magazine articles and movies. Georgie Clark saw the river and her sport change with the building of Glen Canyon Dam, enormous increases in the popularity of river running, and increased National Park Service regulation of rafting and river guides. Adjusting, though not always easily, to the changes, she helped transform an elite adventure sport into a major tourist activity.

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

Reviews

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about an endlessly fascinating woman, Georgie Clark, who pioneered rafting through the Grand Canyon. I really enjoyed reading about her adventures. But the author could not have made it any drier if he tried. The writing style is just terrible, and the only reason I was able to finish it was the incredibly interesting subject. So it’s more like: 5 stars for the subject and content, 2 stars for the writing style.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by a river historian after I took a trip where the boatmen used Georgie's style of "double rigging". Well researched and interesting, but the writing is a bit episodic and sometimes lacks context. A brief appearance by Georgie in "The Emerald Mile" has much more pizzaz!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information contained in this book is wonderful and paints a fascinating picture of Georgie. But the narrative style makes it a really difficult book to finish which is a bummer.

[Stephanie Seymore · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was interesting but the writing style was not good.

[River James · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I really enjoyed about reading Georgie's story was how she got out of the box society forces us all, and especially women, to fit into. That and some of the hilarious details about her trips.

[Bruce Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may be as surprised by this book as I was - I bought it thinking that I OUGHT to read it to learn more about a river-running legend, but I didn't expect to enjoy it all that much. I was wrong. Author Richard Westwood engagingly tells the story of Georgie White Clark and how she came to be one of the most celebrated pioneers of Western United State river-running, especially on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. In surprising detail (including the names of many of her passengers and boatmen) this book describes the trips, travails, and triumphs of Georgie's long career here in the United State and elsewhere. The book gives brief details of Georgie's early years, but focuses on her river-running years starting in 1945 when she and Harry Aleson swam from Diamond Creek to Lake Mead, through 1992 when she died.
To the author's credit he does not dodge the controversies that have marred Georgie's legend. Westwood frankly acknowledges and, in some instances, documents the validity of some of the criticisms leveled at Georgie over the years. He states what he knows or what his considerable research revealed, and leaves the conclusions up to the reader.
Through this book you will get an unvarnished portrait of a unique individual, someone who left her imprint on a sport that largely didn't exist when she started and was a multi-million dollar industry when she died. You'll learn about an incredibly complex person: alternately engaging or aloof, compassionate or driven -- but always a pioneer. This very readable book includes over 50 photographs and maps that bring to life much of what is written, and give the reader a glimpse of Georgie's world.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

To see the land the way Georgie saw it is impossible now. I feel a deep loss for the land sacrificed in the name of water. Having been fortunate to float the canyons along the Green, I know first hand damming those canyons is like flooding a cathedral. Tragedy.

She truly blazed the the trail for all river rats .

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgie was a pioneer in opening up the Grand Canyon for river running. She wsa also quite a character and a liar as well. I would have liked to have more of her claims examined for truthfulness. Overall I enjoyed the book.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it - perfect companion while actually running the river. This woman (seemingly) had no fear. Came across as very real, not perfect person.

[Kayann Legg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book is an okay book about a fascinating woman.