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Letters from Yellowstone: 30th Anniversary Edition
In the Spring of 1986, Jim Carrier, the Denver Post's "Rocky Mountain Ranger, traveled to Yellowstone National Park to begin a series of seventy dispatches about the park’s human and natural history. He admits he knew almost nothing about Yellowstone. Seven months later, after countless interviews, miles hiked, driven and paddled, time often shared with his daughter, Amy, he came home transformed. More than a "reporter's notebook" Carrier's letters reveal the impact the region had on him over the course of Yellowstone's four seasons. Whether hiking through grizzly country at night in search of medical help for a gravely ill colleague, or challenging the Grand Teton, Carrier's adventures will convince you that he was hardly a dispassionate correspondent. His letters demonstrate that the value of places such as Yellowstone may lie in the ways they transform all of us into more conscientious defender of the wild.
- GenresNonfictionTravel
Paperback
First published November 1, 1987
About the author
Jim Carrier
18 books4 followersJim Carrier is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, known for his adventure, nature and science writing. His writing has appeared in the National Geographic, the New York Times, The Denver Post, magazines and anthologies, including the Best American Science and Nature Writing. He has roamed by jeep through the American West and by sailboat across the Atlantic and Mediterranean. His reporting from the West, as the Rocky Mountain Ranger, took him through 500,000 miles, 7,665 sunsets and 87 pairs of Levis. Carrier was founder of IntelliTours, a GPS-guided audio tour company.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 14, 2015
A library patron recommended this collection of "letters" sent to the Denver Post when reporter Jim Carrier spent the summer months and December in Yellowstone in 1986.
I must say, that would be my kind of gig-really experiencing the park over an extended period of time, rather than seeing it as most people must, within a few days, much of the time spent in a car. Reading these articles made me envy the people who have found their niche as park employees.
Of course, this was written nearly 30 years ago, so some of the information is outdated. The more secluded spots he mentioned may not be accessible anymore or they may be too accessible. The pending issues regarding wildlife and commerce have no doubt been resolved and given way to new problems, concerns and arguments.
But the feeling he got when he saw a geyser erupt on a moonlit night in the middle of winter-that's something that doesn't change, and his descriptions of such moments were the best parts of the book.
The wonder he experienced while there, along with the fear that excessive tourism might be the death of the park was captured perfectly in this sentence.
I must say, that would be my kind of gig-really experiencing the park over an extended period of time, rather than seeing it as most people must, within a few days, much of the time spent in a car. Reading these articles made me envy the people who have found their niche as park employees.
Of course, this was written nearly 30 years ago, so some of the information is outdated. The more secluded spots he mentioned may not be accessible anymore or they may be too accessible. The pending issues regarding wildlife and commerce have no doubt been resolved and given way to new problems, concerns and arguments.
But the feeling he got when he saw a geyser erupt on a moonlit night in the middle of winter-that's something that doesn't change, and his descriptions of such moments were the best parts of the book.
The wonder he experienced while there, along with the fear that excessive tourism might be the death of the park was captured perfectly in this sentence.
Yellowstone's winter season is in full swing, and I've run out of adjectives to describe it. It is something everyone should see. I'm afraid they will.
May 29, 2021
Amidst the chaos of city life, it's easy to forget the beauty of Nature bereft of man. In this way, natural Parks are channels for urban dwellers to explore rural landscapes, where wildlife breathes harmoniously. Such is the case with yellowstone.
Written in the eighties, the book compiles letters portraying Yellowstone, as it was in that decade. Since then, Mankind has grown disproportionately, engulfing more rural areas. But Mas has also developed a better conscious towards its damage.
Through diligent journalistic candor, Jim Carrier delivers a cogent, if telegraphic account of his experience during the summer and fall. In the letters, he gets to raise issues still relevant today.
Sometimes bland, other times poetic, the narrative is worth exploring to anyone who desires to kindle their love for outdoors and escape form urban chaos.
Written in the eighties, the book compiles letters portraying Yellowstone, as it was in that decade. Since then, Mankind has grown disproportionately, engulfing more rural areas. But Mas has also developed a better conscious towards its damage.
Through diligent journalistic candor, Jim Carrier delivers a cogent, if telegraphic account of his experience during the summer and fall. In the letters, he gets to raise issues still relevant today.
Sometimes bland, other times poetic, the narrative is worth exploring to anyone who desires to kindle their love for outdoors and escape form urban chaos.
July 8, 2010
An OK read, but I preferred 'Mountain Time' by Paul Schullery.
October 18, 2024
A short read that shares the beauty of Yellowstone.
October 8, 2009
This was a pleasant and relaxing read by a reporter who spent a summer in Yellowstone. Dreamy...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews