Canyons and Ice: The Wilderness Travels of Dick Griffith

by Kaylene Johnson

Canyons and Ice: The Wilderness Travels of Dick Griffith is an epic tale of adventure and a thoughtful reflection on what motivates a man to travel the hinterlands of silence across some of the most remote places on earth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure, Biography

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 15, 2012

About the author

Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan is a long-time Alaskan who makes her home in Palmer. She has found adventure on Denali, the Chugach Mountains, and as a wrangler and cook in the Brooks Range. Her award-winning articles have appeared in Alaska magazine, the Los Angeles Times, the Louisville Review and other publications. Her books include Our Perfect Wild: Ray and Barbara Bane's Journeys and the Fate of the Far North; Canyons and Ice: The Wilderness Travels of Dick Griffith; A Tender Distance: Adventures Raising My Sons in Alaska; Trails Across Time: History of An Alaska Mountain Corridor; and Portrait of the Alaska Railroad.

She holds a BA from Vermont College and an MFA in Writing from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky.

source: www.kaylene.us

Reviews

[Kaylene Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's what Jon Krakauer had to say about Canyons and Ice:

In Canyons and Ice, Kaylene Johnson recounts the adventures of Dick Griffith, who has undertaken a series of remarkable wilderness journeys across Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and the American West over the past six decades. On at least one of these trips he barely survived. Stoical, utterly self-reliant, and attracted by challenges of immense scale, Griffith brings to mind heroic figures of an earlier, less craven era -- stalwart individuals like Shackleton, Amundsen, Nansen, and Stefansson who explored some of the least hospitable places on earth without benefit of GPS, Gore-Tex, or the possibility of rescue. Unlike most of his celebrated antecedents, however, Griffith’s motives for seeking a life of risk and hardship had nothing to do with a desire for wealth or prestige. As this gripping and inspiring book explains, Griffith is simply “afflicted” with an irresistible inclination to attempt what others say can’t be done. When asked what possesses a man to repeatedly strike out alone across hundreds of miles of rugged, lonely country, he replies, “Every so often, it’s just time to walk.”

– Jon Krakauer, Author of Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, Under the Banner of Heaven, and Where Men Win Glory

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Dick Griffith for the first time a few weeks ago just before he set off on another rafting trip through Grand Canyon at the age of 87. A very pleasant, unassuming guy. His first Grand Canyon trip was in 1951 so that makes him probably the person with the longest river running career in Grand Canyon. There are other old riverrunners, Martin Litton comes to mind, but his first trip through wasn't until 1955 and he hasn't run it recently.
I had read of his adventures in Grand Canyon before but knew nothing of his trips in Alaska and Mexico. Fascinating reading. Both he and his wife Isabelle wrote eloquently of their journeys in their journals and Kaylene Johnson has done a neat job of showing us how and why they undertook these trips without puffing them into something more than personal accomplishments.
I really enjoyed this book. It would make a great gift for anyone who needs reminding what you can achieve when you decide to take control your life instead of circumstances like poverty, ill health, bad luck.

[Deborah aka Reading Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the amazing story of an amazing man. A love story, an adventure story, a story of courage, resilience, and a life well-lived. Dick Griffith has walked across more of the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic than any person alive; more than 6,000 miles. The book also chronicles his travels in Mexico and the Western United States. At age 86, he still walks and rides (on horseback) the wilderness areas near his home. As Dick says "Every so often, it's just time to walk." Beautifully written with many photographs of his travels.

Thanks so much for the copy I received as part of the Goodreads First Read program. I'm sure I'll revisit the book many times.

[Rebekah Trittipoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok. There is adventure and then there is ADVENTURE! i just finished the most incredible tale of Dick Griffith's mostly unheralded adventuring through river canyons and 6000 miles in the Arctic. First (and maybe only person) to traverse the Northwest passage on foot and unsupported. Oh my goodness! Cannot begin to describe. This is a MUST read. (Incidentally, Dick and his wife were friends with my parents when they lived in Poplar, Montana.) Anything I've ever done in ultrarunning or multi-day racing doesn't even register on the meter.

[Russell J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bio. of the adventures and mishaps of Dick Griffith is a must read for not only outdoor types, but also for anybody interested in just something good to read.

[Bruce Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canyons and Ice, The Wilderness Travels if Dick Griffith, by Kaylene Johnson (pp 277). Published 2012. When I bought this I was concerned it would be a hodgepodge of self-laudatory adventure stories. I could not have been more wrong. The subject of the book, Dick Griffith, was a true adventurer and what he accomplished almost defies imagination. Adventures include rafting trips in the late 1949s and early 1950s on the Green, San Juan, and Colorado Rivers, including a pirate (unpermitted) pack raft solo from Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek. He also floated the Grand Canyon in 1951, starting at Green River Wyoming and ending at Hoover dam. He also made multiple runs down the San Juan River through now-submerged Glen Canyon to Lees Ferry. After completing many river trips, including with his equally adventurous wife, he moved his sights southward, running the previously unrun Barranca del Cobre’s Urique River in 1952. After several years respite he headed north to Alaska where, until he was in his seventies, solo skied and hiked thousands of miles in wilderness Alaska, including skiing the Northwest Passage over the course of many years. Griffith was extraordinarily fit and survived many Arctic winter mishaps, including encounters with polar bears, ripped tents, lost gear, and more. This book is illustrated with many high quality photos, and they add a lot to understanding his various excursions. The writing is drawn from journals, and suffers a bit because of it. Otherwise, it is a compelling read.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A difficult book for me to review. First, it is quite beautiful with lovely pictures from Dick Griffith’s travels – I think they have been colorized. Also, the writing is good and easy to read. But, I came to really not like Dick Griffith. His early exploits – and his adventures are exploits not exploration or expeditions – are interesting and rather fun. Apparently, he then became an engineer and had a regular job, but this information is barely mentioned. What we read about is an immature, self-centered person who does not plan properly for any of his exploits and who does not recognize that times change and rules change but thinks only of his own interests. He consistently forgets to bring important equipment and is always losing important items such as poles and his stove – not because there was an avalanche or a major fall, but because he left it or it fell off the sled. There are several references to how nice a person he is and how much people like him, but I saw only one example to kindness of any sort in the book – mostly he wants things his own way and will not compromise at all. Exactly the kind of person I would never want to be with on any type of outdoor excursion. It was hard to separate my dislike of Dick Griffith from the book. The books is in many ways fascinating and worth reading.

[Patricia Tennesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious story about a soulful, yet at times, cranky man, who sucked the marrow out of life. Well told, fast paced, easy read. Dick believes, "If you fear death, you aren't living." It is more than an adventure book, it is also a love story. Blessed with thousands of warm friendships throughout his 84 years, marriage to his soul mate who equaled his grit, a successful career as an engineer, and a love of adventure beyond anything Hemingway could of ever imagined.

[Mike Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written book of the river and arctic overland trips of Dick Griffith. Easy to read and good narrative thread.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
This is one I still think about after some time reading it and really like the idea of taking an adventure. Not a big fan of the authors style, but I thought it was written in simple enough way that it read like a children’s book. The book was filled with great photos which aided me and being part of the venture.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowza was this book adventure packed! It was difficult to read at times! Dick Griffith was on the edge of insanity in my opinion and was driven to try and do things that even died in the wool adventurers would think crazy. However, it made for a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed. The book is filled with good descriptive pictures to.

[Bologna_frog]

not that well written. I knew Dick was amazing but I didn't realize how diverse his exploits have been.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story of a man obsessed with extreme hiking.