Surviving Yellowstone: T.C. Everts' 37 Days of Peril

by Truman Everts

In the late fall of 1870 T.C. Everts found himself the unwilling lead in a man-versus-nature drama set against the backdrop of Manifest Destiny and on the stage of the rugged Rockie Mountains. His companions had abandoned him. He was without horse, gun, knife, food, or fire starting tools. The closest vestige of civilization was mountain ranges away. Winter was descending upon the high-altitude wonders of the Yellowstone basin. This is the incredible true story of T.C. Everts' harrowing 37 days of struggle for survival. Told in his own words, it depicts his struggle against nature and his own body in a desperate attempt to make his way home. A triumph of human perseverance and endurance this is must-read for any enthusiasts of wilderness survival!

Genres: History, Nonfiction

Audible Audio

First published February 16, 2010

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

We visited Yellowstone last year and it was amazing. One of the things that surprised me was just how huge the park was. Being from Indiana, I'm used to a "park" being something you can walk across in thirty minutes. Not so out west -- I was shocked at how often one would enter a park (via car), only to learn that a certain destination might be 30 miles further in. That's big!

Also in the past year, I enjoyed the Ken Burns PBS special on our National Parks. While watching this, I learned about Truman Everts, a man who went exploring Yellowstone (before it was a national park) with a group of friends in 1870. Things went well, until he became separated from his companions. He remained lost in the vast park for 37 days, nearly dying before he was rescued. He wrote about his experience in 37 Days of Peril, which you can read for free thanks to Project Gutenberg.

One thing that impressed me, apart from the fact that he survived for over a month in freezing temperatures and by eating thistles and while evading animals like wildcats, was Everts' vocabulary. The way he wrote, just as a normal guy, showed me just how far our language has deteriorated in the past 150 years.

When Everts was discovered, he weighed just 55 pounds. Just before his rescue, he had begun to lose his mental stability as well, imagining he saw a companion (see the picture). The "book" isn't long (it was originally printed in a magazine), but it is a tale you won't soon forget. I read it after dinner to the family.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished reading "Thirty-Seven Days of Peril" by Truman Everts. He was on an expedition through what is now Yellowstone Park in Wyoming in 1870. He got lost from his party while trying to find a way through thick trees. He traveled on foot, without supplies, for over a month. It freezes up there even in summer; he suffered frostbite from the cold and burns from the hot springs. He started at least two forest fires. His party looked for him for 12 days, then returned to civilization and offered a reward to anyone who found him. Two mountain men came upon him and brought him to shelter. He had been eating nothing but thistles, because he couldn't for the life of him catch any edible fish. By the time he was found his digestion had revolted against the unvarying diet and stopped. A couple days after his rescue another mountain man came to the cabin where he was staying. The mountain man listened to his story, heard his digestive trouble, and said, "Well, if that's all..." The man went to his horse, brought back a bag of bear fat from a bear he had just killed. He rendered a pint of oil from it, and Everts drank the oil. Cleaned him right out. From there he recovered enough to return to his home in Helena, Montana, and wrote this story.
Mr. Everts described his emotions and his mental state in clear words; I've never been as desperate as his situation, but I've felt despair and grief. I'm glad to read his words, because they encourage me to keep going. He talked about how in his very worst depression he found his imagination so vivid that he felt despairing, but as long as it didn't prevent him from doing what he needed to do to keep going, he allowed it. It reminded me of how grief, in its depths, has a purity of emotion that is, in its way, as fulfilling as joy, though very different. Experience is a great teacher, and I'm thankful for it.

[John Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure adventure

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale. The struggle to persevere through the most difficult times lends itself to the power of the human spirit. I’m totally amazed at the fortitude of Mr. Everts. All along I pondered how well I would have done facing the same tribulations.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing survival story! Reading this after our Yellowstone visit definitely made it easier to envision the details of Everts' ordeal-the features of the land, the animals, the plants, the waterfalls...it also gave me a greater appreciation of the man that Mt. Everts was named after.

[Christine Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by Ken Burns’ doc on National Parks…

I found and read this account of TC Everts time, lost in Yellowstone for 37 days. His account is facinating how he survived not only the wilderness and weather, but burn injuries from the hot springs and a fire.

[Steven Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

8 out of 10

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very, very short book. Interesting story if you've been to Yellowstone.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! How did he make it? I especially liked the author's extra details about the "actors" before and after the events.

[Stephanie Hunsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, interesting read.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book appears to be public domain text fo Truman Everts collected by William Cecrle, with additional commentary by Cecrle. The tale itself is quite good, and the commentary is not bad