First Through Grand Canyon: The Secret Journals & Letters of the 1869 Crew Who Explored the Green & Colorado Rivers, revised edition

by Michael P. Ghiglieri, George Y. Bradley

In May of 1869, eleven men embarked on a journey of exploration and discovery. 98 days later six of them arrived 1000 miles away after navigating the Green and Colorado Rivers to the end of Grand Canyon. The journals and writings of the expedition leader, John Wesley Powell have been extensively published but here, for the first time, are the newly transcribed, unabridged journals and letters of some of the other members of the group. Author Ghiglieri has used his extensive river running experience to introduce the whole group and their exploits of courage and endurance.

Genres: History, Travel, Adventure

342 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2003

About the author

Michael P. Ghiglieri grew up at Lake Tahoe, Nevada as the great grandson of a Forty-niner, served as a US Army platoon sergeant during the Viet Nam era, then earned his Ph.D. in Ecology in 1979 from the University of California at Davis for his pioneering research on wild chimpanzees in Kiable Forest, Uganda. In addition to teaching university courses in primate behavior and ecology and in human evolution and ecology, he has directed several semesters-over-seas centers focusing on sustainable resource management (in Kenya, the Turks & Caicos, Palau, Far North Queensland, and Vancouver Island) and has worked as a wilderness river guide and EMT. Since 1974 he has run more than 660 commercial whitewater trips and also treks in Ethiopia, Java, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Rwanda, Sumatra, Tanzania, Turkey, and the USA. These include 140+, 2-week rowing or paddling trips through Grand Canyon and more than 43,000 miles of river overall, a few in the Canyon as an NPS ranger, plus several Kilimanjaro ascents.

Reviews

[Dave Hogg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the seventh book I finished in 2012, but the first actual brick-and-mortar book. (Well, not actual brick-and-mortar, but you know what I mean. I really love my Kindle.)

I bought it at the Grand Canyon gift shop, choosing it over a book by the same author listing all the people that have died in the Grand Canyon, including how it happened. That turned out to be a lucky break, since my brother already had that one. Let's just say I'm glad I read it after we stood on the canyon rim.

This book, though, combines the journeys and letters of several of the men who took part in John Wesley Powell's expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers. They started in Wyoming and finished in Baja California. This was a group of 10 (down to six by the end) Civil War veterans who weren't particularly well trained for this, weren't using suitable boats and didn't get along all that well. Fascinating book, and I'd love to travel along the Colorado some day, but not on that trip with those guys.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe we should change Lake Powell to Lake Sumner.......

[Isaac Wolter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an absolute drag through the introduction. (Which makes up close to a third of the book.) The actual journal entries themselves are very well edited and an interesting read.

The author could not seem more self centered or unattached from reality. I think he takes incredible bias into the book and that bias taints even some of the journal entries. If you are looking to read this book, first read the epilogue. If you can stomach that little creative exercise, you may just enjoy the rest of the book.

[Brent Leyerle · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Stars for doing the leg work of tracking down manuscripts and transcribing them.

2.5 Stars for tone, arrogant attitude, and requiring zero evidence to make negative assertions about Powell and requiring an unreasonable amount of evidence to confirm anything positive qualities or actions.

We get it: he's not the saint that some river runners make him out to be. Next time let your work as a historian stand alone and save the editorializing for the Op-Ed section of the BQR.

[Zack Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The combined journals of Powell's men on the famous 1869 Colorado River trip. Ghiglieri does a great job of contextualizing the journey and showing the more negative side of Major Powell

[gabrielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this is a significant improvement over Ghiglieri's other works. Maybe because the bulk of it was actually written by other people. Sad to say, by the time I got through the overly-long prologue and character introduction, I had lost my enthusiasm for the actual journals. Plus the book had to go back to the library.

Sure, there's a lot of information to provide about the characters, but it's organized almost like a textbook, and a not-very-engaging one at that.

The history of this project is important, and I understand there are some records that need to be set straight surrounding Powell and his adventures. However, Ghiglieri really sounds like he has a bone to pick and comes off a bit arrogant.

In short: good material, so-so presentation.

[lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who has walked to the edge, let alone hiked into or rafted the Grand Canyon may have an interest in tho shook. Having been to many of the spots along the Green and Colorado Rivers: Flaming Gorge and Moab for starters has no trouble visualizing the scenery, vastness, and excitement of journeying through this territory. Imagine being one of the first groups to pass through when the land was still untouched by the white man. No dam system distorting what the river is capable of. Just amazing! This book provides as complete and accurate a story of this much told "story" as seen through the eyes of several who were there. The author does a good job of showing all sides to the whole story.