A Canyon Voyage: The Narrative of the Second Powell Expedition down the Green-Colorado River from Wyoming, and the Explorations on Land, in the Years 1871 and 1872

by Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh

This account of the second Powell expedition is a reprint of the 1962 edition and includes all 50 illustrations and a substantial foreword by William H. Geotzmann.

"One of the seminal books on western history . . . The author was only 17 when he began the expedition, and he honestly hero-worshipped Powell all his life. Yet this bright, sharp account is so detailed and truthful that the reader can see through his enthusiasm to discover Powell's mean spirit and sometimes reckless nature. It's also a great river-running book." — Deseret News

"It was decidedly worth writing, this detailed a more absorbing, and at times stirring, story of adventure has not seen the light in a long time, and the author's unadorned, yet vivid, style enables the reader to share all the emotions of the " — The Nation

"In these later years (1909) when amateur travel in the west is frequent, a detailed record of this kind will be of value to seekers after adventure." — Science

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel

277 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1908

About the author

Frederick Samuel Dellenbaugh (1853–1935) was an American explorer.

An explorer of the American West at an early age, he was a member of an expedition that discovered the last unknown river in the United States, the Escalante River and the previously undiscovered Henry Mountains.

Reviews

[c · Rating 5 out of 5]

A million years ago, I read this and John Wesley Powell's account back-to-back -- this one is more engagingly written. It is also a more accurate version of Powell's second voyage, since Powell's account combined events from his two trips down the Colorado River into one narrative.

The author was the expedition's artist & mapmaker, and one of the founders of the Explorer's Club. The drawings are great.

I was reminded of this book when I visited AbeBooks for the first time in a while, and found it sitting in my basket. I really should buy it. It's one of the books that first made me interested in the American West.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read, and can't really add to what other reviewers have said except for one thing: this book needs a new, updated introduction. There are several mentions here about how the Howlands and Dunn party who split off from the First Expedition were killed by Indians when they climbed out of the Grand Canyon. We now know it was Mormons who killed those three guys, likely thinking they were an advance military scouting team. Other than that, a nice book.

[Jason Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and well written. I was disappointed when it ended.

[Lauren]

It was a nice book but by about halfway through the descriptions of the canyon were just not enough to break up the monotony of the daily tally of rapids and miles. I may revisit later.

[Zack Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dellenbaugh is overrated. Boring as hell compared to Powell.

[Matt Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating narrative of the exploration of one of the last wild places in America.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading about rivers I've traveled down, recognizing places. Unbelievable what they accomplished in exploration of the river and region while enduring considerable hardship. Resourceful individuals committed to a task. Dellenbaugh wrote this account many years later, drawing on his and other members journals. He often waxes nostalgic about the experience and I wonder what time has done to his perception of the experience. He was just 19, I think, when the expedition began and this experience greatly shaped and directed the course of his life. Love true adventure accounts!

[Nomad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book by a 19 year old, Frederick Dellenbaugh of the second voyage of John Wesley Powell in 1871. If you have read John Wesley Powell's narrative which was not well written this is much better. I read this book while canoeing thru Labyrinth Canyon on the Green River and even used it to camp in the same spot that Dellenbaugh camped at. Nomad

[C. Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this on a trip to Utah and Colorado, which included a white water rafting trip and a visit to the Grand Canyon. A vivid accounting. The second voyage had almost as many challenges as the first exploration. A great book to read and even better to read while there.

[Charles Bame · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read in quite a while. Much of it was about surveying the land north of the Grand Canyon in addition to the Colorado River trip from Green River to Kanab Canyon. The writing style was very enjoyable and it was so meaningful reading about so many places I know and love.

[Avis Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Available at Open Library:
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15604...

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could picture myself along for the journey, viewing the beauty, the adventure.. Reads like a journal, not a novel.

[Ellen Grabarek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that it drug a bit, though it was an interesting read

[Todd Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sketch of Grand Canyon by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh, 1903

A Canyon Voyage tells the story of Major John Wesley Powell’s second expedition from Green River, Wyoming to Kanab Creek in the Grand Canyon in 1871 - 1872 as told by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh who served as artist and assistant topographer on the voyage.

Dellenbaugh isn’t much of a story-teller. In fact, the book reads like a series of day-to-day ‘dear-diary’ entries made by someone who’s thoughts never stray beyond the immediate. Though lacking in any literary value, the book may be of modest interest from a historical perspective.

Should you so desire you may download the book for free from Project Gutenberg at: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20667