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Send a Ranger: My Life Serving the National Parks
Send a Ranger is the true story of one man’s dream to live and work as a ranger in our national parks. Author Tom Habecker began his 32-year career with the National Park Service as a student intern at Gettysburg National Military Park while earning a degree in park administration at Penn State University. The book details Tom’s progression from novice to journeyman park ranger, working in Yosemite, Glacier, and Denali National Parks.
The book is full of exciting adventures, including search and rescue incidents, criminal investigations, grizzly bear maulings, backcountry horse patrols, darting and trapping problem bears, providing advanced emergency medical care, fire-fighting, winter survival, flying in aircraft in mountainous terrain, living in the Alaska wilderness and much more. These accounts are enhanced by verbatim entries from Tom’s daily journals. Written in an informal and sometimes humorous style, the book details the evolution of training, technology, and skills that today’s park rangers must have to perform their challenging job.
The book also describes the challenges and rewards of living and raising children in national parks. Follow Tom’s children as they grow up in places most people only dream about. You will learn what it’s like living in a house that receives over 250” of snow, annually cutting six cords of wood for heat, residing in a remote one-room cabin, and driving 130 miles one-way to town in the harsh Alaska winter. Living in a national park offers experiences like no other. Peek behind the scenes and experience the daily life of a national park ranger and his family.
The book is full of exciting adventures, including search and rescue incidents, criminal investigations, grizzly bear maulings, backcountry horse patrols, darting and trapping problem bears, providing advanced emergency medical care, fire-fighting, winter survival, flying in aircraft in mountainous terrain, living in the Alaska wilderness and much more. These accounts are enhanced by verbatim entries from Tom’s daily journals. Written in an informal and sometimes humorous style, the book details the evolution of training, technology, and skills that today’s park rangers must have to perform their challenging job.
The book also describes the challenges and rewards of living and raising children in national parks. Follow Tom’s children as they grow up in places most people only dream about. You will learn what it’s like living in a house that receives over 250” of snow, annually cutting six cords of wood for heat, residing in a remote one-room cabin, and driving 130 miles one-way to town in the harsh Alaska winter. Living in a national park offers experiences like no other. Peek behind the scenes and experience the daily life of a national park ranger and his family.
277 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2023
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111 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 21, 2023
Send a Ranger: My Life Serving the National Parks is an absolutely fabulous, highly readable book about the 32 years Tom Habecker spent working as a park ranger in Yosemite National Park, Glacier National Park and Denali National Park. It is unbelievable all a park ranger had to do. He had to enforce laws; educate park visitors on many, many things; do EMT work; fight wildfires; rescue lost, injured or sick individuals; retrieve and bag the bodies of those who drowned, fell off cliffs or crashed their vehicles; control, trap and relocate bears; maintain all the park service’s equipment, vehicles and cabins; and on and on and on.
The author kept a daily diary during those 32 years, and he does point out in the beginning of the book that the most common daily entry was “ worked on paperwork”. Nevertheless, it was hard not to see his job as one intended only for a person with great physical stamina and a love for adventure and nature. The nature descriptions in the story are superb, making the reader see and feel what Mr. Habecker saw and felt all those years out in areas that were truly wild. Some areas that could only be gotten to by horses or dog sleds or on foot. Or looked down upon from a helicopter.
Accompanying him on his adventurous life, was his wife Donna and daughters Katie and Kelly. While Tom Habecker did indeed have a tough job, he did not write like a tough guy. The story is filled with sensitive feelings about his family and those he worked with in the three parks. He also does an excellent job capturing what it was like during that last summer before his retirement, spending it once again as the only ranger in a patrol cabin, watching the wild animals, appreciating nature’s beauty and reflecting on his long career coming to an end.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.)
The author kept a daily diary during those 32 years, and he does point out in the beginning of the book that the most common daily entry was “ worked on paperwork”. Nevertheless, it was hard not to see his job as one intended only for a person with great physical stamina and a love for adventure and nature. The nature descriptions in the story are superb, making the reader see and feel what Mr. Habecker saw and felt all those years out in areas that were truly wild. Some areas that could only be gotten to by horses or dog sleds or on foot. Or looked down upon from a helicopter.
Accompanying him on his adventurous life, was his wife Donna and daughters Katie and Kelly. While Tom Habecker did indeed have a tough job, he did not write like a tough guy. The story is filled with sensitive feelings about his family and those he worked with in the three parks. He also does an excellent job capturing what it was like during that last summer before his retirement, spending it once again as the only ranger in a patrol cabin, watching the wild animals, appreciating nature’s beauty and reflecting on his long career coming to an end.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.)
March 1, 2023
A fantastic read! It was pure pleasure to read about Habecker’s adventures as a park ranger. He experiences the sublime to the tumultuous and all posts in between.
I’ve been to all the parks he served in so I could picture the terrain as he described his experiences.
One thing he confirmed is that people have always acted stupidly in the parks.
My favorite parts were Ferdinand, Snoopy the bear, and the wolf pups in Alaska.
I consider his 36 years as a ranger from the 1970s-2005 as the golden era. Now the parks are overran with people and several have instituted the reservation system for entry which completely kills the spontaneity of visiting.
Your service was well done, Ranger!
Thanks to Edelweiss, NetGalley, Falcon Press Publishing for the advance copy.
I’ve been to all the parks he served in so I could picture the terrain as he described his experiences.
One thing he confirmed is that people have always acted stupidly in the parks.
My favorite parts were Ferdinand, Snoopy the bear, and the wolf pups in Alaska.
I consider his 36 years as a ranger from the 1970s-2005 as the golden era. Now the parks are overran with people and several have instituted the reservation system for entry which completely kills the spontaneity of visiting.
Your service was well done, Ranger!
Thanks to Edelweiss, NetGalley, Falcon Press Publishing for the advance copy.
June 21, 2024
This book made me want to continue to pursue my dream of becoming a ranger someday!
February 18, 2023
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for fair review.
I have a slight obsession with national parks (specifically reading about them, I’ve only been lucky enough to visit a few). Tom Habecker was a ranger with the National Park Service for 30 years. We follow along from his interning before being a ranger at Gettysburg, through to Yosemite, Glacier, and Denali National Parks.
This memoir is full of anecdotes of life in the national parks and also gives a good overview on all the moving pieces behind the scenes of national parks. After reading this, I desperately want to visit all the parks he mentions. This book goes in chronological order and is very easy to follow. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys memoirs and anyone who is interested in the outdoors or national parks.
I have a slight obsession with national parks (specifically reading about them, I’ve only been lucky enough to visit a few). Tom Habecker was a ranger with the National Park Service for 30 years. We follow along from his interning before being a ranger at Gettysburg, through to Yosemite, Glacier, and Denali National Parks.
This memoir is full of anecdotes of life in the national parks and also gives a good overview on all the moving pieces behind the scenes of national parks. After reading this, I desperately want to visit all the parks he mentions. This book goes in chronological order and is very easy to follow. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys memoirs and anyone who is interested in the outdoors or national parks.
March 12, 2023
6.5 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Ranger Tom Habecker has been everywhere.
Starting late in college, he joined the national park service at Gettysburg for credit and immediately fell in love. So much so that he briefly considered dropping out and joining up full-time. But he decided not to drop out, to finish school. As soon as he finished college, join up he did.
From there, he went from Gettysburg to DC, Yosemite to Glacier, then up north to Denali to finish up. A permanent presence in some of the nation’s largest and most popular national parks, Habecker saw some of the greatest wonders the country had on offer. He also saw some of the worst humanity could offer. But mostly, the author lived and worked another job, watched tourists out of their depth do the kinds of things they’d never have done if they weren’t on holiday.
From maulings by grizzlies to lost mountaineers, from missing hikers to backcountry excursions, from fee collections to illegal fireworks, from forest fires to misplaced glasses—Tom Habecker has seen it all. And now he’s ready to tell it.
—
To me, being a Ranger is one of the best jobs in the world.
—
If there was one thing I learned from this, it’s that I don’t want to be a ranger. Now, you may be wondering what prompted this reaction, particularly after reading all the author’s tales of adventure, mayhem, and mirth. The thing is, while you’d be forgiven for thinking that’s most of what one would be doing as a ranger, most of what your garden variety park ranger does can be described with one of two terms: citation, and law enforcement.
Back in the author’s day, he claims this made up about 50% of his job. Nowadays, he allows that that number would be much, much higher—from 75-100%. If I joined the park service to have adventures and got stuck doing law enforcement, I would be upset, and incredibly disappointed. But that’s certainly a personal choice—and I’m just not a fan. Others I’m sure would be thrilled; protect and serve, in the great outdoors, no less? Yes, please. Just not for me.
More to the point, while law enforcement and citation may have only accounted for half his duties, it’s certainly over half of the book. Deaths, arrests, wrecks, manhunts, maulings, injuries, stupid people doing stupid stuff—that’s what you’ll hear about. And while that can certainly be entertaining, it’s not the reason I picked this up. I enjoyed the personal stuff, where he describes his life choices and family and moving between and around the national park system. I enjoyed the few tales of wilderness or adventure that made it in, though it was mostly times he got lost or screwed up. As for the amazing and life-changing experiences in the great outdoors—well, I guess they’re just not that exciting.
Still, I’d recommend this if you’re interested in becoming a park ranger. Or if you like reading any americana, or biographies of regular folks with interesting careers. But for someone like me, scoping out a new career as something other than a cop or security guard… maybe skip it.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Ranger Tom Habecker has been everywhere.
Starting late in college, he joined the national park service at Gettysburg for credit and immediately fell in love. So much so that he briefly considered dropping out and joining up full-time. But he decided not to drop out, to finish school. As soon as he finished college, join up he did.
From there, he went from Gettysburg to DC, Yosemite to Glacier, then up north to Denali to finish up. A permanent presence in some of the nation’s largest and most popular national parks, Habecker saw some of the greatest wonders the country had on offer. He also saw some of the worst humanity could offer. But mostly, the author lived and worked another job, watched tourists out of their depth do the kinds of things they’d never have done if they weren’t on holiday.
From maulings by grizzlies to lost mountaineers, from missing hikers to backcountry excursions, from fee collections to illegal fireworks, from forest fires to misplaced glasses—Tom Habecker has seen it all. And now he’s ready to tell it.
—
To me, being a Ranger is one of the best jobs in the world.
—
If there was one thing I learned from this, it’s that I don’t want to be a ranger. Now, you may be wondering what prompted this reaction, particularly after reading all the author’s tales of adventure, mayhem, and mirth. The thing is, while you’d be forgiven for thinking that’s most of what one would be doing as a ranger, most of what your garden variety park ranger does can be described with one of two terms: citation, and law enforcement.
Back in the author’s day, he claims this made up about 50% of his job. Nowadays, he allows that that number would be much, much higher—from 75-100%. If I joined the park service to have adventures and got stuck doing law enforcement, I would be upset, and incredibly disappointed. But that’s certainly a personal choice—and I’m just not a fan. Others I’m sure would be thrilled; protect and serve, in the great outdoors, no less? Yes, please. Just not for me.
More to the point, while law enforcement and citation may have only accounted for half his duties, it’s certainly over half of the book. Deaths, arrests, wrecks, manhunts, maulings, injuries, stupid people doing stupid stuff—that’s what you’ll hear about. And while that can certainly be entertaining, it’s not the reason I picked this up. I enjoyed the personal stuff, where he describes his life choices and family and moving between and around the national park system. I enjoyed the few tales of wilderness or adventure that made it in, though it was mostly times he got lost or screwed up. As for the amazing and life-changing experiences in the great outdoors—well, I guess they’re just not that exciting.
Still, I’d recommend this if you’re interested in becoming a park ranger. Or if you like reading any americana, or biographies of regular folks with interesting careers. But for someone like me, scoping out a new career as something other than a cop or security guard… maybe skip it.
April 21, 2023
National Park Service Ranger Tom Habecker spent his life maintaining some of America's most precious resources: its National Park units. Starting out at Gettysburg National Military Park, Habecker eventually works his way ever northward. From Pennsylvania he heads to Yosemite National Park, then to Glacier National Park (in Montana) and then ending his career in Alaska's Denali National Park.
His memoir is based on his notes and journals, on paperwork he had to fill out, and on conversations he had with friends while reminiscing. His approach is to include some short snippets from his daily log, and then to have longer stories interspersed. And what stories they are. The life of a Ranger is very different than what tourists experience when visiting the parks. Some of his days are mundane, some exciting and some just terrifying. Some are also exceptionally sad. Habecker recounts several stories in which the Rangers weren't able to "save the day," and visitors lost their lives--many due to driving accidents in which excessive speed or alcohol played a part.
His writing makes it clear why he loves the parks. The beauty is unparalleled. But his writings also make it clear that not everyone is cut out for this life. Temperatures so cold your car's gasoline freezes; sparse living conditions; incredible physical demands; long hours; and difficult people to deal with. None of that sounds like fun. But still, Habecker managed to make his career sound like literally the best thing ever, even if that does include rogue bears and runaway sleds.
His memoir is based on his notes and journals, on paperwork he had to fill out, and on conversations he had with friends while reminiscing. His approach is to include some short snippets from his daily log, and then to have longer stories interspersed. And what stories they are. The life of a Ranger is very different than what tourists experience when visiting the parks. Some of his days are mundane, some exciting and some just terrifying. Some are also exceptionally sad. Habecker recounts several stories in which the Rangers weren't able to "save the day," and visitors lost their lives--many due to driving accidents in which excessive speed or alcohol played a part.
His writing makes it clear why he loves the parks. The beauty is unparalleled. But his writings also make it clear that not everyone is cut out for this life. Temperatures so cold your car's gasoline freezes; sparse living conditions; incredible physical demands; long hours; and difficult people to deal with. None of that sounds like fun. But still, Habecker managed to make his career sound like literally the best thing ever, even if that does include rogue bears and runaway sleds.
February 13, 2023
If you have been to a National Park, you have probably seen and or talked to a park ranger. Rangers are the guardians of the national parks and as you read this you will see that they definitely are a jack of all trades where they enforce laws, fight fires, provide medical care and rescue people. The job as come a long way from the first days where they had little to no training, now they have extensive training more so depending on where they are stationed. Over 32 years the author had assignments at Gettysburg, Yosemite, Glacier National Park and finally Alaska. Sprinkled throughout the book a clip from notes that were left in the daily logbook or daily report. It was interesting to read that Queen Elizabeth II visited Yosemite at the time he was working at. There are many stories the author provides with some ending in tragedy and others with a happy ending. If you ever wondered what Park Ranger life is like this should be a preeminent book to read and it may even encourage some to pursue this line of work.
March 17, 2023
A fascinating true life account of Ranger Tom's work and life in three of our largest and most beautiful national parks. I enjoyed Tom's easy going writing style, his use of descriptive adjectives, and the personal humor sprinkled throughout. It was exciting to follow Tom's journey from novice ranger to highly experienced and professional guardian of the parks and visitors. Reading about the many varied experiences and adventures throughout Tom's long career was captivating. Just as Tom expressed sadness knowing his career was coming to an end, I was sad to be nearing the end of this enjoyable story.
April 27, 2023
First, a confession. My wife and I are former USNPS rangers. Second, another confession. We know Tom and Donna Habecker from our time together at Denali National Park in the 1990s. That said, and all bias aside, this is a charming and informative book that we greatly enjoyed and learned from. Tom has an easy writing style, not at all pretentious. He's also grateful, as again and again he expresses his good fortune to work in service to our national parks. Some people have jobs. Some have careers. And some - those who dedicate themselves to making the world a better place - have causes. That's Tom.
March 8, 2023
My family loves to visit many of the National parks located near North Carolina and this book has been a pleasure to read. Meeting several park rangers in the past has been wonderful. But not understanding what they do is always an interest to me. Tom Habecker has written this book very well to where it makes me respect how hard park rangers really do work. They do so much more than I ever imagined to help keep each park looking amazing and helping those out who need it. If you're looking for an inspiring book to read, I highly recommend this one!
March 18, 2023
Here's a memoir that tells the true story of what National Park Rangers do - from mundane paperwork to life saving medical care. Habecker tells the story of his career with facts, emotion and humor. This collection of stories tells the full story of the glory days of the Park Ranger when variety was the core of the job. The family aspect makes Habecker a real person with a wife and children who are also living life in national parks. What a tribute to the men and women who comprised Habecker's team - rangers, interpreters, maintenance workers, volunteers and families. Well done.
April 19, 2023
This just might be the best book I have ever read. It’s an exciting read with so much adventure, I couldn’t put it down! The fact that it’s non-fiction made it all the more impressive.
I would highly recommend reading this book. I borrowed it from my library but I plan to buy a paper copy for myself because it’s such a wonderful story that it’s something I would like to own and re-read again in the future.
I would highly recommend reading this book. I borrowed it from my library but I plan to buy a paper copy for myself because it’s such a wonderful story that it’s something I would like to own and re-read again in the future.
April 11, 2023
Very nicely written memoir of the author's career as a National Park ranger. I enjoyed following along with him, from his start to the end of his duty over 32 years. No earth shattering, made for Hollywood escapades, just an interesting, fulfilling life of public service. Bravo to the author for his service, and for his good writing!
May 19, 2023
Knowing the author, Tom Habecker(he’s our daughter in law’s dad), he is the real deal and I enjoyed “traveling” along on his journey! It is apparent that the author was impacted by his career as a ranger; and just as important is that many people’s lives were equally impacted by the author. Thanks for the read Tom!
January 7, 2024
A non-judgmental writing of disasters, problems and joy of happenings in any area administered by National Park Service. Having been a Park Ranger’s wife for 25 years I could identify the long hours away at night, the searches and the hopes and despair. And I commend the author’s addressing what the spouse may sacrifice living in remote areas.
August 5, 2024
This was a good read by a retired ranger describing his life in the park service. He writes honestly and without pretense. It’s sort of an expanded diary. There are other books by rangers that I felt were stronger, but if you want to read about the experiences of someone who really enjoyed his career and want insight into the life of a ranger this is a good read.
January 2, 2026
If you enjoy the outdoors, then you are going to love reading this book! Get lost in life of a ranger, and the many different aspects that their job entails.
This book will bring into focus not only the freedom of the job, but the dangers that come with it as well. The outdoors is a beautiful but dangerous place to be, and national parks are no different.
This book will bring into focus not only the freedom of the job, but the dangers that come with it as well. The outdoors is a beautiful but dangerous place to be, and national parks are no different.
December 31, 2022
A really enjoyable memoir from a National Park ranger. I found it so interesting and it made me appreciate all that the rangers do to preserve our natural spaces.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2023
Great book full of anecdotes. It was interesting to see how much has changed in the park service over the course of a career. It was a nice balance of on the job memories (both good and bad) as well as some family milestones sprinkled in. Overall a must read if you love national parks.
April 1, 2023
What an incredible memoir. Tom has lived an incredible life and the stories he shares here are enthralling. If you love a ranger, this book may be a great relatable gift to pass on.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC to review, all opinions are my own!
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC to review, all opinions are my own!
April 8, 2024
Easy to read. Enjoyed most of his stories during his career as a park ranger. Was hoping for more stories about his time in Glacier. Overall a good book for people interested in the national parks and behind the scenes stories from a park ranger.
October 8, 2024
Life changing book that helped my soul reconnect with nature. The author does an amazing job of using imagery and vivid descriptions of wilderness and nature that brought me to tears more than once.
April 29, 2024
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes and enjoys the National Park. Tom Habecker does a great job in showing what it's like to work as a Park Ranger, helping readers to see the Park Rangers as humans, too. And he has a great sense of humor that makes its way into his writing - at least for this book.
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August 2, 2023I decided to leave this book unrated because I don’t think it is fair to rate certain books like this one based on how good it is. Memoirs are people’s life stories; who am I to say I didn’t enjoy it?
Regardless, I enjoyed this book. There is loose organization established by Tom; the most consistent organization is the timeline of events over the years. Within that timeline, Tom categorizes specific nature of ‘calls’ he attended or jobs he performed on a given day.
I found this book enlightening. Law enforcement officers for wildlife and fisheries is not new to me, but learning that a national park ranger is essentially the same as those officers was intriguing to learn. Most of us know that park rangers serve an integral role, but the exact nature of that role is not always clear. Tom clarifies the duties of a ranger (note: it’s more than one might think!), and does so by writing of his time serving in some of America’s most well known parks: Gettysburg, Yellowstone, and Denali-the latter of which includes a short excursion to California during 9-11.
Also..there are a lot more bears than one might think!
Short read, but enjoyable. I recommend it.
Regardless, I enjoyed this book. There is loose organization established by Tom; the most consistent organization is the timeline of events over the years. Within that timeline, Tom categorizes specific nature of ‘calls’ he attended or jobs he performed on a given day.
I found this book enlightening. Law enforcement officers for wildlife and fisheries is not new to me, but learning that a national park ranger is essentially the same as those officers was intriguing to learn. Most of us know that park rangers serve an integral role, but the exact nature of that role is not always clear. Tom clarifies the duties of a ranger (note: it’s more than one might think!), and does so by writing of his time serving in some of America’s most well known parks: Gettysburg, Yellowstone, and Denali-the latter of which includes a short excursion to California during 9-11.
Also..there are a lot more bears than one might think!
Short read, but enjoyable. I recommend it.
May 24, 2024
Good easy read on the realities of working as a park ranger in an extended diary sort of format
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews