The Lost Grizzlies: A Search for Survivors in the Colorado Wilderness [Hardcover]

Rick Bass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 1995

Do grizzly bears still wander the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, where they have long been considered extinct? If so, can they elude the naturalists determined to prove that these bears, smarter than all other bears, survive in the mountain wilderness? Rick Bass, along with veteran grizzly expert Doug Peacock and biologist Dennis Sizemore, search for proof - a claw mark on a tree, a tuft of fur, bear tracks - and as they search an adventure unfolds that has as its mission the peaceful coexistence of humankind and the natural world. With the exhilarating insight his readers have come to expect, Rick Bass describes the dangers and clues on the trail of the grizzly, the mystery and beauty of the animal, and the courage, hope, and friendships at the heart of the search. The Lost Grizzlies is more than a foray into deep wilderness. It is, ultimately, as much about humans as it is about bears.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Elk and black bear are abundant in Colorado's San Juan mountains. Does the grizzly still exist there? Since 1979, when a man was mauled by a grizzly, there have been a few unconfirmed sightings. With grizzly expert Doug Peacock and biologist Dennis Sizemore, Bass (The Nine-Mile Wolves) made three trips to the area to follow up the sightings and to search for signs (tracks and claw marks on trees, scat) that they would send to a laboratory for confirmation. The result is an engaging account of their adventures. For all three, just being in the wilderness was exhilarating; to Bass, the awareness that the bears might exist there was the heart of this search. On a solo climb at about 11,000 feet, Bass encountered a large bear he believes was a grizzly (again, no proof). Here he conveys in freewheeling style his appreciation of the wilderness and a strong sense of camaraderie.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA?Grizzly bears had not been seen in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado for almost 15 years when a small group of men set out in 1990 to seek definitive evidence that the animals still existed there. They sought a tuft of fur, footprints, or, best of all, photographs to convince wildlife officials that these mountains still provided a habitat for grizzlies, a habitat that should be preserved. Over the next two years, two more expeditions were made until, finally, a confrontation... "I look for a tree to climb, my heart in my throat. That glimpse of the rolling humped back and the wild, wild eyes is all I get before the bear's flight takes it down to a wooded ravine and away..." Bass eloquently describes the pristine mountain meadows, the icy streams, the old-growth forests and the men who seek to preserve them. His account is about friendship, commitment, and love of the outdoors as much as it is about bears. YAs interested in the environment, in wildlife preservation, and in adventure in the natural world will find this book exciting and informative.?Molly Connally, Kings Park Library, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 239 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (November 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395717590
• ISBN-13: 978-0395717592
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,908,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #100 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Field Guides > Mammals

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A visit to the San Juan Mountains, December 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Grizzlies: A Search for Survivors in the Wilderness of Colorado (Paperback)

I'm not a voracious reader, but I'm reasonably well-read and have spent A LOT of time in grizzly bear territory in B.C. It was intriguing for me to read of the descriptions of the terrain around the San Juan mountains in Colorado - terrain that must be very different than that of the rainforests of western Canada. Bass paints a fairly good picture of the landscape, but as one who has never spent time in the San Juan mountains, I still was left to wonder about the vegetation, the color of the soil, the type of rocks.

Bass weaves an interesting tale, presenting to the reader what seems to be a slightly embellished factual account. It took me quite awhile to settle into the book due to his present tense writing style: "I walk up the trail" rather than "I walked up the trail" (past tense). He portrays his encounters with wildlife with less caution and wariness than he depicts the people in the story. I relate to his notion of peace when in nature, unsettled feelings around people. His outlook on life seems minutely cynical (or at least skeptical) but I like that in a person. I remember smiling and/or nodding at some of his observations about the world, thoughts and realizations that can come into the mind when one's perspective is annointed with the serenity, beauty, and perfection of nature. He does an effective job of recounting the experience of the several searches of which he was part. He gives what seems to be an honest account of the troubles, successes, injuries, meals, frustrations, jokes, and other events that combined into the whole experience. So authentic and genuine were his descriptions that I could see clearly the scenes he described.

I am somewhat curious about how Doug Peacock felt about Bass' portrayal of him in the book. I think I've figured out that Peacock is a real person, not a fictitious character. The Peacock character comes off as kind of unstable, very savvy in the wilderness, and more than a little quirky. Many real people might fit that description, but few might find themselves cited and depicted in a best-selling author's book. It struck me as I read that Peacock seemed unique enough to be real, but individual enough to eschew the attention brought upon him by this written account.

I have no idea if the climax of the book is fact or fiction, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I recommend it to devotees of the magificent grizzly bear and lovers of the outdoors.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Read!!, March 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lost Grizzlies: A Search for Survivors in the Wilderness of Colorado (Paperback)

Lost Grizzlies is a superb read! Rick Bass is fast becoming (may already be) our premier writer of the american wilderness. Bass' descriptions of the books characters and the wilds of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado are vivid. I enjoyed Bass' descriptions of Doug Peacock's brilliance and brutishness. I enjoyed reading ABOUT Peacock almost as much as I enjoyed reading Peacock's book (Grizzly Years).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bass paints a vivid picture, March 8, 2007

By 

J. Tatman "drifter" (Wyoming) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lost Grizzlies: A Search for Survivors in the Wilderness of Colorado (Paperback)

This book is a beautiful exploration of sense of place, married with a urgent discussion of the disappearance of wild places in the West. Bass' characters are vibrant and humorous. This is one of the best nonfiction 'green' books I have ever read.