Walking the Big Wild: From Yellowstone to the Yukon on the Grizzly Bears' Trail (Paperback)

by Karsten Heuer (Author) "You'd expect something at the trailhead of an eighteen-month long hike, a send-off party, lots of hugs and cheers, but there was no fanfare as..." (more)
Key Phrases: wolverine tracks, rub trees, seismic lines, British Columbia, Continental Divide, Forest Alliance (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Far-ranging grizzlies, elk and wolves don't know where the parks and preserves established to protect them end and much less hospitable public (and private) land begins. Thus, environmentalists have focused on creating wilderness corridors along which animals—mammals, birds and even fish—can migrate from one seasonal "island" habitat to another. Canadian wildlife biologist Heuer gives a harrowing, humorous, engagingly personal and unabashedly polemical account of his 2,100-mile trek along one such potential link, from Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming to Watson Lake in the Canadian Yukon, along what activists hope will become the Y2Y (Yellowstone to the Yukon) corridor. Heuer hiked, skied, snowshoed and canoed his way along Rocky Mountain ridges, across icy rivers and through near-impenetrable forests; he encountered heart-stopping beauty and soul-soothing calm, as well as harsh winter storms, clouds of voracious mosquitoes and fierce opposition from logging and mining interests. He also found signs that the grizzly—the animal most vulnerable to the creeping incursion of logging roads, oil pipelines and suburban sprawl—was somehow hanging on. Heuer's journey is exciting, and his passionate vision of a network of protected pathways connecting two mostly pristine wilderness areas is inspiring. Photos, maps.
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Review
It's a wonderful paean to the natural world-wrapped up in the tale of a grand adventure. -- Blue Ridge Outdoors

[Heuer] is an engaging guide to both the idea and the terrain. -- National Geographic Adventure

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Product Details

• Paperback: 258 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898869838
• ISBN-13: 978-0898869835
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #492,122 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read it!, November 9, 2006

By	S. Fitzgibbons (Ithaca) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An easy, entertaining read and a nice snapshot of the good and bad elements currently effecting the Yellowstone to Yukon region. Through a personal story Karsten makes both his huge trek and the region's biological challenges seem relatively easy to face. This is an important feat conssidering he and others hope to engage and mobilize thousands in a pioneering international conservation initiative.

As a PS, I was surprised to learn the Canadians were doing as much, if not more, damage to the environment then we 'mericans. And I thought they were so innocent up there.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Summer Read!, August 5, 2005

By	R. Mabbett (NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great book for nature lovers or anybody interested in preserving whats left of the american wilderness and its inhabitants. It is a fun read. It really put me in the mood for hiking and camping, though i have yet to attempt anything like the journey in this book. I highly reccommend it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read!, August 5, 2007

By	Denali (PA, USA) - See all my reviews

I've read a lot of non-fiction wilderness books and this is in the top 10 of my list. It's written very well and entertaining. I never heard of the Y2Y project until I read this book. Fascinating! I have driven through the Yukon, been to Yellowstone and BC. I think it's a great project and I hope that it continues to receive a more positive response. I highly recommend this book.