First published 2024
Kevin Fedarko sets out to traverse the entire length of the Grand Canyon, a 750-mile journey through one of America's most unforgiving landscapes. The route cuts through vertical wilderness between the canyon rims and the Colorado River below, crossing countless cliffs and stretches without water access. No single trail connects the eastern entrance to the western exit. Fewer people have completed this trek than have walked on the moon. The brutal conditions force Fedarko to split his expedition into multiple segments, each presenting life-threatening challenges and remarkable discoveries. Photographer Peter McBride joins him, documenting the stunning but perilous terrain. Together they uncover ancient Native American ruins, remnants of Old West mining camps, and encounter present-day tribal activists. They witness how commercial tourism threatens the park's remote wilderness. This grueling odyssey becomes both a survival test and a spiritual transformation, revealing the hidden secrets of America's most iconic landscape.
Genres: biography, nature, adventure, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: survival, transformation
Setting: America, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Period: Present Day
488 pages · Hardcover · Scribner