This was the Colorado of legend, âthe most tempestuous river on the continent, savage and unpredictable, often dangerous, and almost psychotic in its surges,â Fedarko writes. Can you tell the story of how you became enamored with the Grand Canyon in the first place? Summary “Launch” (pgs 1-5) Fedarko describes the beauty and majesty of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon in 1983 at a time when the flow of the river is enhanced by extra water being released from the Glen Canyon Dam. Litton was fascinated and later in his life, he became an outspoken advocate for environmental preservation; he was especially against the building of dams to create artificial lakes and harness electricity. Chuck Mills’ raft flipped over, trapping a passenger underneath who he rescued. Grua and his crew slip past park rangers who are shutting down boating on the river as they approach Crystal Rapid. Chapter 26 “The Trial” (335-341) *OK TO SKIM. Chapter 12 “Thunder on the Water” (171-177) *OK TO SKIM. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. In the mountains that feed the Colorado with snowmelt, the winter of 1983 had been like no other, with such incredible amounts of snow that the melt seemed unending. Although the engineers of the Glen Canyon Dam rarely released water from Lake Powell, in 1980 they decided to test the spillways with a small release of water. All rights reserved. These men, led by Kenton Grua, were about to attempt to set a record for the fastest boating run down the Colorado River. Battered, they managed to right their tiny vessel and push on, a testimony to the power of will in defiance of all logic. In an accident, the Emerald Mile suffered serious damage but Grua repaired the boat because his latest endeavor would be to set a record for the fastest run down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. We’ll get to The Emerald Mile – but first, some river history. Chapter 24 “Beneath the River of Shooting Stars” (318-326). The Emerald Mile The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon (Book) : Fedarko, Kevin : Documents the 1983 Colorado River flood that threatened the region with a catastrophic dam failure and prompted oarsman Kenton Grua's near-suicidal effort to navigate the turbulent waters of the Emerald Mile on a small wooden dory to achieve a world speed record. This would be enough to create conditions for Grua and a few other guides to attempt a speed-run down the Colorado River. 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He understands the Coloradoâs capricious moods, its rapids and eddies that can transform an easy voyage into an icy fight for life. SPOILER ALERT STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS: The boat flipped keel over stern, throwing the men into the river and causing one crewman to get sucked down through the rapid to the bottom of the river. SPOILER ALERT STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS: The boat flipped keel over stern, throwing the men into the river and causing one crewman to get sucked down through the rapid to the bottom of the river. Then, a truck towing a boat called. Epilogue: The Legend of the Emerald Mile (342-354). After a pause and debate over whether or not to quit the run, Grua and his men “scramble” back in the Emerald Mile. Each of the three was a superb boatman, but The Emerald Mile is largely the story of Grua â a short, powerful man of obsessive tenacity. Each of the three was a superb boatman, but The Emerald Mile is largely the story of Grua — a short, powerful man of obsessive tenacity. Chapter 7 “The Golden Age of Guiding” (102-112). Chapter 17 “The Grand Confluence” (231-241). Gamble, the director of the Glen Dam, miraculously ensures that the dam safely functions through both the expanded runoff melting and significant damage in the spillway tunnels, averting significant destruction for the communities around the dam. Catch up on North Texas' vibrant arts and culture community, delivered every Monday. In the meantime, Litton’s calls to the superintendent went unanswered, which Litton took as tacit approval of Grua’s speed run attempt. Chapter 20 “The Doing of the Thing” (268-278) *OK TO SKIM EXCEPT FOR PAGES 271-273. Fedarko retells the history of Cardenas, a Spanish explorer, and his team looking for gold in the North American southwest during the 1500s, but instead finding the Grand Canyon. The men who abandoned the expedition were killed by Native Americans while searching for a settlement. Sometimes, he even risked the safety of his fellow passengers during runs through the rapid. The rest of the passengers had to be rescued and suffered serious injuries. by Nancy L. C. Steele. He joined Litton’s company in 1969 and quickly proved himself to be remarkably driven and talented. While other boatman may have been more talented, none were more enamored. That refusal to give up is the essence of The Emerald Mile, the thread linking the earliest Spanish explorers to Maj. John Wesley Powell's explorations with his ragtag fleet, then the builders of America's great dams and the ultimate success of these three bold men in a very small boat. Richard Marks, superintendent of the Park Service, tried to decide the best way to keep all of the white water boaters safe while the water levels were high. The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Summary SuperSummary, a modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major … Copyright © 2021 The Dallas Morning News. The Emerald Mile is damaged at a series of 9 rapids early in the run, and the crew loses time while having to repair the boat. Recognizing the agility, beauty, and challenges that came with riding rapids on dories, Litton and his rafting guides set out to “read the water”, or gain an understanding of the intricacies of the rapids. The Emerald Mile is written by Kevin Fedarko. After rowing through an intense storm, Grua and his crew beat the set record for the fastest run down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon by six hours. Chapter 5 “Flooding the Cathedral” (69-88). Sign in|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites, Fedarko describes the beauty and majesty of the Colorado River and Grand Canyon in 1983 at a time when the flow of the river is enhanced by extra water being released from the Glen Canyon Dam. As the little boat bounded through the rapids, with a 30-foot standing wave dead ahead, Grua searched for âa sweet spot, a keyhole no wider than the doryâs bowpostâ where he âmight find the seam in the cosmos and blast through to the other side.â, It didn't happen. In order to assess the damage, Gamble and his team strap into safety harnesses and enter the massive spillways in 5 foot-wide cards hanging from cables. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. ¿Dónde está mi cheque de estÃmulo de $600? While this gave Gamble slightly more time to figure out how to fix the spillways and release water from the lake, several other problems, like major leaks and vibrations, were discovered throughout the dam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy, Stand with us in our mission to discover and uncover the story of North Texas. In the summer of 1983, the flooded Colorado River threatened to overwhelm Glen Canyon Dam. This knowledge, gained by hours of painstaking observation and by testing the paths of different objects moving down the river, empowered the rafters to more safely navigate the river. And incredible story on many levels has long set, and the river of Shooting Stars (! The winter of 1983 torn to pieces, literally destroyed began to design and build new dories expand. Understands the Coloradoâs capricious moods, its rapids and eddies that can transform easy. Much debate and controversy, the most complex and dangerous Rapid in the first?! 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