Wind River Wilderness

Book Overview

Photography. WIND RIVER WILDERNESS is a testament to one of the most magnificent, diverse, and pristine wilderness environments in the continental United States. A stunningly beautiful book of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0972854460
• ISBN13: 9780972854467
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Laguna Wilderness Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 2.55 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Wind River Wilderness

Ronald H. Chilcote, the editor, has combined the work of several photographers and writers. The result is a "coffee table" book of large size, glossy pages, and eye-catching appeal throughout. The photos are beautiful. There is hardly a photo in the entire book that is less pleasing than the others. It is heartening to know that a group of photographers within such a specialized area all have such excellent eyes for beauty and technical skill. The author tells us at the outset that this is an environmentally conscious effort intended to help protect a fragile and treasured area. Indeed, it is well worth protecting. I am familiar with parts of the Wind River Range and this book touches on much more. Indeed, given Wyoming's record of putting business and development above environment, there is great reason for concern. At the moment, our nation is embarking on a program of developing independence from foreign oil and turning to alternative sources of energy. The Wind River area has great potential for exploitation: geothermal, hydro, wind and petroleum products. It is close to huge coal deposits where the production of electricity is already a great source of air pollution. Wyoming is already arguably the leading energy-producing state and great expansion is planned. Wyoming is equally dedicated to exploiting its wildlife resources. Elk are fed artificially during the winter and the state does what it can to limit predators so that income from hunting can be maximized. The text in the book is split into two parts. The first is a collection of essays on various aspects of the Wind River Mountain Range. This is followed by testimonials from individuals interested in conserving the quality of the area. Both parts are wonderfully illustrated with photographs. As with any collection of authors, a reader will find some that they prefer and some that they don't. Much of the text is both informative and well written, although one or two fall short. Even though I have great respect for Gretel Ehrlich as a nature writer, I wish Mr. Chilcote had chosen a different piece to lead off this book than hers. On the other hand, the message written by the late Otis Carney goes to the heart of understanding many of the issues this book addresses: Listen to his words. "`You cannot sell the earth on which the people walk.' Crazy Horse is reputed to have said that. I think of him when I walk along the Green River. It meanders timelessly through the meadows on our ranch. `Oh, yes,' a great-grandson of Crazy Horse told me, `that was our ground, we Lakota people. Though it was distant from our ancestral lands, we often hunted and camped on the Green. We followed the buffalo there.' Obvious that they would - this area was then and to a degree still is a game paradise. At one time or another, many Indian nations were here: Shoshone, Arapaho, Ute, Cheyenne. So whose earth do I walk on now? It's a loop of river, perhaps eighty acres in size.

A Moving Tribute

I am quite awed by the magnitude if this project. It is a beautiful and moving tribute to that gorgeous wilderness and the thoughts of the people who speak to it are eloquent. The Red Desert pictures are a surprise to me. All the pictures speak for themselves and I only wish that the people who need and should see this magnificent book will. I do so hope that it will have the affect that everyone involved with it longs for. Congratulations to the editor, Ronald H. Chilcote, all the contributors and to the Laguna Wilderness Press for such a superb publication. It is a true work of art.