Picture this: it's spring 1983, and the Colorado River is roaring like never before, swollen by unprecedented floods threatening the Glen Canyon Dam with disaster. In the chaos, Kenton Grua spots his chance—not for safety, but for glory. He dusts off the battered wooden dory The Emerald Mile, launches it just miles below the dam, and sets out to claim the fastest-ever trip through the Grand Canyon's 277-mile stretch from Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead. What follows is a white-knuckle ride that tests every ounce of skill, nerve, and luck.
The '83 flood wasn't just big; it was biblical. Engineers scrambled to avert a dam-busting catastrophe, spilling water at rates that turned the river into a churning beast. Rapids swelled to house-sized waves, boulders shifted like toys, and the canyon walls echoed with the thunder of unleashed power. For most, this spelled terror. For Grua and his crew, it was the perfect storm to rewrite history.
The Emerald Mile was no sleek speedboat. This 16-foot wooden gem, once doomed for the scrap heap, relied on oars, muscle, and the river's fury. Grua, a river-running legend, knew the canyon's secrets—the hidden eddies, the brutal drops like Crystal Rapid. Their goal? Shave hours off the standing record, propelled by floodwaters clocking 30 mph in spots. Every flip risked ending it all, but they surfed the chaos, averaging 10 mph through terrain that devours novices.
Kevin Fedarko's storytelling pulls no punches. You'll feel the spray on your face, hear the oars creak, sense the adrenaline spike as they thread Lava Falls' meat grinder. It's not just about speed; it's the bond of the crew, the raw beauty of the canyon under floodlight, and what drives a man to tempt fate. Perfect for armchair adventurers craving real-deal tales over fiction.
Grab this paperback and relive it on quiet evenings or pack it for your own raft trip. It answers the what-ifs: Could anyone survive that? What does the canyon reveal in flood? Fans of outdoor epics, Colorado River rafting stories, or survival yarns will devour it. At under 400 pages, it's a quick, unforgettable plunge into adventure's heart.
Whether you're planning a Grand Canyon float or just love true stories of human endurance, The Emerald Mile delivers the rush without getting wet.
