 |
 |
|||||
 |
 |
 |
||||
SHATTERED AIR
A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite’s Half Dome
By Bob Madgic
On the evening of July 27, 1985, five hikers made a fateful choice to climb Yosemite’s fabled Half Dome even as the sky darkened and thunder rolled. By night’s end, two would be dead from a lightning strike, three gravely wounded, and desperate EMT’s would be overseeing a harrowing post-midnight helicopter rescue.
SHATTERED AIR: A True Account of Catastrophe, Courage and Rescue on Yosemite’s Half Dome (Burford Books; June 2005; now in paperback at $15, by Bob Madgic, is a tautly written account of recklessness, tragedy, courage and rescue, a book whose depiction of nature’s fearsome power is tempered by unforgettable portraits of human courage and the will to survive.
The catastrophe at Half Dome remains one of the worst hiking accidents in Yosemite history. The tragedy stemmed from the recklessness of two hiking leaders who opted to climb Half Dome despite a looming thunderstorm. As Madgic reveals, this decision was typical of their take-no-prisoners approach to the outdoors, an attitude he details in this thrilling and disturbing story. Madgic chronicles the complete story of the disaster with the aid of Esteban and many of the other participants, including Linda Crozier, the then-22-year-old EMT who saved the lives of the injured in a daring and terrifying nighttime rescue.
A sobering and compelling story, SHATTERED AIR is a brilliant dissection of that fateful day when a violent lightning strike forever changed the lives of not only a few brazen hikers but also of the incredibly brave people who rescued the survivors.
Cost, including shipping, ofShattered Air , now in paperback $15 (regularly $16.95). To order, please send a check with return address to Bob Madgic, River Bend Books, 6412 Clear View Drive, Anderson, CA 96007.
Cost of all three of Bob Madgic's books is $40.
SHATTERED AIR
A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite’s Half Dome
By Bob Madgic with Adrian Esteban
Read by an acclaimed actor and narrator, Anthony Heald.
Approximately 8 1/2 hrs.
ISBN Number 978-1-4332
Format & Price: 7 tapes - $59.95 (library package)
7 CDs - $63.00 (library package)
1 MP3-CD - $29.95
Produced by Blackstone Audio, Inc., Ashland, Oregon
Avalable directly from Blackstone (www.BlackstoneAudio.com), and from regular sales outlets, such as Amazon.
Available also from Bob Madgic: $46 for CDs or tapes, $25 for MP3 - CD (plays on computers, DVD players, and some car systems). There is also a down- load version available.
This guidebook presents ways that fish can be grouped for identification and study purposes, a rationale on the ecological importance of native fish species, and an identification of habitat conditions necessary for maintaining healthy fisheries. It contains a brief history of California fishes, beginning with the once abundant coldwater fishery native to the state, to the many introduced species brought to California. The impact of dams, reservoirs and hatcheries is discussed, as well as the significance of governmental legislation such as the Federal Endangered Species Act. Information of recent activities of fish biologists and governmental agencies can be found throughout this book. By way of summary, the author presents a stewardship agenda for preserving California’s rich fish heritage.
A Guide to California’s Freshwater Fishes will assist anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, students, and others interested in the natural world, to identify and learn more about the fish species occupying California’s rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs. Detailed and handsome color illustrations of each fish species accompany the text. Other illustrations include color photos of significant fish habitat throughout the state, and important maps and diagrams.
Cost of A Guide to California's Freshwater Fishes is $15 (regular cost $19.95). To order, please send a check with return address to Bob Madgic, River Bend Books, 6412 Clear View Drive, Anderson, CA 96007.
Cost of all three of Bob Madgic's books is $40.
Pursuing Wild Trout chronicles Bob Madgic’s growing awareness of the importance of wilderness values. In an entertaining and often humorous style, the book traces over twenty-five years of his experiences in fishing for wild trout in the canyon rivers of the central Sierra Nevada in California, and his discoveries on how wilderness contains the essential meanings of life. It also relates Bob Madgic’s own transformation from a bait fisherman who carted home all of the fish he caught to a fly fisher who now carefully releases all of his catches. The angler will learn effective fly fishing strategies for the most prized trout—wilderness trout that Madgic defines as "wild trout little impacted by humans."
In addition to the fishing themes, Bob Madgic reacquaints the reader with the tragic loss of the once magnificent Stanislaus River canyon, now flooded by the unnecessarily huge New Melones Dam. With a similar threat to another one-of-a-kind river—the Tuolumne—readers can take some consolation that it was preserved through its designation as a "wild & scenic river." Throughout the book, the reader is further informed on historical and natural history, including information on the Native Americans and mountain men who visited these special places, the flora and fauna of river canyons, the importance of forest fires, why the spotted owl has become such an important symbol for environmental protection, the significance of old growth forests, and the essential features of ecosystems including examples of species interdependence drawn from aquatic environments. The book concludes with the author's summary of wilderness values.
Pursuing Wild Trout is richly illustrated with black and white sketches portraying events in the text. It also contains a magnificent 16-page insert of color photos that portray the wonders of rivers as well as other scenes and activities central to the book.
From the Back Cover
"Bob Madgic tempts us with his personal reflections on fly fishing in the Sierra Nevada and in doing so, he leads us on an incredible exploration of the wild rivers of the region. He not only gives us lessons in natural history, but writes about special places from a highly developed environmental conscience. He is a strong advocate for wilderness values, recognizing that "in wilderness each creature has meaning," and that "the wildness of nature should be accepted on its own terms."-William Meadows, President, The Wilderness Society
Cost, including shipping, of Pursuing Wild Trout is $12 (regular cost $14.95). To order, please send a check with return address to Bob Madgic, River Bend Books, 6412 Clear View Drive, Anderson, CA 96007.
Cost of all three of Bob Madgic's books is $40.