"The Last Season"

Just thought I'd pass this on, somewhat in the same realm as Into the Wild by Krakauer, I'm just about to finish reading a book by Eric Blehm with the title of this thead as the book about a 28-year veteran NPS backcountry ranger in Sequioa NP named Randy Morgenson who goes missing in July of 1996. This is the story of the man, his life, his mysterious disappearance. Interestingly since I've just returned from Sequioa, I tend to bring books about the area during my trips there. (Like reading Art Davidson's Minus 148 when I was backpacking in Denali). It's an interesting read, though probably not as enthralling as Into the Wild it's a similarly veined book about wilderness and what it means to people who enjoy it, such as you and I, for sure.

Jay

I read the book just a few weeks ago and also found it to be a great read, right up there with Into the Wild. For anyone interested in wilderness, search and rescue, and the life of a Park Service backcountry ranger, this is a "gotta read" book.

Backpacker magazine did excerpts from the book in a couple of its recent issues. I read the book earlier this summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a well written but tragic story.

Yeah, I read the insert while on the flight back from my recent climbing trip to Whitney, et al. It was TMax's magazine but I was borrowing it...

Lots of things I'd like to discuss but don't want to ruin it for others.


**SPOILERS BELOW- USE CTRL-A to see***

Seemingly, although it is still possible, to me, it sounds accidental due to the backpack, finding gear at all. If he wanted not to be found, he could of easily hid the pack and with the hipbelt buckled he was wearing it at the time of his death, no need for suicide to wear your backpack. Although of course, there is the insurance question, since most policies wont cover suicide, so there is still that off-chance that perhaps it was made to look accidental, rather than suicide. However, from what I've read, I would have a hard time thinking that it would be suicide.

Apparently, VfTT doesn't support the SPOILER tags!

Jay

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm always on the lookout for a good read.

FYI -- A movie version of Into the Wild, directed by Sean Penn, is wrapping up filming at Denali. No date for release yet.

Just finishing this up myself.....great read...and I agree...right up there with Into The Wild...

Good read...

M

Interesting pdf FAQ for those that have read the book:

http://www.thelastseason.com/presskit/QAwEricBlehm.pdf

Jay

I'm about 2/3 of the way through the book now, and enjoying it a great deal. The book is a combination of Into the Wild and Good Morning Midnight (Chip Brown's book about Guy Waterman). I think there are some interesting similarities between Waterman and the subject of The Last Season.

Thanks for the heads up. I loved Into the Wild. Man, i gotta read faster, my reading list is growing faster than I can finish 'em.


-Shayne

what a small world. I just finished the book a couple weeks ago. Its amazing the red tape they had to go through (oops, I almost revealed the ending for "larryg"). It peaked my interest becouse of the title, but to tell the truth i found myself skimming towards later chapters to get to the end and to see what happened to him.

PLEASE NO SPOILERS...Im almost done...like 50 pages left....

Thanks..

M

A Great Read

I, too, just finished this book, and I was fascinated! I have long enjoyed reading about the National Parks, and the National Park Service. I only wish I could visit them all! The National Park Service is a fascinating blend of federal bureaucracy with tremendously dedicated employees striving to protect something they feel passionately about, working with far too few resources.

One web site I enjoy is the NPS Morning Report, which is a daily (almost) round-up of information from the parks. It is often interesting.

Anyone interested in the case of Randy Morgenson should also read about the more recent case of Jeff Christensen, a ranger in Rocky Mountain NP. This page has links to the official reports. That case is an interesting contrast to Randy Morgenson's. I think we owe a lot to these very special people.

Another author I like to read is Nevada Barr A writer of mystery fiction may seem out of place here, but let me explain. I don’t usually read mysteries, but Nevada Barr is a former NPS ranger, and her stories are set in the National Parks, around the country. The author obviously cares deeply about the Parks, and the NPS. She vividly describes the settings, and I feel like I’ve been there. I must admit that the “whodunit” mystery is my least favorite part of these stories.

I've also enjoyed DEATH, DARING, AND DISASTER Search and Rescue in the National Parks (revised) By Charles "Butch" Farabee Jr. and DEATH IN YELLOWSTONE, Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park, Edited by Lee Whittlesey These contain case studies, which I always love to read.

One book I’d like to read, but haven’t yet is Park Ranger, True Stories from a Ranger's Career in America's National Parks by Nancy Eileen Muleady-Mecham. Has anyone read this?

Enjoy!

I have the following book in my Libary hold queue right now:

Nature Noir

It's supposedly another good representation of what backcountry rangers do... Taking place in the Sierras again.

Jay