Tag The Last Season

Real-Life Stories Challenge the Best in Fiction

Reg Spittle Leave a comment

These books proved to me that real life can be more captivating than the best fiction.

Rocket Boys, by Homer Hickam. For Homer “Sonny” Hickam, the Sputnik 1957 launch was just what he and his friends needed to transform imagination, ingenuity and hard work into a great American success story. From 1957 through 1960, Sonny and his West Virginia high school classmates, as the Big Creek Missile Agency, fired off 35 rockets, some wildly successful, some wildly disastrous. Hickam’s memoir flew off the shelves, leading to the acclaimed film October Sky.

Walden on Wheels, by Ken Ilgunas. When Ken Ilgunas graduated the University of Buffalo with $32,000 in debt, he feared a life without the freedom he valued more than anything. After an Alaskan trip filled with hardships and adventure, he asks himself, “Now what?” His answer may seem out of character for readers of Walden on Wheels. A superb book!

Henry David Thoreau: A Life, by Laura Dassow Walls. The author goes beyond the labels and reveals a sometimes insecure man who struggled to find out who he was. Walls takes readers on a journey through Thoreau’s journals and other writings. His walks, inner debates, friendships, and two years at Walden Pond come to life in a way that will enthrall and surprise even the most learned Thoreau scholar.

The Last Season, by Eric Blehm. What happened to Yosemite ranger Randy Morgenson? He had spent 28 summers as a ranger in the wilderness of Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks. A passionate protector of his beloved lands, he had become perhaps the most celebrated ranger in the Sierra Nevada. Then he went missing.

Destiny Republic, by Candice Millard. James Garfield came out of nowhere to win the Republican nomination and become the 20th president of the United States in 1881. If not for a bullet and questionable medical care, he could have been one of the greatest leaders in American history. This is a riveting presidential biography about a brilliant man and one of the most gifted White House residents.

What Happened to Ranger Randy Morgenson?

Reg Spittle 2 Comments

Randy Morgenson had spent 28 summers as a ranger in the wilderness of Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks. A passionate protector of his beloved lands, he had become perhaps the most celebrated ranger in the Sierra Nevada.

He grew up in neighboring Yosemite, where his father Dana was a sought-after guide and naturalist. Photographer Ansel Adams was a family friend and gave Randy his first camera when he was a boy.

In July 1996, Randy Morgenson left his ranger cabin for the backcountry. It was normal for rangers to go on patrol for up to several days at a time and Randy was known to clean up illegal campsites and transport trash back to his station. It was also expected that he would check in via radio with the central ranger office every day.

This time, his colleagues became concerned after he was not heard from for several days, triggering a massive wilderness search that failed to find him.

What happened to Randy Morgenson?

Had he been injured, unable to return to his ranger station? Had his radio failed?

Or had he been murdered by unhappy park visitors he had dealt just days before his disappearance?

Had he climbed to a remote place and killed himself? Some said he had been particularly dejected in recent days, even weeks. He carried divorce papers his wife had presented.

Or did he leave the parks to begin a new life, perhaps in South America?

In The Last Season, Eric Blehm, after eight years of research, interviews, and treks in the country Randy explored, answers the questions. His book is a exhaustive narrative about the search and about Randy’s life, mixed with family history, the roles of rangers, and much more.

The book may have been better with less detail, but there was plenty of compelling storytelling to carry me to the end. Those who love the Sierra wilderness will be enthralled. Those who admire the work of wilderness rangers will gain new respect, especially for one who gave it all for the love of his life.