Into The Thaw

Join us on Friday, October 18th for an evening of storytelling and discussion with author Jon Waterman. Jon will be presenting his new book, Into the Thaw: Witnessing Wonder Amid the Arctic Climate Crisis, which attendees will have early access to purchase! A little about the book:

More than 40 years ago, Jon Waterman worked as a mountaineering ranger at Alaska’s Denali National Park. His 1983 patrol to the Noatak River in Gates of the Arctic National Park sparked a lifetime fascination with the wild, remote regions of the North. Waterman has since embarked on scores of expeditions to the North, often traveling solo by boat and on foot to document the natural wonders and cultural heritage across Arctic North America.

After a long hiatus from the Noatak headwaters, he returned with his son in 2021, witnessing firsthand the effects of climate change that he chronicled in a New York Times story, “36 Years Later, the Climate Changes at This National Park Stunned Me.” Amid a river now flooded, overgrown with brush, and bereft of once-abundant caribou, he was deeply disheartened by the many transformations.

In 2022, Waterman took a final, extended expedition “into the thaw” with the professional kayaker and photographer Chris Korbulic to carefully document the environmental and cultural changes precipitated by the climate crisis. They covered more than 500 miles on foot and by packraft down the entire river, then up the coast, passing through three different National Park Service managed lands to meet with scientists, interview Iñupiat (the Alaskan Inuit), investigate the many impacts of the Arctic climate crisis, and celebrate the enduring wonder of this special place. This book will be available in bookstores on November 12th.

Patagonia Provisions crackers and tinned fish will be available to sample alongside some Cabot cheese slices!

Schedule:

• Doors: 6:30 PM
• Presentation: 7:00 PM
• 8:00 PM: book signing of Into The Thaw: Witnessing Wonder amid The Arctic Climate Crisis

Walk ins will be welcome, but your RSVP will guarantee you a seat!

Jon Waterman

Author

Jon Waterman has worked as a director of a small press, an editor, a naturalist, a park ranger, a wilderness guide, a photographer, and a filmmaker. Among his many publications, Jon’s work has often appeared in The New York Times, Outside, Men’s Journal, Adventure, Climbing, and Sailing World. His 17 books include In the Shadow of Denali, Kayaking the Vermilion Sea,and Running Dry; he is a frequent grantee of the National Geographic Society. By taking risks and tackling difficult issues, his work transcends traditional outdoor yarns and has garnered numerous awards, including a Literary Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts, three Best Adventure Book Awards from the Banff Book Festival, a National Park Service Special Achievement Award, and the Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award. He grew up in Lexington, MA, and lives in Carbondale, Colorado.

Community Partner: Vermont Conservation Voters

Founded in 1982, VCV works to elect environmentally-friendly candidates to public office, and then holds elected officials accountable for the decisions they make affecting our air, water, wildlife, land, communities, and health. One of the reps will be on site to tell us about their organization and answer any voter registration questions that you have! You can also sign up for their Pledge to Vote for the chance to win a 55L Black Hole Duffel!