Years before the railway, and with only a network of ramshackle forts to support them, James Hector and his colleagues braved harsh winters, hot summers, unpredictable wildlife, personal conflict, and Native war parties to scout routes through the Rocky Mountains, often with only their wits to keep them alive.
The Intrepid Explorer tells the story of the famous Palliser Expedition from the point-of-view of one of its most remarkable members as he looks back on his life during one final visit to Canada in 1903. By the end of his life Sir James Hector had become a world-renowned geologist and explorer, but it was for his exploration of the Rockies that Hector was best remembered.
Excerpt from the book:
Starving and beaten down by an arduous trek through deadfall-heavy forest, Hector and his mates decided to ford the fast-rushing river (now the best whitewater river in Western Canada).
But when a pack horse unexpectedly jumped into a river eddy, all hell broke loose.
Hector left his horse to help get the animal back up the steep riverbank. This allowed his own horse to stray off. He chased after his horse, but when he got close his steed kicked him in the chest – knocking him out.
Unable to find his pulse a few hours later, Hector's companions dug him a grave. Legend has it that as they were about to bury him Hector regained consciousness and gave a skyward wink.
Reviews:
"Lakusta connects the dots between this (the above excerpt) and many other incredible tales from the journey using vivid imagery and a storyteller's zeal."
-- The Calgary Herlad
Ernie Lakusta uses journals, newspaper articles, and the original Palliser reports to paint a vivid picture of a true hero of Canadian history, a man whose brush with death is commemorated to this day by the Kicking Horse Pass in British Columbia.
Ernie Lakusta was born in Hardisty, Alberta, in 1944, but was raised in Calgary. He attended the University of Calgary, where he received both B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees before becoming a high-school biology teacher and science department head in Calgary. An avid hiker and scrambler, Ernie’s passion for the outdoors has led him to explore, photograph, and write about many of the areas James Hector mapped for the Palliser Expedition. Ernie lives in Calgary with his wife of thirty-eight years, Jean, who shares his love of the outdoors.
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