Yellowstone is not only the first and oldest
national park in the world, but it also attracts more visitors
than any other in the country. Even so, over 99.9% of them,
as Tim Cahill points out with evidence to support the astonishing
number, never venture beyond paved roads and fenced viewpoints.
This means most visitors never see the wonders he describes
in Lost in My Own Backyard: A walk in Yellowstone National
Park.
Yellowstone really is Cahill's backyard -- he
lives in a Montana town near the park -- but he's quick to
point out that it's also America's backyard. With his trademark
blend of fact, opinion, and wry humor, he discusses topics
like the reintroduction of wolves into the park and the practice
of "discovering" and naming natural phenomena like
waterfalls. He also provides a quick timeline of geological
history to explain Yellowstone's unique status as a hotspot
with enough potential to end civilization as we know it.
Best of all, however, is Cahill's well-honed
ability to take his listeners with him as he explores Yellowstone
on day hikes and longer backpack trips. He hikes up the side
of Mount Washburn marveling at fumaroles, mudpots, and other
geothermal oddities. He searches for -- and finds -- the vast
petrified forests described by early explorers. He walks through
weird rock hoodoos in the Goblin Labyrinth. He goes on a midnight
quest to see a "moonbow" in a waterfall. Every step
of the way, Cahill's vivid descriptions leave no doubt as
to why early explorers to the region called it "Wonderland."
Of course, no book about Yellowstone would be
complete without bears. Cahill does not disappoint, recounting
tales of his own interactions with grizzlies and their relatives
along with the foolhardy escapades of others. He doesn't shortchange
Yellowstone's other denizens, either, from bear-scolding squirrels
to wolves, coyotes, elk, moose, owls, and eagles.
Cahill himself is the reader in this audio
production. His avuncular voice brings his book to life, making
it not only a wonderful way to enjoy Yellowstone vicariously,
but also a terrific inspiration to visit, stay a while, and
step off the beaten path.
