Never Turn Back - New Version

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Never Turn Back

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The Life of Whitewater Pioneer Walt Blackadar

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New Version - Limited Copies Available

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"This ranks among the great adventure books".
-Roger Phillips, McClatchy Newspapers

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General Info | Reviews | Sample Chapters | Ordering Info

  Walt Blackadar

 

 

Books

Guide to Outdoor Literature

Reading Lists: Best Outdoor Books

Outdoor Stories & Articles

Outdoor Education Papers

 

 

Information for Retailers

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The following information is for stores and libraries. If you are an individual interested in purchasing Never Turn Back, go here.

 

We believe in and support small, locally owned businesses. We do not sell to Amazon and other corporate businesses such as REI. We also do not sell to wholesalers or distributors.

 

Why no distributors? With distributors, we have no control of where books are being sold, and they end up in the hands of Amazon and others. We understand that not having a distributor means a little less convenience on your part, but it has one big advantage. It gives you the assurance that you won't have to compete with Amazon and chain stores. Ordering information below.

 

"A triumph! I couldn't put it down."

--Jerry Dixon, National Outdoor Book Award Judge

 

NEVER TURN BACK is the gripping and compelling life story of Dr. Walt Blackadar, a physician from a small town in Idaho. At the age of 49, he shocked the outdoor world when he made a solo kayak journey down the treacherous rapids of Turnback Canyon on the remote and wild Alsek River in Canada and Alaska. Mt Blackadar

 

Blackadar's accomplishment on Turnback Canyon was the river equivalent of the first ascent of Everest, and when excerpts from his Alsek journal were published in Sports Illustrated, he became an instant sensation. He was at the top of his sport at an age when most athletes are long retired.

 

Then suddenly, his spectacular rise veered wildly off course when a young woman tragically died on one of his kayaking expeditions. Heartbroken over her death and plagued with mounting physical problems, his kayaking technique began to deteriorate.

 

Yet he had a spirit that was irrepressible, and pitting himself in a race against his body's clock, he sought out and faced off against the world's most formidable whitewater.

 

 

"A work of Art!"   --Barb Wright, World Whitewater Champion

 

 

TurnBack CAnyon

 

Ordering Information for Stores & Libraries

 

We believe in and support small, locally owned businesses and we do NOT sell to Amazon and chain stores.

 

The retail cost of Never Turn Back is $19.95.

 

Name of Our Company: Great Rift

 

Discount Schedule (for stores and libraries):

 

1 book 25%

2-5 books 40%

6-21 books 45%

Additional 5% discount for pre-payment by check

 

Order via Email or Phone: To order via email, use support@grc101.com. Or you may order via phone: 208.232.6857. Our mailing address is: Great Rift, 1135 East Bonneville, Pocatello, ID 83201.

 

Pre-payments: If you pay in advance by check, we provide an extra 5% discount.

 

Billings: Net, 30 days.

 

Shipping: Shipping is billed. We ship book rate to help keep shipping costs low.

 

Returns: the book sells quite well and we have never had deal with returns, but if you end up with left-over books - and the books are in good shape - then we will accept returns. Contact us in advance if you need to make a return.

 

Other Books: We also publish Guide to Idaho Paddling (the best selling book on where to paddle in Idaho) and Winter Trails & Tales (Where to cross-country and backcountry ski in Idaho, Yellowstone and the Tetons).

 

"Magnificent. Told with sparkling clarity. Truly inspiritional."
            
--Willian Bushnell, Eclectic Book Review

 

 

 

More Information on Never Turn Back

 

This is what Books In Print (the book world's main reference work) has to say about Never Turn Back:

In the WhitewaterThis fascinating and masterfully written book is considered one of the outdoor world's finest works. The Los Angeles Daily News awarded Never Turn Back their highest rating for a book: "It's the best thing to come across this reviewer's desk in recent memory," wrote Brett Pauly of the News.

 

"Bully for Watters!" said the San Francisco Chronicle about author Ron Watters' wonderfully told story. William Bushnell of the Library Research Associates called it: "Magnificent...told with sparkling clarity...truly inspirational."

 

Never Turn Back is the unforgettable biography of whitewater sport's most famous personality Dr. Walt Blackadar. Blackadar stunned the outdoor world when he ran the treacherous rapids of Turnback Canyon on the remote and wild Alsek River in Canada and Alaska. What made his solo journey through Turnback Canyon even more remarkable was the fact that he was 49 years old, an age when most athletes are long retired.

 

Blackadar's story is powerful and uplifting. It is the story of the human spirit facing and overcoming great odds. Joining book reviewers in praise for the book are outdoor authorities such as World Whitewater Champion Barb Wright: "A work of art!" Other reviews: "A triumph! I couldn't put it down." "Uncommonly well-written and well-edited." "An inspiring book."

 

 

 

 

Reviews

 

"Watters has created a book that reads more like a novel than a biography." --Eugene Buchanan, Editor, Paddler Magazine

 

"This is a rare book, intelligently and honestly written, an entertaining and thought-provoking biography of a hero."

             --Liam Guilar, Out There, Australia's Outdoor Magazine.

 

"The story is told brilliantly."   --Rocky Barker, Letters from the West

 

"I found the book riveting."    --John Gastineau, North Carolina

 

"Watters captures a surprising tenderness and depth to Blackadar. I guarantee you'll come away from reading this book with a lot of smiles and laughter and a contagious feeling that life is worth living to the fullest."

              --Doug Ammons, American Whitewater

 

"It's the best thing to come across this reviewer's desk in recent memory,"       

             --Los Angeles Daily News

 

"Bully for Watters!"       --San Francisco Chronicle

 

 

Walt Blackadar

 

Sample Chapters from the book, Never Turn Back:

 

The beginning chapter of Never Turn Back is called "The Portal" and it sets the stage for the rest of the book. Click the following link to read it: The Portal

 

The chapter "Through the Night" occurs later in Blackadar's life, and it's a haunting story of a long night, a small boat, and the capricious sea: Through the Night

 

Cover and Back Cover

 

     Never Turn Back - New Version....Never Turn Back  - Back Cover - New Version

 

Table of Contents (Never Turn Back)

 

Prologue:  The Portal • Chapter 1: Salmon City • Chapter 2: The Middle and the Main • Chapter 3: Esquimautage • Chapter 4: Emergency Call from North Fork • Chapter 5: A Look in the Mirror • Chapter 6: "In the Gorge and Stranded" • Chapter 7: The Big Su • Chapter 8: Tragedy on the West Fork • Chapter 9: The Biggest Ride • Chapter 10: On the Edge • Chapter 11: I'll Be Back • Chapter 12: Through the Night • Chapter 13: River of No Return • Epilogue • Acknowledgments • Source Notes • Index

 

 

Purchasing the Book

 

Sweep BoatDetails:  296 pages  •  6" x 9" 
ISBN # 1-877625-03-5 (Paper)

 

We believe in and support small, locally owned businesses and we do NOT sell to Amazon and chain stores.

 

Retail Cost: $19.95

 

Discount Schedule: for stores and libraries:

.

1 book 25%

2-5 books 40%

6-21 books 45%

22 or more books 50%

 

Order via Email or Phone: To order via email, use support@grc101.com. Or you may order via phone: 208.232.6857. Our mailing address is: Great Rift, 1135 East Bonneville, Pocatello, ID 83201.

 

Pre-payments: If you pay in advance by check, we provide an extra 5% discount.

 

Billings: Net, 30 days.

 

Shipping: Shipping is billed. We ship book rate to help keep shipping costs low.

 

Returns: the book sells quite well and we have never had deal with returns, but if you end up with left-over books - and the books are in good shape - then we will accept returns. Contact us in advance if you need to make a return.

 

Other Books: We also publish Guide to Idaho Paddling (the best selling book on where to paddle in Idaho) and Winter Trails & Tales (Where to cross-country and backcountry ski in Idaho, Yellowstone and the Tetons).

 

 

 

Never Turn Back is published by:

 

GR The Great Rift Press       QualityGreat Rift: Excellence and Service

 

Other Top Rated Books from the Great Rift Press:

 

Lower Alsek River

 

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