summer 03 / 16:2 - Grand Canyon River Guides

David LavenderWestern historian David Lavender, twicenominated for the Pulitzer Prize, died athome on April 26 after a long illness. He was93. Although he is known as theauthor of more than two dozenWestern histories—many of themthe definitive works on theirsubjects—we riverfolk rememberhim best for his River Runners ofthe Grand Canyon. Lavender wasan avid boater and was the logicalchoice when, after DockMarston’s death, the GrandCanyon Natural History Associationwanted a writer to pen apopular history from Marston’svast collection at the HuntingtonLibrary. It was a daunting task.Although the Marston Collectionis unarguably the world’sgreatest treasury of ColoradoRiver history, Lavender found itspeculiar organization, sheermagnitude, and ingrown biasesmade synopsis a formidable goal.Worse, the collection was riddled with mildew, and thetechnicians who fumigated it miscalculated the proportionsof formaldehyde and other toxins. As a result thecollection was billowing noxious fumes—as, to a lesserextent, it does to this day. Lavender was the firstresearcher to delve into the more than four hundredgreen file boxes of manuscripts, letters, notes, miscellany,and poison gas. It was excruciating. After an houror so of reading he would stagger,eyes streaming, temples throbbing,head spinning, into the gardens torecuperate.Although some river obsessiveshave found nits to pick with a fewof Lavender’s details, those whohave assaulted the Marston Collectionagree that Lavender’s ability tocapture the character of the collection,single out the significant talesfrom the mass of tangential information,and tell them in such anentertaining, engaging, and overallaccurate manner, is more thanremarkable. It is genius. Sadly, thebudget would not allow him tocreate the massive history he feltthe material deserved. Sadder yet,the book—a bible for historyorientedguides—has long been outof print. A new edition would be afitting homage for his contribution to the history ofriver running.Brad DimockHello Plant Lovers!Happy spring, and indeed a splendid one it hasbeen for blooms in the Grand Canyon! Wehave been on the river and at the computerscreen as of late photographing plants, updatingspecies lists, writing plant descriptions and grants, andof course dreaming of the day we will hold a finishedfield guide to plants of the Colorado River in ourtrembling hands. Oh, the day! The project was wellreceived at the gts this March when Lori and Kategave a powerpoint presentation on our progress andflashed a copy of the draft to many an eager boatman.Of course, none of this would be possible withoutthe intrepid work and research of all of you! Wereceived and compiled the first 75 plant descriptionsthis winter and are now at the task of editing andcontacting publishers. Our goal is to have 150 plantspecies compiled (many with photos and drawings) byMay 15th to send down the river with the variousriver outfitters for field testing.We are very grateful for the unflinching enthusiasmand support from this wonderful community of plantgeeks and naturalists in love with the Grand Canyon.You may contact us via email: Kristin atkristin.huisinga@nau.edu or Kate atkatewatters@excite.com or Lori at lorimaka@infomagic.net.If you have a decent camera with a macrolens and an eye for beauty, contact us about takingsome film downriver with you.Kristin, Kate and Lori“The Charlie’s Angels of Botany”boatman’s quarterly review page 3