Stikine Odyssey: From Adventure to Activism with The Great River

Peter Rowlands

Jul 2023 · FriesenPress

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September 1979. When thirty-something Peter Rowlands loaded up his Landcruiser and took canoe Dimples to join his friend Hal Marsden on a paddling adventure in northern BC’s backcountry, he never expected one river—Stikine—would radically change the course of his life. Rowlands became so enchanted by this 640-kilometre stretch of wild beauty, he joined the ranks of citizens calling for protection of the Stikine River, its watershed, and its Indigenous communities. Facing layers of bureaucracy and the cavernous pockets of big business, Rowlands found himself tangled in a multi-decade morass, where money always seemed to eclipse mother nature. Written to highlight the importance of heathy ecosystems and stressing the importance of fresh water to global health, Stikine Odyssey exposes questionable relationships between government and industry in hopes of furthering awareness and encouraging improvement.

Stikine Odyssey: From Adventure to Activism with The Great River is a story of complexity, evolution, and staggering beauty, much like the river itself. Rowlands is a natural storyteller whose humour and passion are perfectly complemented by Gary Fiegehen’s striking photography. Stikine Odyssey is sure to captivate a vast range of readers beginning with outdoor adventurers, history buffs, and the environmentally conscious everywhere.

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A career aviator, Peter Rowlands was an avid paddler and skier until artificial leg joints helped transform him into a dedicated cyclist and storyteller with four self-published books now on his resume, along with multiple contributions to aviation magazines. By combining aviation postings and camping adventures, Peter happily claims to have lived in every province and territory of Canada. He currently resides north of Toronto with his best friend and reluctant critic, Susan.

A Ryerson trained photographer introduced to the Stikine River by the author in 1982, Gary Fiegehen continued to focus on the people and landscapes of British Columbia, publishing seven books, including STIKINE: The Great River (1991), while working with various First Nations, particularly the Nisga'a during their successful efforts to attain the first modern-day treaty in the province. Until his passing, Gary lived in Vancouver with his partner Sara.