Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon

The Brave the Wild River book is a thrilling tale of two pioneering botanists, Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter, who embarked on an unprecedented boat trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 1938.

Despite the dangerous waters and skeptics, they persevered to meticulously catalog the plant life of this defining landscape in the American West.

Their groundbreaking work would one day become vital for protecting and restoring the river ecosystem.

Through vibrant letters and diaries, science journalist Melissa L.

Sevigny brings their daring forty-three-day journey to life, detailing their encounters with rapids, a runaway boat, and even a harsh critic turned ally.

Brave the Wild River is an inspiring adventure of two women who risked everything to make a groundbreaking botanical survey of a changing landscape.