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.