POCATELLO — A multi-media presentation combining slides, music and narration is one of the highlights of the 2017 Rocky Mountain Writers Festival. The program focuses on running the Alsek River through the remote Saint Elias Range of Alaska and Canada.
The program is presented by Ron Watters and Kathy Daly of Pocatello. It will be shown on Saturday starting at 7 p.m. at Old Town Ice Cream at 110 North Main in Pocatello. The event is free and the public is invited.
Watters and Daly own the Great Rift Press, which published "Never Turn Back," a biography about Walt Blackadar. Blackadar was a doctor from Salmon who received international acclaim for his exploits in running whitewater rivers.
In 1971, Blackadar made what many people believe to have been the greatest whitewater achievement of its time — the solo descent of Turnback Canyon on the Alsek River in Canada. It was the whitewater world's Mt. Everest — and it was accomplished by a lone person in a fragile fiberglass kayak.
It was only six years later that Walt Blackadar died in a kayaking accident on the South Fork of the Payette River. By the time of his death, he was so widely known and respected that ABC Sports aired a tribute to Blackadar on national television. In Canada, a mountain along the Alsek River was named in his honor.
Sometime after Blackadar's death, Watters, Daly, and a small group of kayakers and rafters from Idaho retraced Blackadar's historic journey down the Alsek. During that journey, the group made the first ascent of Mt. Blackadar.
Part of the reason for the trip was research for the biography on Walt Blackadar's life. The other part was for an adventure.
The multi-media program to be presented on Saturday evening is about that journey.
In addition, Saturday night festivities will include readings by invited authors. Highlighting the readings will be Leslie Leek and Will Peterson.
Leek is a local writer who is known for her rich settings and insightful stories about the Idaho experience. Peterson is the owner of Walrus and Carpenter Books and is the author of a recently published novel that takes place in Southeast Idaho.
Other activities of the Rocky Mountain Writer's Festival include the following: April 5 at Portneuf Valley Brewing, featuring Krishna Strong, other well-known writers, and singer/songwriter Matthew Murdock. April 6 at the College Market, featuring Kelly Ricken and ISU students and faculty. April 7 at the Bru House, featuring a fantasy/sci-fi night with Chelsea "Citizen Rouge" and local writers.
All events begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public.
