Cache La Poudre
The Natural History of a Rocky Mountain River
by Howard Ensign and Mary Alice Evans
"Indispensable...The power of Cache is that it proves a river is more than just flowing water."
-Fort Collins Coloradoan
"The authors dip into every aspect of the river's natural history. So many facts are presented that it is an ideal reference tool. Most important, the volume reveals the natural wonders of northern Colorado and makes a strong case for preservation."
-Rocky Mountain News
"Not only do the authors describe the natural history of the Poudre in detail, they take the Poudre through geological and historical time....The book should be quite appealing to anyone who wishes to savor the wild nature of a quality Rocky Mountain River."
-Rivers
"The work is well written and comprehensive."
-Choice
The Cache la Poudre River and its tributaries flow through the major cities of north central Colorado. In 1986, a major portion of the pristine Cache la Poudre and its south fork were added to the federal Wild and Scenic River system, the first river in Colorado to be included.
With its eloquent and often poetic style, Cache la Poudre explains the natural history of the river basin beginning in the tundra of Rocky Mountain National Park and tracing the river eighty miles through several life zones before joining the South Platte just east of Greeley.
Arguing convincingly a philosophy of ecological responsibility, the authors tell this story with superb awareness of the balances in nature and the impact of human intrusion. Exquisite detail is paid to plants and animals: descriptions of the complex meanings of birds' songs, the sexual ritual of insects, and the struggles between predators and prey elicit vivid visualization and an exhilarating sense of discovery.
An engaging and educational journal of two modern-day explorers, Cache la Poudre may join the ranks of some of the best environmental books written, including works by Enos Mills, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Wendell Berry.
