Heather Hansman publishes her 3rd book today, "Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America's Love for the Wild." Heather joins the River Radius as a returning guest to talk about the subjects of her book: Georgie White, Anne LaBastille and Dolores LaChapelle. We also get into her travels to learn about these three people, how going through the complete collection of one person helped clarify details, how writing a book is a multi-year commitment, her own feelings about the book and the nervous tension she rides as her book publication date arrives. Heather is a longtime river runner and river guide, and is the author of the recent article exposing many details about the current river permitting system. Her writing is funny and serious and deep, and our conversation lets her share with us her journey of writing this excellent book about rivers, people, boats, wild places, ecological theories, and the bias that gets in the way of understanding our natural systems.

Heather Hansman website

"Fierce Country" Book Tour

@hhansman

"Wreck Dot Gov" (article about the river permit system)

Previous River Radius Episode with Heather Hansman Apple Podcasts

Previous River Radius Episode with Heather Hansman Spotify

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Devon Barker-Hicks is an Idaho born and raised river runner, growing up in the Barker family of river outfitters. She is a lifelong public school teacher, a global kayak competitor, and a dedicated advocate and protector of the waters and rivers of Idaho. Her program "Dare to Kayak," brings kayaking to the public schools of Idaho, and a film about that same program premiers on July 22nd in Riggins, ID. She grew up running rivers with her family, working as a guide at the family outfitter company from childhood through her college summers. Today she teaches kayaking through the "Dare to Kayak" program and at her brother's outfitting company. She is considered by her Idaho river peers to be a leader in the knowledge of the rivers of Idaho, and a leader in caring for the rivers and the river runners, and she serves on the Board of Directors of Idaho Rivers United. In addition to all of this, we also talk through her 2020 two-month tour of the entire watershed of the Owyhee-Bruneau Canyonlands.

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Devon Barker-Hicks

Dare to Kayak

Writing: "The Confluence of Passions on the Canals of Amsterdam"

Writing: "The Owyhee Bruneau Canyonlands All Forks Sabbatical"

South Fork Salmon, Barker video

Barker River Expeditions

Southfork Salmon & Idaho Rivers United video

BOD @ Idaho Rivers United

Film Premiere
July 22, 2026
5pm MT
Potluck with films to follow
Little River Bait & Tackle
7482 US-95, Riggins, ID 83549
Riggins, ID
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Each year American Rivers, a national river focused advocacy organization publishes a list of 10 rivers that are beautiful rivers and rivers that want our engagement. These are the rivers of the 2026 Most Endangered Rivers List. American Rivers first published the Most Endangered Rivers List in 1984, and now 41 years later, they still bring to our attention ten rivers of elevated importance. This year's rivers run between 8 and 400 miles in length. My guest again this year is Chantel Dominguez from American Rivers. Chantel brings infectious optimism to the power of highlighting these rivers.

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Chantel Dominguez

American Rivers|

MER LIST 2026
America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2026

Video of AR's MER List 2026 on YouTube

Support American Rivers

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Poudre River Fund

NRS

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Whale Foundation

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