The official account of the hand-rearing of two polar bear cubs who captivated the nation.

Life was harsh and dangerous for the prospectors of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898-1899. But it was also a grand adventure. Few got rich but those who survived had a tale to tell. Wallis R. Sanborn's entertaining narrative of his journey from Illinois to the Yukon provides rare insight into the daily lives of the Klondike stampeders. He describes through his letters and diary what they ate, what they wore, the trails they mushed, the roadhouses and tents in which they slept, and the mining process. His original sketches--capturing the natural world around him, his cabin and hand-crafted furniture--and his hand-drawn maps are included, along with photographs, handbills, travel receipts and miner's certificates.

Combining on–the–slopes experience with off–trail research, author Charlie English follows in the footsteps of the Romantic poets across the Alps, learns how to build igloos with the Inuit on Baffin Island, examines snow–patches in the Cairngorms to detect signs of global warming, and tests his mettle on some of the most perilous peaks on Earth. Along the way, he meets up with a flurry of fellow enthusiasts, from avalanche survivors and resort operators to climate scientists and champion skiers. English is obsessed with snow, and has collected for our enjoyment an amazing array of not–so–random facts about the hexagonal substance that fills the human imagination with wonder. In this "snow handbook," he describes how snow is created, how to build an igloo, how avalanches occur, and (more importantly) how to survive an avalanche. His glossary is filled with snow terms that will delight, such as "coulior," "hoarfrost," "firn," and "sastrugi." Fresh and fun and infused with the adrenaline of adventure, The Snow Tourist is a fascinating account of one man's pilgrimage through the world's blanketed fields, ice–capped rooftops, cozy igloos, and snow–covered mountain peaks.

Snow has had an astonishing influence on the shape of the land and human history. Ruth Kirk writes perceptively of how animals and people survive in the snow; of glaciers, continental ice sheets, blizzards, and avalanches; and of the awesome hazards of Arctic and Antarctic exploration. She discusses both our battles against snow and our uses of it, showing its importance to agriculture, climate, and the future. Through scientific reports and interviews with experts in various fields--from Antarctic explorers to atmospheric physicists--Kirk surveys the scope of snow's influence.

In the 87 issues of Snow Country published between 1988 and 1999, the reader can find the defining coverage of mountain resorts, ski technique and equipment, racing, cross-country touring, and the growing sport of snowboarding during a period of radical change. The award-winning magazine of mountain sports and living tracks the environmental impact of ski area development, and people moving to the mountains to work and live.

Children learn about fractions with the Denver Zoo's baby polar bears, Klondike and Snow.