About the Author

---

MARK S. CORNWALL lives in Summerland, California. After graduating from UCSB in philosophy, he went to Alaska to work in the woods as a logger. He married, had a child, went to law school, divorced, then climbed six of the Seven Summits, the last one being Kilimanjaro, which he climbed with D’Arcy in the year 2000.

Alaska was always on his mind. He even boxed in the amateur Alaska Golden Gloves Tournament to win the heavy-weight championship in Spring of 1977. He lost. But when he came back to Alaska in 1988 to climb Denali, he won. That exemplifies the thorny love affair he’s had with Alaska – prickly, then sweet.

Mark loves Alaska. Still owns a lot on Island Lake, and it was his idea to take the Alcan Highway last summer. He’s an adventurer – trying to live the literary life.