Into the Thaw alternates between adventure and wilderness memoir, side-noted with scholarly research into climate change and natural history. Waterman recounts encounters with bears, enduring weeks alone amidst swarms of mosquitoes, and witnessing phenomena like the Greening of the Arctic, teardrop-shaped landslides (thermokarsts) caused by thawing permafrost, and an increasing loss of sea ice as he travels along the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The book features 78 stunning color photographs and a half dozen detailed maps. Complimentary Reader's and Teacher's Guides, as well as an interactive story map, will be available at Patagonia.com.

With humor and humility, Waterman not only shows how climate change has impacted the land, sea, and animals, but also the kindhearted, welcoming Inuit people. Most affected by a crisis that has heated up the Arctic several times faster than the rest of the world, the ever-resilient villagers share how their age-old culture has attempted to cope with "the thaw." Waterman paints an intimate portrait of the North—with its treasured parklands—because "it's high time that we truly understand the Arctic," he writes, "lest we forget what it once was."

Despite the unfolding climate crisis, Into the Thaw is a book about wonder—and through one man's life-changing experiences in the wilderness—the narrative ends with a message of hope, urging actionable steps to mitigate further thawing and preserve the Arctic's extraordinary biodiversity and cultural heritage.

Jon Waterman has also worked as a director of a small press, an editor, a naturalist, and a wilderness guide. Among his many publications, Jon's work has often appeared in The New York Times, Outside, Men's Journal, Adventure, Climbing, and Sailing World. His 17 books include In the Shadow of Denali, Kayaking the Vermilion Sea, and Running Dry; he is a frequent grantee of the National Geographic Society. By taking risks and tackling difficult issues, his work transcends traditional outdoor yarns and has garnered numerous awards, including a Literary Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts, three Best Adventure Book Awards from the Banff Book Festival, a National Park Service Special Achievement Award, and the Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award. He lives in Carbondale, Colorado.You can find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.waterman.96 or on Instagram at @waterman_jonathan.

North Cascades Institute envisions healthy Northwest ecosystems where all communities and species thrive. Our mission is to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. Since 1986, we have helped connect people, nature and community through the hands-on study of the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest.

Since 2006, Christian Martin has served as the lead writer and editor for Institute print and online media, the contact for media inquiries and organizer of many of the Institute's community events. In the past, he has been the features editor for the Bellingham Weekly, an English instructor at Whatcom Community College, backcountry host on the Snake River in Jackson Hole and a field educator in Alaska. Christian's freelance writing work can be found in publications throughout the Pacific Northwest and he is a contributing author to The North Cascades: Finding Beauty and Renewal in the Wild Nearby. He loves to take road trips, make soup, hike, read, observe birds, paddle the Salish Sea, practice yoga, serve traditional oolong tea and explore the lands and history of the Vikings.