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It begins with a bullet, a .22 caliber long rifle to the head, and the "Grim Reaper scything a trail" toward his grave. Ose survives, but this injury changes him emotionally, physically, and financially. Five years later, he takes up an opportunity to stake claim to a "piece of heaven in the center of Alaska." With his youngest son, Daniel, Ose sets out to explore a land that beckons him with adventure. The hidden dangers of this wilderness that is like "another world" is not lost on Ose. He's been there before, since childhood. At forty-three, he is prepared and secure with survival skills from his army training. But their trek, secluded from the civilized world, is uncertain and not without peril. So for eighteen days, in July 1985, the father-son team camps and hikes, traversing a rugged landscape with inherent risks at every turn.
This accessible memoir shares the step-by-step, month-long journey of a father bonding with his son as they confront unforgivable wilds that few ever experience. In a kind of spiritual awakening, Ose listens and probes the majestic terrain that challenges and energizes him. With photographs accompanying the narrative, he invites us to witness the wonders and mysteries of this expedition through The Last Frontier. Yet, while Ose depicts these memorable moments, places, and people they encounter, he also consistently reminds us that such a journey requires great preparation and caution. It is detailed and educational for both Daniel and the reader (one will not forget the meaning of "blaze the trees"). And Ose hints at stories left for other books, implying there is more to come. For now, this memoir offers good reading to those who share a kindred spirit with Ose's call to adventure and desire to embrace the wonders of this astonishing earth.