THE DAILY BEAT: Desolation Peak

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Desolation Peak

According to this website, below is a picture of the "mountain shack" (that's what Jack called it) Kerouac lived and worked in as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak in the North Cascades in 1956. He writes about that experience in Desolation Angels and The Dharma Bums.

This website has a bunch of cool pictures of the shack and the surrounding beauty, accompanied by text from Jack's novels. The latter site says the shack is 14' by 14', was built in 1933, and is still used by the forest service.

Sign me up for a month this summer! I'm taking June. Crystal wants July.

Yair!

2 comments:

Michael Gunin said...: A terrific sight! Honestly, it reminds me of many old "houses where nobody lives" here, in Russia, found easily even around lanes close to central streets. I don't even mention villages, it can be seen in large cities as well. So, this might be an alternative worth considering!; January 31, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Matt said...: Wow! What a find, what a spot - awesome to imagine writing in such an isolated space. Thanks for posting, Rick.; February 2, 2009 at 12:38 PM

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Reviews of The Beat Handbook

Gerald Nicosia, author of the acclaimed Kerouac biography Memory Babe, said The Beat Handbook is "full of Jack's heart."

Jared Randall, author of the excellent book of poetry, Apocryphal Road Code, said this about The Beat Handbook: "Sometimes a book comes along at just the right time. In my wandering pack of experiences, I find they often do. Enter The Beat Handbook by Rick Dale."

Kenneth Morris, Kerouacian extraordinaire, said this:
"I just finished reading Rick Dale's beautiful utterance and call to action of Kerouac mind-set and zen sensibilities. It made me laugh and reflect on my own life and road I have naturally grooved into after absorbing the Kerouac canon. The road less traveled always had my name on it. And that has made all the difference. The Beat Handbook 100 Days of Kerouactions reaffirms the attitudes and ideology that made the Beats and Kerouac the important men of ideas that America (and the world) thirsted for, needed, and swallowed whole. Beautiful, absorbing, Top Ten whipsmart from my articulate, tender-hearted friend and fellow traveler. Highly recommended."