Clinton McKinzie

Dear Friends and Readers,

Greetings from Colorado. It's cold here - 9° below zero a couple of days ago - and probably cold where you are, too. Oddly, it was actually colder here this past week than in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, where I'm headed in February. I'm generally opposed to global warming, but I suspect I'll welcome a little bit of it when I'm up there.

My friend Taylor and I are gearing up for a second try at crossing the high peaks of the Richardson Mountains. We're motivated - God knows we don't want to have to go north a third time - but it's hard not to feel a little cringe in the belly when thinking about tramping along for weeks of continual arctic night and likely temps of 40° below zero. I desperately need to exorcise the Mad Trapper and complete this nonfiction project that has haunted me for more than 25 years.

We learned a few lessons from the last attempt. We'll be hauling less weight in our sleds but more emergency booze. We'll eat more calories and fat, spiking everything we eat with olive oil and butter. And since learning that the local grizzlies are not true hibernators and occasionally poke their heads out of their winter dens to see if any take-out food might be in the vicinity, we'll be armed with bear spray and aviation flares. The aromatic bacon will be left behind. I look forward to telling you of our adventures. Hopefully there will be no more Sour Toe Cocktails (one amputated toe added to a shot of Yukon Jack).

In other book news, BADWATER was just purchased to be printed in Polish. Previously, various books have been printed or will be printed in Portuguese, French, Japanese and Chinese as well as by an Australian publisher. It's wonderful to know there are fans of the Burns brothers around the globe. I hope to return to their adventures very soon.

I wish you a wonderful and exciting new year. - Clinton

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