R.M. Patterson: A Life of Great Adventure [Hardcover]

"I think that will be a great adventure" said R.M. Patterson's mentor at the Bank of England when informed of the young man's decision to leave for Canada in 1924. He could not have known all the adventures that awaited Patterson in the Canadian wilds. This biography goes with Patterson to the Peace River country of northern Alberta where he homesteaded and on to the Northwest Territories, where he lived out his dream-questing after the fabled Nahanni gold on the River of Death. There, his escapades earned him the title "Hard to Kill" and provided the basis for Patterson's bestseller The Dangerous River.

Patterson then married sweetheart Marigold Portman in 1929 and took up cattle and dude ranching on the Buffalo Head Ranch in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Not content to just settle down and raise a family, he also used the ranch as a base for his adventures and spent the next 16 years exploring the high country of the Continental Divide with such colourful characters as George Pocaterra and Adolf Baumgart.

In the late 1940s the Patterson family moved to Vancouver Island, where RMP continued his exploration of remote northern rivers in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. And he returned to his beloved Nahanni three more times. By the time of his death in 1984, Patterson had become a Canadian legend, both for his exploits and for his five published books and numerous articles. His vivid portrayal of the Canadian wilderness has never been bettered. Through Patterson's diaries and letters and through personal communication with Patterson's family and friends, David Finch has created a fascinating portrait of a man who lived life to the fullest.

Like many others of his time in the 1920s, Patterson took some time off between his education and his career to seek adventure.

Unlike the others, Patterson turned his quest for an exciting life into a habit. Instead of returning to England after homesteading in northwestern Alberta, he stayed on. Sheep and cattle ranching, guiding dudes into the mountains, questing for minerals with the old-timers and natives, Patterson turned many parts of his business life into opportunities to see the world.

Patterson knew none of the skills necessary for a life in the wilds. But, being a quick study, having a photographic memory, and always willing to work hard, he acquired experiences that added to his enjoyment of the Canadian west.

Patterson was always willing to play the fool in some tale. And, as a superb mimic, he was often the life of the party.

Patterson's wildest adventures occurred while travelling alone. Taking advantage of whatever opportunities arose in the backcountry, he explored remote mountain passes, climbed mountains, canoed river canyons and rode on horseback through little known country.

Five books and numerous articles distinguish Patterson from others of his generation. His unique ability to see the story in every situation, combined with a practiced writing style provided the basis upon which to build a writing career.

Not until his mid-50s did Patterson begin writing for publications, though, and even then only as the result of years of pleading by friends. Finally, he submitted articles about his adventures to Blackwoods Magazine of Scotland and the Hudson's Bay Company's periodical, The Beaver. Publishers then fought to be the first to release his story about South Nahanni River, a book called The Dangerous River. Four more volumes followed, each full of tales about the Canadian west.

Patterson died in 1984 at age 86, still dreaming of more adventures he would like to pursue and telling stories until his last days.

Why did you write Patterson's story?

Patterson's story attracted my attention for several reasons. First, he actually did things, and then wrote about them. "Write what you know about" is the advice often given to authors, but too many people write because they want to see themselves published, not because they know the material and want to tell the story from their experience. There is no substitute for first-hand experience.

A great set of records also made this story appealing. Patterson's detailed diaries of his trips on the South Nahanni, the Peace River, the Stikine and other rivers all make for interesting reading. He wrote in great detail, in little books, in a careful printing that was small but very readable. Weather, animals, accidents, opinions, worries, amusing thoughts. And the thousands of photographs in the Patterson family albums are of outstanding quality too. The friends he made along the way were also a valuable resource and their letters to him as well as interviews I conducted added to the depths of information available to help tell this story.

Another reason to write this biography was the fact that no one else had written it. While doing my research I ran into several people who wanted to write it, but actually sitting down and writing is not all that romantic. It took years to complete the research, the better part of one year to write the first draft, several more years to hone the material, find a publisher, edit the work down to a size that would fit between covers.

I wrote about Patterson because I have always struggled with the balancing act that challenges most people: making a living and pursuing adventure. Patterson did it his way and though I liked many of his pursuits, I also had to make my own way in life. Writing about the story of the development of the Canadian west became my career and outdoor pursuits fed my desire for a passionate existence. Canoes, for example, intrigued me as they did Patterson.

Finally, I wrote this biography because I was looking to write a big story, a narrative, the tale of a life of a man--warts and all. Not a hero story. Writing the life of another allows the author to examine his own life too.

Describe the process of researching and writing this biography.

Writing is not all that exciting, really. One must create a structure for the story, find the material to make it interesting, fill in the gaps and then begin writing. And there were many days when the writing was more of a chore than a thrill.

But day after week after month after year the work of researching, writing, editing and getting this biography published continued. A project that takes more than a decade has a life of its own.

Describe Patterson's impact on Canadian culture in terms of both literature and environment.

Patterson's story is also about the effect one man can have on a culture and the environment. His books captured a time, from the 1920s to the 1960s, and showed the Canadian west as it went from the days of exploration and early settlement to the period of paved roads and motorized transportation. He put into words the experiences of trappers, prospectors, ranchers and hunters, just as their lives were changing.

He also helped protect the environment from the ravages of unthinking progress. Patterson and his friend George Pocaterra both despised needless industrial development and championed the wild places of the west. Thanks, in part, to Patterson's writings, the South Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories, Kananaskis Country in Alberta and Elk Lakes Provincial Park in British Columbia were created to protect a bit of the west from the bulldozer, the plough and pavement.