Lost in the park: Encinitas author tells intriguing tale of missing ranger

By: PHIL DIEHL - Staff Writer | Saturday, April 8, 2006 5:40 PM PDT ∞

Encinitas author and North County native Eric Blehm has written a riveting mystery about a veteran national park ranger who walked away from his backcountry cabin on a routine patrol one day and never returned.

"The Last Season" is the true story of Randy Morgenson, 54, whose disappearance on July 21, 1996, launched one of the most extensive searches ever mounted. The fruitless effort left people wondering what happened ---- whether he had left the country, been buried by a rock slide, or even taken his own life.

Morgenson grew up with his family in California's awesomely beautiful Yosemite National Park and worked as a seasonal ranger for nearly 30 years in Yosemite and nearby Kings Canyon National Park.

Fellow rangers and park patrons revered Morgenson for his love of the outdoors, his wilderness ethics and his detailed knowledge of high country flora and fauna, although he lived a complicated life and had mounting problems when he vanished.

Blehm, 37, grew up in Valley Center and Escondido, and has long been an outdoor enthusiast and freelance writer. He studied journalism and outdoor recreation at San Diego State University, where he graduated with honors. Before devoting full time to writing, he worked five years as editor of Transworld Snowboarding magazine in Oceanside.

He lives with his wife and young son just blocks from the beach in the Encinitas community of Cardiff, where he loves to surf. He said he's working on two more nonfiction books.

"The Last Season" (HarperCollins, $24.95) has been compared to "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer and "The Perfect Storm" by Sebastian Junger, both hugely popular outdoor nonfiction stories. Krakauer also wrote "Into Thin Air," a best-seller about an ill-fated expedition to the top of Mount Everest.

Blehm, though, said his book is different. "I wouldn't say I compare myself to anybody. Those guys are in a whole other league. Krakauer was more into investigative journalism."

Blehm's book has been called part mystery, part nature writing and part biography.

"It's not only an intriguing disappearance. He had an amazing life," Blehm said of Morgenson. "It's kind of a lesson."

"Season" unfolds the mystery a page at a time. Blehm waded through mountains of diaries, journals and park records, extensively interviewed Morgenson's friends and relatives, and made repeated, strenuous, multiday trips to the high country trails, lakes and peaks frequented by the ranger.

"I stumbled upon a treasure chest," Blehm said. "Imagine that Thoreau, in the middle of writing 'Walden Pond,' just disappeared. Then somebody stumbled upon the notes."

Morgenson aspired to be a writer himself. He received advice from author Wallace Stegner, took photography lessons from Ansel Adams, and was acquainted with many environmentalists and artists who visited Yosemite Valley as he grew up there. His parents worked in the park administration and often hosted important and interesting guests at their home.

As a ranger, Morgenson eagerly shared his knowledge with park visitors. He recorded his observations in detailed journals and was widely sought as a public speaker.

Blehm narrowly missed his one chance to meet Morgenson. A friend had recommended that Blehm stop at the ranger's wilderness cabin during a 1992 solo hike of the John Muir Trail, but when Blehm arrived, he found a note saying Morgenson was on patrol and would return soon. Though he was aware of Morgenson's reputation as a backcountry sage, the young hiker had a schedule to keep, so he continued down the trail.

Upon learning of Morgenson's disappearance, Blehm initially thought it would make a good story for a magazine. He'd written books about snowboarding and skateboarding, and contributed articles to national magazines. But the deeper he investigated the missing-person story, he said, the richer it got.

"There were a few elements I knew I had to get before I had a book," he said. "The most interesting aspect of it was talking to all the people ... and putting it together in a way that made sense. It allows the reader to make an educated guess" about what happened to Morgenson.

Blehm said he learned a lot from his work on the book, adding that he's held onto two lessons in particular.

"Accountability," he said. "There is accountability for all our actions in this world. And walk slowly. Keep your eyes open and on what's around you."

Learn more at www.ericblehm.com and www.thelastseason.com.

Contact staff writer Phil Diehl at (760) 943-2314 or pdiehl@nctimes.com.

Related links:


Web links: www.ericblehm.com; www.thelastseason.com

Author signing and discussion


Who: Eric Blehm

What: "The Last Season"

When: 7 to 9 p.m. Monday

Where: The Book Works, Flower Hill Promenade, 2670 Via de la Valle, Suite A230, Del Mar