The Lost River

In the early 1970s, in a quest to run the last unexplored rivers of Africa, two young men drowned: one a client on his first river expedition; the other, author Richard Bangs's rafting partner and best friend, Lew Greenwald. Bangs and Greenwald, who had pioneered several wild rivers in Africa, shared a goal to raft Ethiopia's unrun Tekeze, but Greenwald's death and political turmoil made the dream impossible.


Twenty-three years later, Bangs returned with survivors of the earlier expeditions to complete what was left undone - to run the Tekeze. The Lost River is the story of Bangs's mission to fulfill a promise, to close a circle, and to face the ghosts of tragedy. It is also a deeply personal story as Bangs recounts his beginnings on wild rivers, the relationships forged in pursuit of adventure, and the primal joys that come from exploring uncharted territory.