This is the story of a man who believed the best way to preserve the Grand Canyon was to have them experience this secret world from the river. Martin Litton pioneered whitewater dories, traditional hard-hulled fast water rowboats, on the Colorado River in the 1960’s and fought against the construction of two dams that would have permanently changed the landscape. Preeminent conservationist David Brower called him his conscience:
“In the 1950’s when the Bureau of Reclamation proposed two dams in the Grand Canyon—one at Marble Canyon and the other at Bridge Canyon—the late Martin Litton made sure the Sierra Club didn’t acquiesce. Martin believed the best way for people to understand how important it was to preserve the Grand Canyon was to have them experience this secret world from the river, but not in just any boat.
Martin pioneered whitewater dories on the Colorado River in the 1960’s and started a proud tradition of naming the boats after wild places that had been lost or compromised by the hand of man. Now, some 50 years later, America’s open-air cathedral faces continued threats from development and mining and it’s up to all of us to ensure the crown jewel of our National Park system is protected now and for future generations.”
Martin’s Boat – Dory Construction Time-Lapse
Directed by PETE McBRIDE | Cinematography by PETE McBRIDE | Second Camera BLAKE McCORD | Edited by JIM AIKMAN | Assistant Producer MICHELLE SMITH | Boat Construction Footage BLAKE McCORD | Martin Litton Interview Footage LEW STEIGER | Additional Editing SCOTT McELROY | Motion Graphics MATT SCHULTZ | Audio Mix JASON McDANIEL | Boat Construction DUFFY DALE, SEAN BOTHMAN, BLAKE McCORD | Historic Footage/ STILLS JOHN BLAUSTEIN, RUDI PETSCHEK, MARTIN LITTON, The LITTON FAMILY, DON BRIGGS, U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION | Additional Footage AERIAL FILMWORKS, JUSTIN CLIFTON, JEFFE ARONSON, MONTE TILLINGHAST, SKIP ARMSTRONG | OARS River Guides ANDRE POTOCHNIK, DUFFY DALE, MARK “MOQUI” JOHNSON, RIO HIBARGER | Film Boat JEAN PHILIPPE CLARK, BLAKE McCORD | Baggage Crew BEN SEUL, MARIAH HIBARGER , HAYDEN BRIAN | Music ABEL OKUGAWA, JOSH GARRELS, CONTINENT DRIFT, GOLDEN YOUTH, SUNBEAM, EULOGY, TAYLOR BUONO, IAN McCLOUD | Special Thanks ESTHER LITTON, DONALD LITTON, KEVIN FEDARKO, BRAD DIMOCK, JOHN BLAUSTEIN, GEORGE WENDT, TYLER WENDT, STEVE MARKLE, REGAN & OTE DALE, KERSTIN DALE, MONTE TILLINGHAST, DENICE NAPOLETANO, JOY PARADES, LEW STEIGER, JOE DE FRANCESCO, MARK DUBOIS, GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
