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Kim Heacox

キム・ヒーコックス

Kimu Hīkokkusu

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1951-06-26 （Lewiston, Idaho, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Gustavus, Alaska, United States → Spokane, Washington, United States → Lewiston, Idaho, United States

Career

Occupations
author, photographer, musician, environmental activist, park ranger (former)
Active Years
1979-
Influenced By
John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Robert Marshall (Bob Marshall), Rachel Carson, Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas

Awards

National Outdoor Book Award
2020
Work: The Only Kayak
Organization: National Outdoor Book Awards
Result: winner
National Outdoor Book Award
2015
Work: Jimmy Bluefeather
Organization: National Outdoor Book Awards
Result: winner
Banff Mountain Book Award
2016
Work: Jimmy Bluefeather
Organization: Banff Centre / Banff Mountain Book Competition
Result: finalist
Prix Expression
2016
Work: Jimmy Bluefeather
Organization: French literary prize (Prix Expression)
Result: winner
Daniel Housberg Wilderness Image Award
2000
Organization: Alaska Conservation Foundation
Result: winner
IBPA Benjamin Franklin Book Award (Science/Nature)
1992
Work: In Denali
Organization: Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Result: winner
Lowell Thomas Award
1987
Work: Article on Mount St. Helens (National Geographic Traveler)
Organization: Lowell Thomas Award (travel journalism)
Result: winner
Lowell Thomas Award
1990
Work: Feature on Alaska’s ABC Islands (Islands magazine)
Organization: Lowell Thomas Award (travel journalism)
Result: winner
PEN USA Western Book Award (finalist)
2005
Work: The Only Kayak
Organization: PEN USA
Result: finalist

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

On Heaven’s Hill

2023 literary novel

A recent literary novel exploring human relationships with the natural world, loss, and renewal; praised by some critics as timely and necessary.

naturerenewalenvironmental ethics

The Only Kayak

2005 memoir

A memoir recounting Heacox's first summer in Alaska and the formative experiences that shaped his life and outlook, emphasizing communion with nature and personal transformation.

memoirwilderness experiencepersonal growth

Jimmy Bluefeather

2015 novel

A novel incorporating elements of Tlingit canoe culture and Indigenous themes; deals with identity, cultural heritage, and conservation.

Indigenous cultureidentityconservation

John Muir and the Ice That Started a Fire

2014 biography / natural history

A biographical work exploring John Muir's life and how northern glaciers and nature influenced his thinking.

biographyenvironmental thoughtnatural history

Visions of a Wild America

1996 essays / nature writing

Examines writings of American nature thinkers such as John Muir and the landscapes that inspired them.

nature thinkingconservationlandscape

In Denali

1992 nature photography / non-fiction

A photographic and written portrait of Denali National Park's landscapes and wildlife, reflecting Heacox's work as a photographer.

nature photographynational parkswildlife

Bibliography

  • On Heaven’s Hill (2023)
  • The National Parks: An Illustrated History (2015)
  • Jimmy Bluefeather (2015)
  • Rhythm of the Wild (2015)
  • John Muir and the Ice That Started a Fire (2014)
  • The Only Kayak (2005; 2020 edition)
  • Caribou Crossing (2001)
  • An American Idea: The Making of the National Parks (2001)
  • Shackleton: The Antarctic Challenge (1999)
  • The Denali road guide (1999)
  • Antarctica: The Last Continent (1998)
  • Alaska Light (1998)
  • Alaska’s Inside Passage (1997)
  • Visions of a Wild America (1996)
  • In Denali (1992)
  • Iditarod Spirit (1991)
  • Alaska’s National Parks (1990)
  • Bush Pilots of Alaska (1989)
  • California state parks (1987)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
detailed nature description grounded in field observationessayistic and persuasive polemical voicea narrative range spanning nonfiction and fiction
Recurring Motifs
wilderness and its preservationclimate change and biodiversity losshuman–nature interactionsIndigenous cultures and traditions

Legacy

Kim Heacox has influenced discourse on conservation and public lands through nature writing, photography, and environmental commentary. His memoirs, novels, and biographies have highlighted the value of Alaska and national parks, and he has been recognized in journalism and photography.

Archives

  • Personal archives (official website and related materials)

Quotes

  • Political systems must become long‑sighted.
    Source: The Guardian (op-ed: "Why we need a department of the future") (2021)

Trivia

  • First arrived in Alaska in 1979 as a park ranger at Glacier Bay.
  • Worked professionally as a nature photographer from 1984 to 2013; images appeared in National Geographic and Smithsonian.
  • Appeared in Ken Burns's 2009 film 'The National Parks.'