Kerouac’s Cascadia with Jim Jones
Looking for summertime adventures near Seattle? Buckle up and grab your rucksack as we explore the Pacific Northwest through the eyes of seminal American poet and novelist Jack Kerouac.
Our guest, Kerouac scholar Jim Jones, describes Kerouac’s sojourn to Seattle in the summer of 1956. There, he worked as a fire lookout at Desolation Peak atop the North Cascade Mountains. Along the way, Jones recounts personal encounters and friendships with other Beat Generation luminaries, including Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Gregory Corso.
Adding a touch of practical insight, firefighter, EMT and seasoned fire lookout Jim Henterly complements Jones' literary perspective. Together, they reveal Kerouac’s Cascadian adventure while exploring the feelings of anticipation, vulnerability, and disappointment that often accompany travel to unknown lands.
Host: Edward Krigsman
Guests: Jim Jones and Jim Henterly
Sound Engineering: Daniel Gunther
Recording Studio: Jack Straw Cultural Center, Seattle
Photography: Travis Lawton
Administration: Mary Mansour
Series music: Theme by Tomo Nakayama as performed Grand Hallway; additional music by Andrew Weathers and Fox Hunt
Episode music: Kevn Kinney
We record on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples. Our gratitude to Steven Schroeder. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Sharon Lynn Oswalt and Wen Chu-an.
“When people tell you about a place, you form an impression in your imagination. And when you get there, it’s either going to coincide or clash with your imagination of it.”
