Gila Prophecy

Gila Prophecy is a mainstream fiction based on the true story of a canoe trip gone bad. Set amidst the backdrop of southwest New Mexico on the Gila River, author Brent Botts brings his thirty-one years of experience as a ranger with the U.S. Forest Service and forty-five years of outdoor adventures in scouting together in a tale of suspense and intrigue.

Jason Beyer and his side-kick Carl Crawford are the leaders of an inner-city youth group who embark on a whitewater adventure into the Gila Wilderness. The novice paddlers are tested to the limit when the normally mild Gila River turns into a raging torrent that sweeps the group deep into the Gila Gorge and into the middle of a sinister plot led by a ruthless billionaire industrialist to uncover a national secret of hidden treasure, that if exposed could alter the world's economy. Chests of gold given to early explorers by an ancient people and lost on the Gila River provide the crucial link to the greedy billionaire's discovery of the riches. Only through the heroic actions of Jason and his group can the plot be foiled.

Brent Botts retired from the U.S. Forest Service after serving 32 years. He is currently a professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs where he teaches Map and Compass, Communication and Sustainability. Gila Prophecy is his first published novel that was inspired by a scouting adventure down the Gila River in SW New Mexico. Brent has been active in scouting for over 45 years and continues to serve the program as Venture Crew Advisor and Vice President of the Pikes Peak Council.