Indian Creek Chronicles Important Characters

Pete - the main character of the book. Was a swimmer in high school and received a scholarship to swim in college at the University of Montana. He is in college, but has left school to live in the wild tending a river that is part of a salmon migratory route.  He does not enjoy loneliness and often becomes depressed due to a lack of company.

Radar - one of Pete's best friends and his room mate. He got Pete interested in the "mountain man" life. Radar would marry Lorrie, an ex-girlfriend of Pete's.

Sponz - a friend of Radar's who also becomes friends with Pete.

Boone - Pete's dog. Half husky half shepherd. Pete eventually gives the dog away, despite caring and loving for it very much.

Old Ironsides - a strict warden who makes sure everyone follows all the rules in the book while staying in the park.

Brian, Cary, and Phil - all part of a mountain lion hunting trip. Phil is a rookie, while Cary and Brian are experienced. They spend quite a bit of time with Pete, who goes along with them on their hunting trip.

Chapter 6 Summary

 Soon, the hunters will begin leaving the area. Pete injures himself as he is carrying wood. After this, he is finished with carrying wood and decides to begin splitting it with an ax for the upcoming winter. Pete also begins to practice with his rifle to stave off the boredom and lonilliness that is beginning to sink again. He shoots at pine cones and small targets in nature. He also hunts and kills a grouse, but is slightly saddened by the killing. Pete sets up a stove and begins to clean up his tent and the area around it. Thanksgiving is approaching and he begins to miss his family. He reads and makes traps to pass the time. On Thanksgiving day, he can't help to think of his family as he eats his grouse alone.

Chapter 5 Summary

It is elk-hunting season. Many hunters start coming by the area, but Pete chooses not to socialize with them. Pete goes to nearby Missoula twice while he is out in the wilderness, as he can still drive out before the road closes. Each time, he feels more scared when he returns. Pete eats dinner with a few farmers from Idaho who are hunting in the area.

Pete's ranger boss gives him some thermometers and instructs him to take the temperature each morning and each night. Later on, some hunters have a bit of a road accident. Pete is there on the scene to help and realizes that he is far more capable than quite a few of the hunters. No one is hurt in the accident, but everyone is quite shaken.

Chapter 4 Summary

As the rangers and wardens leave, Pete finds himself in a state of extreme loneliness and does not unpack his supplies, choosing instead to sleep next to them. The next morning, however, he is filled with motivation. He cooks himself a breakfast and observes his surroundings. His only job is to clear the ice that may form later in the year on the top of the river where the salmon are passing through. He estimates that this cannot take more than 15 minutes a day. Pete proceeds to find trees for firewood. He uses the tree the wardens cut down for him, cuts down his own tree, and finds an already felled tree. He strips them of their branches and rolls them downhill. At first, he is satisfied with his work, but one of the logs rolling downhill damage the truck the rangers left. Pete is very angry with himself for this, but has collected enough wood for the winter.

Chapter 3 Summary

 Back to the present, Pete finds himself in the middle of nowhere as the warden shows him Indian Creek. He is warned to be discreet about hunting, as the warden sees his rifle. The warden warns him of "Old Ironsides", a very strict park warden. The wardens are soon very disappointed by Pete's apparent lack of wilderness and survival skills. Pete demonstrates a lack of understanding of how knots, ropes, and chainsaws work. The wardens instruct him to collect as much wood as possible before the snow begins to fall in winter. They advise him to collect seven cords of wood.

Chapter 2 Summary

 Pete's parents are very worried by his decision to go into the wilderness. Pete tries to secure his scholarship by signing up for a part time Journal Writing class. However, he is not a full-time student and loses his scholarship for the university due to his prolonged absence. Pete and Radar shop for the food and supplies that Pete will need in the wilderness over seven months. Pete brings two guns with him, a .22 caliber rifle and a large muzzleloader. Pete also brings many books with him.


Rader brings Pete along on a hunting trip. Pete kills a squirrel. Later, Pete sees Radar with a girl named Lorrie. They have a small dog which Radar gives to Pete. The dog is named Boone. Boone is half-husky and half-shepherd.  Pete is confused as to why Lorrie likes Radar. Pete dated Lorrie in their first year of college.

Chapter 1 Summary

   The main character, Pete, arrives in the wilderness. As he examines his surroundings, he is shocked by the extreme nature around him and cannot believe this will be his home for months. His home and shelter will be a small canvas tent. Pete sits down in his tent with his dog, Boone, a small puppy.

Pete then reminisces and thinks back to how he arrived in the tent. Four years ago, his twin brother broke his leg. Pete was selected as his replacement and underwent intense athletic training on the swim team. Pete gains an interest for wildlife biology and applies to the University of Montana. He is accepted and joins their swim team, where he receives a scholarship.


  Pete befriends Radar in his second year at the university. Radar is his room mate. Radar sparks his interest in becoming a "mountain man". Together with his friend Sponz, Radar and Pete go out with others for a wilderness trip. A girl from New Jersey further sparks Pete's interest in adventure. Pete's thirst for adventure is also fueled by a desire to have stories to tell when he is an older man one day.

On a spur of the moment, Pete calls up a ranger and accepts a position maintaining a small creek where 2.5 salmon eggs be. Pete immediately accepts without further thinking.


Important people:

Pete - the main character. Swimmer in high school and college. Has a scholarship at the university.

Rader - Pete's roommate and friend

Sponz - Radar's friend