Martin Litton | 1917 - 2014

Wilderness advocate Martin Litton, center, a legendary Colorado River guide, navigates the river’s 60 Mile Rapid with Lew Steiger, left, and Michael Powers in 1997. Litton died Nov. 30, 2014, at the age of 97. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

Dec. 1, 2014 4:18 PM PT

Martin Litton, a legendary Colorado River guide and fierce wilderness advocate involved in some of the 20th century’s biggest conservation battles, has died.

Martin Litton flies his Cessna over the Giant Sequoia National Monument in California in 2006. The conservationist fought against logging among the monument’s sequoia groves. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Martin Litton, center, in 1997 guides his dory through the Unkar Rapid in Grand Canyon National Park with Lew Steiger in the stern and Barton Shaler in the bow. Litton was 80 years old at the time. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

Martin Litton, shown in 1997, founded Grand Canyon Dories and until the late 1980s ran commercial trips through the canyon in nimble wooden boats he and a friend had adapted from the Northwest river dory. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

Wilderness advocate Martin Litton navigates the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 1997. He played a pivotal role in keeping dams out of the canyon. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times)

Obituaries

Martin Litton | 1917 - 2014

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