A brave son of Ireland embarks on the adventure of a lifetime in this tale of the men and women mad enough to take on one of the wildest rivers in the West
In the nineteenth century, those who followed the treacherous, sidewinding course of the Snake River were carried to some of the most beautiful country on earth: the untouched Pacific Northwest. Flare O'Flaherty—son of Ireland, mountain trapper, and gambler—sets out on this incredible journey when he agrees to lead a group of missionaries downriver to the remote headquarters of the mighty Hudson's Bay Company.

Along the way, he faces the greatest challenge of a wandering man's lifetime in the form of Margaret Jewel, an extraordinary woman who teaches Indian children. He also meets a young Shoshone, Sima, in search of the white father he never knew. Together they find their destiny along the mighty river that bears the shape of a serpent and holds the promise of home.