A vacation to the Inland Passage off the coast of British Columbia brings the Small family into a disaster when a kayaking accident forces the children to be left alone on an island while their father takes their mother for medical treatment. They seek shelter and find a hermit and his strange pet. That pet, a 'white' black bear becomes a tool to stop the unsanctioned clear-cutting of the majestic Douglas fir and redwoods that for some are considered a wonder of God.