Yellowstone National Park’s first grizzly bear sighting of 2026

On March 9, Yellowstone biologists working in the northern part of the park reported seeing the first grizzly bear of the spring season. The bear was observed in the backcountry scavenging on a bull bison carcass.

The first reported grizzly bear sighting of 2025 occurred on March 14. In 2024, it occurred on March 3, and in 2022 and 2023, March 7.

When bears emerge from hibernation, they look for food and often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter. Bears may react aggressively to encounters with people when feeding on carcasses. Male grizzlies come out of hibernation in early March. Females with cubs emerge in April and early May.

All of Yellowstone is grizzly and black bear country: from the deepest backcountry to the boardwalks and parking lots around Old Faithful.

Bear spray has proven effective in deterring bears defending cubs and food sources. It can also reduce the number of bears killed by people in self-defense. While firearms are allowed in the park, the discharge of a firearm by visitors is a violation of park regulations.





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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• My new, improved and expanded edition on the history of hiking is now available on Amazon

Margaret Stevenson – The GOAT

The following an adaptation from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

In 1960, Margaret Stevenson took up hiking to relieve severe back pain. Sixteen years later, at the age of 64, she became the first woman to hike every trail in the Great Smoky Mountains. Shortly after her death in 2006, the Tennessee House issued a joint resolution honoring Ms. Stevenson. It read, in part:

WHEREAS, Mrs. Stevenson will be fondly remembered as the first woman to hike all 900 miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains, logging 3,000 miles a year for 40 years, more mileage than she put on her car;

In 1997, at the age of 84, she registered her 718th ascent of Mt. LeConte, the third highest peak in the Smokies. This would be her final trip to the top of the 6593-foot mountain. Sitting just below the summit of this legendary mountain is the LeConte Lodge, which can only be accessed by one of five backcountry trails. After her death, Stevenson’s bronzed hiking boots were put on permanent display in the dining room of the lodge. The authors of LeConte Lodge: A Centennial History of a Smoky Mountain Landmark, named Stevenson as one of the “Greatest Of All Times (GOATs) of LeConte.”

You can read more about the pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

The First Female Mountaineers (part 2)

The following an adaptation from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Henriette d'Angeville and Anne Lister are considered to be the first true female mountaineers. Less than a month after Lister’s ascent of Mont Vignemale, discussed yesterday, Henriette d'Angeville would become the second female to stand atop Mont Blanc in France. This ascent was made with great fanfare, both before and after her return from the mountain. Despite the enthusiastic response from the people of Chamonix, Henriette was persuaded to draft a will after several friends and relatives warned her that her endeavor was dangerous, foolish and unladylike. Though she also suffered from a serious bout of altitude sickness while ascending the Grande-Côte, d'Angeville refused help from her guides. After struggling for four hours in a “state of agony,” as reported by Henry Gribble, d'Angeville stood atop Mont Blanc on September 4, 1838, and became the first woman to reach the ice-capped summit without assistance. Upon her return to the valley a cannon was fired, and a celebratory dinner and gala were held in her honor - with Marie Paradis in attendance. This feat inspired other European ladies to take to the mountains in the years and decades that would follow.

While Mont Blanc was d'Angeville’s first major alpine ascent, she continued to climb until the age of 69. The Oldenhorn, a rugged 10,246-foot peak in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, was her final excursion. Afterwards, d'Angeville famously quipped, “The Oldenhorn is my twenty first Alpine ascent, and will probably be one of the last; for it is wise at my age to drop the alpenstock before the alpenstock drops me.”

You can read more about the pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

The First Female Mountaineers (part 1)

The following an adaptation from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Anne Lister and Henriette d'Angeville are considered to be the first true female mountaineers. Born in Yorkshire, England in 1791, Lister is widely regarded as "the first modern lesbian." Much of what we know about her comes from her diaries, which she maintained throughout much of her life. It’s estimated that she wrote roughly five million words. Lister is also known for having a strong passion for travel, adventure and rambling. Her first recorded excursion was a trek to the top of 3560-foot Mount Snowdon in Wales in 1822. Her most famous accomplishment, however, was that of becoming the first “amateur” to ascend Mont Vignemale, the highest peak in the French Pyrenees. This ascent was made famous because it quite possibly resulted in the first legal course of action to stem from climbing a mountain.

During a visit to the Pyrenees in 1838, Anne decided that she wanted to become the first “amateur” to stand atop the 10,820-foot mountain. Around that time it was thought that Mont Vignemale was inaccessible from the French side of the border; however, a professional guide by the name of Henri Cazaux discovered a viable route during the previous summer. As a result, Lister hired him to become her guide. While impatiently waiting several days for foul weather to clear out of the region, Lister learned on August 6th that Prince de La Moscowa was planning to climb the mountain later that week, regardless of weather conditions. With assurances from Cazaux that conditions were about to improve, Lister decided to make her attempt on the following day. She, Cazaux, and two other guides reached the summit of Mont Vignemale on August 7th. One week later, however, Anne learned that Cazaux had informed the Prince that she was unsuccessful in her bid, and that he was actually the first amateur to ascend the mountain. Obviously infuriated by this revelation, Anne sought legal remedy to force Cazaux to admit that she was indeed the first amateur to climb the mountain. Lister argued that if she hadn’t reached the summit, then her guide had obviously failed; thus, she had the right to withhold payment for his services. A lawyer from Lourdes agreed with this, and drafted an affidavit attesting to the fact that she was the first “amateur” to reach the summit, which Cazaux sheepishly signed.

You can read more about the pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

The First Woman to Climb a Major Peak

On July 14, 1808, Marie Paradis, a hotel maid from Chamonix, often described as a peasant, became the first woman to climb a major peak after successfully ascending Mont Blanc in France. Ever since then, historians and mountaineers have looked down upon Paradis with contempt and scorn, claiming she only climbed the 15,774-foot mountain for money, or that she needed excessive assistance from her guides to reach the summit. But were these pundits correct in their assessments? The details of the controversy and why they developed, as well as the actual facts surrounding the event are detailed in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

A “Hiking Suit” for women

The following an adaptation from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

In Woodcraft for Women, written by Kathrene Pinkerton in 1916, the author admitted that there were only a few outdoor stores that catered to the needs of women at that time. However, there were a couple of outdoor mail-order retailers that female hikers would’ve had access to at that time, such as Sears or Abercrombie & Fitch. In that same year, the Abercrombie & Fitch catalog promoted a “Hiking Suit” for women, which included a Norfolk coat, bloomers, leggings and a duck hat. The outfit, in which “a woman need not fear tangled brush, fallen trees, or even an occasional mountain or two,” fetched a relatively steep price tag of $9.00 (in total), plus shipping.

The True Realities of Women’s Hiking Attire During The Victorian Era

The following is an excerpt from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

During the Victorian Era, women's hiking attire was an extremely complicated affair. The subject was frequently discussed and debated throughout the pages of Appalachia during the Appalachian Mountain Club’s first decade or so. The December 1887 issue of the journal ran a lengthy article by Mrs. L. D. Pychowska on the “walking-costume for ladies.” It provided head-to-toe advice on how women should dress for a hike. This included wearing grey flannel trousers beneath two skirts. The underskirt, which reached to just below the knee, was also to be made of grey flannel. The outer skirt, however, was to be made of winsey or Kentucky jean, both of which were considered to be strong enough to resist tearing while walking through briars and undergrowth. The outer skirt was also meant to be worn to ankle length. However, if the hiker was traversing along steep terrain, she could simply pull out a strong clasp pin and raise the skirt higher, “washwomen fashion,” until the difficult section was completed. “Basquines,” or corsets, were optional apparel according to the author. At the end of the detailed piece, the writer assured club members that her recommendations on female attire would be “sufficiently presentable to enter a hotel or a railroad car” after a long tramp “without attracting uncomfortable attention.”

The practicalities of wearing a “costume” such as this, however, weren’t considered or debated in Mrs. Pychowska’s article. Conversely, a passage in an article from the June 1877 issue of Appalachia put an exclamation point on the dangers women faced as a result of the clothing they were forced to wear while tramping. The author related the story of a guided hike on Mt. Washington during the prior year. While descending Tuckerman Ravine, one of the ladies in the group paused momentarily to stand atop a large rock above a 25-foot outcrop. Unbeknownst to the hiker, her tattered dress had become snagged on a sharp protrusion on the rock. When she attempted to jump to another large rock, the snag violently jolted her back and left her dangling upside down above the abyss. Fortunately, the mountain guide was nearby and was able to pull the woman to safety before falling.

Apparently, women’s dresses could be a nuisance to men as well. In a passage on how to pack and dress for an excursion in A Lady’s Tour Round Monte Rosa, published in 1859, Eliza Cole observed that “A lady's dress is inconvenient for mountain travelling, even under the most careful management, and therefore every device which may render it less so should be adopted.” She continued by offering a viable solution, while also highlighting an unusual hazard that resulted from women wearing dresses in the mountains:

Small rings should be sewn inside the seams of the dress, and a cord passed through them, the ends of which should be knotted together in such a way that the whole dress may be drawn up at a moment's notice to the requisite height. If the dress is too long, it catches the stones, especially when coming down hill, and sends them rolling on those below. I have heard more than one gentleman complain of painful blows suffered from such accidents.

In one particular instance, the burdensome attire that women were expected to wear may have been, at the very least, partially responsible for the death of one female hiker. On September 13, 1855, 22-year-old Lizzie Bourne of Kennebunk, Maine became the first woman to perish while climbing Mt. Washington, and quite possibly the first female to die while hiking in America. On that late summer day, Lizzie had planned to hike to the Tip Top House atop Mount Washington with her uncle George and her cousin Lucy. Though early morning rain forced the group to postpone their trek, the weather eventually cleared, and they set out after lunch by proceeding up the partially completed carriage road. As the party climbed higher, however, they encountered another round of foul weather while ascending the Glen House Bridle Path, which continued to worsen with each step forward. In a letter to the Boston Journal, which was intended to provide “a correct account of the whole affair,” George Bourne attested that “Elizabeth began to show signs of weariness, and needed assistance” as they continued towards the summit. With night rapidly falling upon the mountains, darkness and fog conspired to obscure the view of their destination. Extreme fatigue also crept into each of them. Not knowing exactly where they were or how far they were from their objective, the trio made the decision to lie down on the trail and wait out the night. Despite building a windbreak out of nearby rocks, George was convinced that each of them would perish as a result of the extreme cold and violent wind. Indeed, that night, around ten o'clock, Lizzie quietly passed away while lying on the icy trail. In his letter to the Boston Journal, Bourne stated that it was “evident that Elizabeth did not die from the cold alone, but from some organic affection of the heart or lungs, induced by fatigue and exposure.”

With the arrival of daylight the next morning, to their complete and utter horror, George and Lucy discovered they were within sight of the Tip Top House. Had they known they were that close, they could’ve easily made it to safety, and Lizzie likely would’ve survived. After her death, tourists and hikers began piling rocks on the spot where she succumbed. A stone monument now stands near the site to mark and commemorate her passing.

Did Lizzie’s attire contribute to her death? I think it’s very possible that it did. She wore a heavy skirt, petticoat, pantaloons and stockings. Nicholas Howe, author of Not Without Peril: 150 Years Of Misadventure On The Presidential Range Of New Hampshire, estimates that Lizzie may have worn as much as 45 yards of fabric! After the outfit was soaked in cold rain, there’s no doubt this would’ve weighed her down, resulting in more stress on her heart, and certainly would’ve accelerated the effects of fatigue, exposure and hypothermia.

While Mrs. Pychowska was espousing the benefits of wearing proper “costumes” that would comply with the mores of the Victorian Era, there was a long debate, at least among female members in the Appalachian Mountain Club, about what women should wear while hiking. During the May 9th meeting chronicled in the June 1877 edition of Appalachia, a Miss Whitman suggested that skirts be designed in a manner so that they “could be shortened to any necessary extent by rolling it up.” A Mrs. Nowell discussed the “disadvantage of ladies on mountain excursions on account of their long skirts, and recommended the use of gymnasium dresses or something similar, as an outside garment for such occasions.” In that same edition, Mrs. W.G. Nowell, one of the founding members of the club, and presumably the same Mrs. Nowell who spoke out during the May 9th meeting, contributed an article titled “A Mountain Suit for Women.” In this piece, Harriet (Mrs. W.G. Nowell) once again took issue with the garb women were expected to wear during this era. She also mentioned discussions she had with other women in the club about the impracticalities and dangers of women’s hiking attire. Apparently they had carefully deliberated over what their alternatives were and presented a possible solution: “The only thing we could think of was a good flannel bathing suit.” Mrs. Nowell continued by stating that they “could not see why it should be more improper to wear this” while hiking “than it would be along a crowded and fashionable beach.” She went on to make the point that women would be “relieved of the excessive weight of her ordinary dress,” thus allowing them to carry their own gear. She concluded her piece by declaring that “Our dress has done all the mischief. For years it has kept us away from the glory of the woods and the grandeur of the mountain heights. It is time we should reform.”

An article published on the Tramp & Trail Club of Utica’s website notes that by the 1920s women had solved the problem of impractical skirts by stuffing them in knapsacks once they had reached the trailhead, and then putting them back on before returning to town. Bold and daring women eschewed skirts altogether and simply wore knickers with long socks. Taking the Lead: Women and the White Mountains, an online exhibit on the Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University’s website, notes that skirts had virtually disappeared by the mid-1910s, and by the 1930s, women were basically wearing clothes that are similar to what female hikers wear today, including shorts and halter tops.

Ramble On: A History of Hiking chronicles the evolution of hiking gear and apparel, including many other stories about the attire both men and women wore during the early years of the sport. This new, improved and expanded edition on hiking history is now available on Amazon.


Other excerpts from Ramble On:

* How did hiking become so popular across the globe?

* The Historic Circle Tours of Glacier National Park

* The Evolution of Hiking Boots



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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

Izaak Walton Inn outside of Glacier National Park to close

Sadly, the historic Izaak Walton Inn on the southern border of Glacier National Park has already, or will be closing (there are conflicting reports as to the exact date). According to an article published on the Daily Inter Lake, the small village of Essex has been "‘blindsided’ by looming closure of historic Izaak Walton Inn." To read the full story, please click here.

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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• My new and improved edition on hiking history is now available on Amazon

The first female on record to walk for pleasure?

The following an excerpt from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

One of the first females on record to walk for pleasure and the enjoyment of nature was Elizabeth Carter. Born in 1717, Carter began roaming the coastal lands near her home in Deal, England, as a youth. She would continue this pursuit throughout her entire life, in an age when women didn’t walk alone. During her lifetime, it's believed she walked thousands of miles, mostly alone, but occasionally with her sister or a friend. Many of those walks and extended rambles were documented in correspondences she exchanged with friends. Carter gained national fame as a writer and poet, and would eventually become associated with a literary, educational and social movement known as the Bluestocking Circle.

The first mountains ascended by a female on record

The following an excerpt from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Though likely not for any form of earthly pleasure, one of the more significant mountain excursions during the classical age was taken by a pilgrim. What makes this particular trek noteworthy is that these are the first mountains to be ascended by a female on record. Between 381 and 384, a woman now known to history as Egeria took an extended pilgrimage to see the Holy Land. The details of her travels survive in the form of a letter she wrote to acquaintances back home, either in present-day France or, more likely, northern Spain. Some scholars believe she was a nun who was writing to the sisters in her convent. Others suggest that she may have been a woman of wealth, and was communicating with a circle of pious friends. In addition to observations made during her travels, Egeria described two pedestrian excursions she took, which included ascents of Mount Sinai, Mount Horeb and Mount Nebo.

On This Date: Yellowstone National Park is established

On this date in 1872, Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park. Prior to the mid-1800s, trappers and mountain men recounted “wild” stories of seeing spouting geysers, multicolored hot springs, boiling rivers, bubbling mud, noxious fumes and hissing earth while roaming through the future park. These reports were largely dismissed as delusions or tall tales before formal expeditions of the region began in 1869. In that year, the first of three expeditions to explore and document the region were launched, culminating with the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871. After Thomas Moran’s artwork and William H. Jackson’s photographs provided proof that Yellowstone’s geothermal and geologic features were indeed real, Congress was convinced they needed to protect this unique landscape from development. Less than six months after the conclusion of the Hayden Geological Survey, Yellowstone became a national park.

There are many histories and videos about Yellowstone; however, I found a short clip about the park that I thought was quite interesting. This is a public service announcement created by Wilding Picture Productions for the Ford Motor Company - likely in the 1950s, but possibly from the late 1940s. In addition to its age, what makes this clip remarkable is the advertisement of the "bear feeding grounds" in the park. Obviously, bear management practices have improved a little since then!



The video clip also mentions that Yellowstone’s buffalo were “a symbol of our vanished frontier.” Ramble On: A History of Hiking discusses the remarkable story of how George Bird Grinnell saved the buffalo, as Yellowstone was its last refuge.

2026 Construction Updates in Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park reminds visitors of current and upcoming construction projects happening in the park.

Two Medicine
Last fall, Two Medicine Road was closed to facilitate replacement of a deep culvert. The road remained closed to vehicles throughout the fall and reopened to non-motorized use in November 2025. In April 2026, construction will continue on Two Medicine Road and the water distribution system.

The Two Medicine utility project will begin this April. This project includes replacement of the full water distribution system in the Two Medicine developed area and campground. A spring and fall closure will occur for the Two Medicine developed area. To facilitate construction, the Two Medicine Road will be closed at Running Eagle Falls Trailhead, or the park boundary. Closures in the Two Medicine developed area will occur outside of concession operating dates (May 29-September 7). Concessioner operated boat tours will run and the Two Medicine Campstore will remain open. The park will maintain access to hiking trails as feasible, but access to some trails may be limited.

The Two Medicine Campground will be closed in 2026.

The culvert work last fall was part of a large, multi-year Two Medicine Road Rehabilitation project which also includes full rehabilitation of the Two Medicine Road from MT-49 intersection to the terminus parking lot at Two Medicine Lake. The road rehabilitation includes ditch re-establishment, road repair, parking lot construction, replacement of entrance station buildings, and paving. This work is scheduled to resume this fall 2026 and be completed late 2027 but may continue into 2028. Closures outside of the park associated with this project have not been determined.

St. Mary
Utility replacement work is scheduled to begin in St. Mary in the spring. This project includes water distribution system replacement in the St. Mary Campground, administrative area, and around the St. Mary Visitor Center. A replacement of the winter septic system in the St. Mary administrative area will also occur. Partial closures in the St. Mary Campground for construction of the new water system are anticipated in the fall 2026 through the spring 2027. The St. Mary Visitor Center will maintain its normal seasonal schedule.

Lake McDonald Lodge, Many Glacier, and Granite Park Chalet
Design is currently underway on additional proposed utility system replacement projects at Lake McDonald Lodge Developed Area, Many Glacier Hotel Developed Area, and Granite Park Chalet. If approved, construction at Lake McDonald Lodge Developed Area and Many Glacier Developed Area is anticipated to begin in 2027.

North Lake McDonald Road
Anticipated culvert work is planned this fall 2026 on North Lake McDonald Road.

North Fork
Construction to replace the Polebridge Ranger Station area’s water supply system, water distribution system, and water tank is expected to begin August 2026. Work is expected to have minimal impact to visitors until October 4, 2026, which marks the anticipated start of the water main and water tank installation work along the Inside North Fork Road. This will require a full closure to all traffic traveling towards Logging Creek from the Polebridge Ranger Station. Trenching in front of the Polebridge Ranger Station is also expected in October 2026. Public access to Bowman Lake and Kintla Lake will remain unaffected by construction. It is expected that all significant construction activities will be completed in November 2026. Heavy construction is not expected in the winter. Any remaining road restoration or area restoration work will be completed by summer 2027.

Many Glacier
In 2025, the Swiftcurrent area was closed due to the replacement of the water system in the Swiftcurrent developed area. The project also rehabilitated the road between the Many Glacier Hotel intersection and the Swiftcurrent developed area, while addressing parking concerns and pedestrian safety. The Swiftcurrent area now has 339 parking spaces, an increase of 171 parking spaces. Construction is completed and not anticipated in the Many Glacier area in 2026.

Please check the Road Construction and Infrastructure Project Work page on the park website for more information on construction in the park.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• My new edition on the history of hiking is now available on Amazon

Breaking in new boots before modern hiking boots

The following an excerpt from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Until the advent of modern hiking boots, breaking in a pair of new boots and maintaining their shape and flexibility was a bit of a challenge for the first generations of hikers. To help remedy this problem, Edward Cave explained in the Boy Scout’s Hike Book, published in 1913, that hikers should break in a pair of new boots by standing in a pan of lukewarm water until their boots and wool socks were completely soaked. He then instructed them to go outside and walk until the boots were completely dry, at which point they would’ve conformed to their feet. This wasn’t a homegrown solution that he invented on his own. The U.S. Army employed this method as well. Cave also provided advice on how to waterproof a pair of new boots, informing readers that they should either use neatsfoot oil, melted cocoa butter, or melted tallow to treat the leather. He recommended that hikers should first warm their boots in an oven in order to open up the pores of the leather, which would then allow it to fully absorb the treatment. Hikers and mountaineers also used castor oil, collan oil and melted Vaseline to treat boots.

You can read more about early hiking footwear in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

The Etymology of Hiking

The meaning of the word “hiking” took a rather long path for it to reach the meaning we understand today.

The following an excerpt from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

During the last decade of John Muir’s life, the term “hiking” was just beginning to see usage as a word to describe the act of tramping through the woods. Muir, however, hated the word. Prior to the 20th century, the expression was a pejorative, or was used to describe walking in a vigorous manner, which Muir absolutely despised. To him, it meant to hurry, thus completely missing the point of immersing oneself in nature. In his book, The Mountain Trail and Its Message, published in 1911, Albert Palmer relayed a conversation he once had with Muir:

One day as I was resting in the shade Mr. Muir overtook me on the trail and began to chat in that friendly way in which he delights to talk with everyone he meets. I said to him: "Mr. Muir, someone told me you did not approve of the word 'hike.' Is that so?" His blue eyes flashed, and with his Scotch accent he replied: "I don't like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike!

Palmer may have provided a definition of what it meant to "hike" at that point. In that same book he asserted that:

There are always some people in the mountains who are known as "hikers." They rush over the trail at high speed and take great delight in being the first to reach camp and in covering the greatest number of miles in the least possible time. They measure the trail in terms of speed and distance.

Perhaps that was an accurate description. On the other hand, it’s possible he may have conveyed a meaning that was already in the process of becoming outdated.

Over the years, many terms have been used to describe the act of walking in nature, such as hiking, rambling, sauntering, tramping, wandering, strolling, ambling, roaming, traipsing, marching and trekking. The first English term to describe this act was likely “rambling.” The word originally meant to wander, or roam aimlessly, but eventually evolved to describe hiking. The expression was widely used in England through the 19th century. It was also used in America for awhile, though much less frequently. While rambling is still occasionally used in the United Kingdom, it’s now mostly viewed as an old fashion term. Walking, hillwalking, fellwalking, and even hiking are more commonly used. Fellwalking, a word used to describe hiking in the mountains, comes from the English word fell or fjall, which is an Old Norse term that means mountain. In Victorian England, during the mid-1800s, wandering vagrants were derogatively known as tramps, a word that would eventually refer to hikers, and is now used by New Zealanders to describe backpacking. While tramping was widely used in America to describe hiking in the late 1800s and early 1900s, both John Muir and Henry David Thoreau were fond of using the term saunter.

Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, published in 1985, indicates that use of the word "hike" dates back to at least 1809; however, it had a different connotation at that time. It was originally meant "to move, pull or raise with a sudden motion" or “to travel by any means.” The dictionary indicates that by 1865 the word had adopted a new meaning, which they defined as "a long walk esp. for pleasure or exercise." Etymonline.com claims that “hike” comes from the English term “hyke,” which meant "to walk vigorously." The website notes that this word also dates back to 1809. They also quote a definition of the term from the 1830 edition of the Vocabulary of East Anglia: "to go away. It is generally used in a contemptuous sense Ex. 'Come, hike,' i.e. take yourself off; begone." Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present, published in 1893, defined the oldest meaning of the word as, “To move about. Also to carry off; to arrest.” A newer definition, from 1811, was updated to mean, “To hike off; to run away.” The slang dictionary then provided an example of a more contemporary use of the term, citing a quotation from the February 2, 1884, edition of the Daily Telegraph: “We three, not having any regler [sic] homes nor a steady job of work to stick to, HIKE ABOUT for a living, and we live in the cellar of a empty house.”

It appears the meaning of the word “hike” began to evolve during the Philippine-American War. This conflict began shortly after the conclusion of the brief Spanish-American War in 1898, which involved Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Just weeks after the Spanish were expelled from the Philippines, fighting broke out between U.S. soldiers and Filipino nationalists. An article with the title, “The Vocabulary of the Philippines,” published in the August 19, 1899, edition of The Criterion, a weekly New York-based literary magazine, began with this highly illuminating passage:

Now that the volunteers are returning from the Philippines there is trouble ahead for the dictionary makers. It is a peculiarity of American slang that it is at once so concise, picturesque, and graphic that most new words of this kind eventually force their way, despite dissent, into the lexicon. The volunteers will bring back with them so many brand new expressions of this character that their vocabulary may prove all but incomprehensible. For the convenience of people who have not had the advantage of recent Philippine travel, and also for the future reference of our lexicographers, a short glossary, with comments, may be valuable.

One of the words most commonly used in this new dialect is “hike.” Its derivation is doubtful, but its descriptive power great and swift. “To hike” means to travel with amazing speed. It is generally used to give some idea of how fast the Filipinos can run when defeated in battle. Incidentally, “hiking” is a term applied to the speed which American soldiers are obliged to develop when trying to catch the fleeing Filipino. So, in a more general way, “hiking” is applied to any swift and fatiguing travel, while a “hiker” is obviously a man of hustling and enduring powers.

A review of several military-related publications from this era corroborates these definitions. Moreover, a comment in the March 2, 1901, edition of the Army and Navy Journal confirms that the terms were new to the broader civilian population in America: “Some time ago we referred to ‘hike’ and other expressive words which our boys in the field have added to our vocabulary.” It appears that soldiers used the term “hiking” to distinguish their mode of travel in this foreign land from traditional marching. As the fighting escalated, the Filipinos began engaging U.S. troops in guerrilla-style warfare. As a result, U.S. soldiers were often forced to bushwhack through dense jungles, grasslands, swamps and rice paddy fields. There are also several references to “hiking” along rugged mountain trails. What’s important to note is that both “hike” and “hiking” were scarcely used before the war, but quickly became part of the American lexicon in the years that immediately followed. Within a decade or so, the terms basically took on the meaning that we understand today. You can see how the definition evolved over a very short period of time. The 1903 edition of Supplement To A Standard Dictionary Of The English Language defined “Hike” as “The act of hiking; a weary journey on foot.” The 1911 edition of Webster’s New International Dictionary defined “hike” as the “Act of hiking; a tramp; march.” More importantly, within a few years of the conclusion of the war, references to hiking began to appear in several outdoor publications for the first time. The words “hike” and “hiker” were first used in the Sierra Bulletin, the journal of the Sierra Club, in 1905. The following passage from this edition obviously reflects the sentiment of John Muir:

There is the aristocrat of leg and lung, the “hiker,” so called, who walks up perpendicular cliffs like a fly, never misses the trail, and always reaches camp first. He is harmless, but is not generally loved, for he is a little overbearing and given to much talking of a certain catalogue of hours and distances which he keeps in his mind and calls his record.

We see additional uses of the three hiking-related expressions in subsequent issues of the Sierra Bulletin. Other examples of early usage of the terms include an article about “A Sierra Club Hike” in the August 6, 1909, edition of The California Weekly. One of the earliest uses of the phrase “hiking boots” appeared in an advertisement in the 1912 edition of The Mountaineer, the journal of The Mountaineers club out of Seattle. The October 1911 edition of The American Boy, the October 1912 edition of Boys Life, and The Boy Scout’s Hike Book from 1913 are all sprinkled with several references to hiking. Prior to 1910, most hiking clubs used the word "mountain" or "alpine" in their name. However, in that year, the Wanderlusters Hiking Club out of Washington D.C. became the first organization to use "hiking" in a club name.

The word “hiking” appears to have been adopted along the West Coast first, where it began to evolve into the meaning we understand today. The term and its related expressions were most likely introduced by veterans returning from the war in the Philippines. Indeed, the majority of troops returning from the Philippines passed through San Francisco, not far from the Sierra Club’s original headquarters. It’s fairly easy to speculate that the terms were likely introduced to the local population, and then members of the hiking community began borrowing them to describe the types of excursions they were taking in the nearby mountains. From the West Coast, the expressions spread across the rest of the country, which may have been the result of West Coast clubs sharing articles and correspondence with other clubs.

As the 20th century progressed, the expressions Thoreau and Muir preferred to use have mostly faded from the American lexicon. Nearly everyone in North America now uses the word “hiking.”



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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world. This new edition on the history of hiking is now available on Amazon.

Flathead Avalanche Center issues SPECIAL AVALANCHE BULLETIN

The Flathead Avalanche Center in Hungry Horse has issued a SPECIAL AVALANCHE BULLETIN for the following areas: NWS Missoula MT - MTZ001 (MTZ001)...MTZ002 (MTZ002)

* WHAT...Unusually dangerous avalanche conditions will persist through the weekend. Human-triggered avalanches are likely, with natural avalanches possible.

* WHERE...The Whitefish, Swan, Flathead, and Apgar Ranges, and the Lake McDonald and Marias Pass areas in Glacier National Park.

* WHEN...In effect from Thu 06:00 MST to Sun 18:00 MST.

* IMPACTS...Persistent weak layers buried two to three feet deep remain sensitive to the weight of a person or snowmachine. Avalanches have released on these layers since early February. In the past week, riders have reported four accidents (riders caught, carried, partially or fully buried) involving these persistent weak layers. Slabs can be triggered from long distances away. Avalanches may connect across terrain features like ridges, releasing multiple start zones at once. The layers - and the likelihood of triggering an avalanche - are most widespread on slopes facing west through north to east.

* PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Plan backcountry trips to avoid travel on or under steep slopes in the northern half of the compass. When riding, pay close attention to the terrain around you. Avoid riding under steep start zones, stop in spots that are out of avalanche paths, and steer clear of steep slopes above terrain traps like gullies, creek beds, stands of trees, and cliffs. Monitor the avalanche forecast and observations regularly.

Consult http://www.flatheadavalanche.org/ or www.avalanche.org for more detailed information. Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• My new edition on the history of hiking is now available on Amazon

Key Milestones in the History of Hiking

The following timeline of key dates in the history of hiking was adapted from my new book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Over the last several decades, the sport of hiking has become one of the most popular outdoor activities in the world. According to the latest National Survey on Recreation and the Environment, 33.9% of all Americans above the age of 15 participated in hiking during the period between 2005 and 2009. Amazingly, there are several other countries that have far higher participation rates than the United States. This trend, however, leads to the burning question; when did people begin taking to the trail for pleasure? Since the dawn of mankind, humans have walked the earth to hunt, forage for wild edibles, explore, trade goods with neighboring communities, and migrate to other regions. At some point in our long evolution we realized that we didn’t need a utilitarian reason to walk. Somewhere along the line we discovered the joy of traipsing through the countryside, observing the beauty of a wildflower, watching wildlife in their natural habitat, marveling at the roar of a waterfall, or contemplating the scenic grandeur from the top of a mountain. Is this a fairly recent phenomenon, or is this an innate characteristic of human beings? No matter the answer to that question, the following are the key milestones in the history of hiking that has led to its immense popularity today:

~3300 BCE: In 1991, two German tourists discovered the mummified remains of “Otzi the Iceman” in the Ötztal Alps along the Austrian–Italian border. Although scientists aren’t entirely sure what this late-Neolithic man was doing at an elevation hovering just over 10,500 feet, there are some who have speculated that he may have been an early mountaineer. More importantly, however, the remnants of the rucksack (or backpack) that he carried on his back is the oldest rucksack ever found.

125: The 2nd century Roman Emperor, Hadrian, hiked to the summit of Mt. Etna on Sicily to see the sunrise, making this the earliest recorded hike for pleasure.

1642: Darby Field makes the first recorded ascent of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, which would become the focus of one of the first tourist destinations in the United States in the early 1800s.

1760: The Industrial Revolution begins in Great Britain, and is generally recognized as lasting until the start of World War I. The Industrial Revolution gave rise to the labor movement, automobiles, environmentalism, club culture, and even art. As a result, it's arguably the single most important event to spur the development of hiking and walking for pleasure.

1778: Thomas West, an English priest, publishes A Guide to the Lakes, a detailed account of the scenery and landscape of the Lake District in northwestern England. The guide helped to popularize the idea of walking for pleasure, and is credited as being one of the first travel guides.

1786: The modern era of mountaineering is marked by the first ascent of 15,771-foot Mont Blanc in France, the tallest peak in the Alps.

1799: Williams College (of Massachusetts) President Ebenezer Fitch ascends Mt. Greylock with two other companions.

1819: Abel Crawford, along with his son Ethan, blaze an 8.25-mile trail to the summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. The path is recognized as the oldest continually used hiking trail in the United States, and is likely the first footpath in the entire world to be built specifically for recreational hiking.

1830: A crew of 100 students and professors from Williams College blaze the Hopper Trail to the summit of Mt. Greylock. Later that same year, students constructed a 37-foot wooden tower atop the mountain. This tower, and its replacement, were maintained into the 1850s, and were used for sightseeing and scientific observations.

1850: The Exploring Circle is founded by Cyrus M. Tracey and three other men from Lynn, Massachusetts. The National Park Service recognizes the club as being “the first hiking club in New England," thus, in all likelihood, making it the first hiking club in the world.

1854: The beginning of the systematic sport of modern mountaineering as we essentially know it today is marked by the ascent of the Wetterhorn in the Swiss Alps by Sir Alfred Wills. His book, Wanderings Among the High Alps, published two years later, helped make mountaineering fashionable in Britain, and ushered in the systematic exploration of the Alps by British mountaineers. These events also marked the beginning of the so-called “Golden Age of Alpinism.”

1857: The world's first mountaineering club, the Alpine Club, was founded in London.

1863: Professor Albert Hopkins of Williams College founds the Alpine Club of Williamstown, whose stated mission was “to explore the interesting places in the vicinity, to become acquainted, to some extent at least, with the natural history of the localities, and also to improve the pedestrian powers of the members”. It was the first hiking club to accept women as members, which likely provided an important template for future hiking clubs in America.

1867: John Muir begins a 1000-mile walk from Indiana to Florida, which was recounted in his book, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf. The trek launched a lifetime career of hiking and wilderness advocacy. His conservation efforts, articles and books would help to establish several national parks during and after his lifetime.

1872: Yellowstone becomes the world’s first national park after legislation is signed by President U.S. Grant.

1876: The Appalachian Mountain Club, America’s oldest recreational organization, is founded to explore and protect the trails and mountains of New England.

1876: Newtown, England entrepreneur Pryce Pryce-Jones designs the "Euklisia Rug", considered by many to be the forerunner of the modern sleeping bag. The rug included a wool blanket with a pocket at the top for a sewn-in, inflatable, rubber pillow. Once inside, the camper (or soldier) folded the blanket over and fastened it together, thus keeping themselves “snug in a rug”.

1879: One of the first hiking clubs in England, the "Sunday Tramps," was founded by Leslie White. These early “rambling” (the English word for hiking or walking) clubs sprang up in the northern areas of England as part of a campaign for the legal "right to roam," a response to the fact that much of the land in England was privately owned.

1882: William Pickering publishes Walking Guide to the Mt. Washington Range, which is arguably the first modern trail guide to be published America.

1887: The first external frame rucksack is patented by Colonel Henry C. Merriam.

1922: Australian climber George Finch designs and wears a knee-length eiderdown parka during the 1922 British Everest Expedition. The shell of the coat was made from the waterproofed-cotton fabric of a hot-air balloon, which was filled with duck down. During the expedition, Finch and climbing partner Geoffrey Bruce reached a height of 27,300 feet during their summit attempt, which set the record for the highest altitude attained by any human up to that point.

1922: Lloyd F. Nelson submits his application to the U.S. Patent Office for his "Trapper Nelson's Indian Pack Board," which is acknowledged to be the first commercially successful external-frame backpack to be sold in the U.S. The "Trapper Nelson" featured a wooden "pack board" as its frame. Attached to the frame was a canvas sack that contained the hiker's gear, which rested on the hiker's body by two canvas shoulder-straps. Prior to his invention most hikers used a rucksack, which was essentially a loose sack with shoulder straps.

1930: The Green Mountain Club completes construction of the Long Trail, making it the first long-distance hiking trail in the United States.

1937: Italian climber and mountaineering guide, Vitale Bramani, invents "Carrarmato," which tranlates to “tank tread" in English. This new rubber lug pattern provides mountaineering boots with outstanding traction, and allows them to be used on a variety of surfaces. The product is launched under the brand name "Vibram".

1937: America's first “grand” trail, the Appalachian Trail, was completed in August of 1937. A forester by the name of Benton MacKaye conceived the idea in 1921.

1948: Earl Shaffer becomes the first person to thru-hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

1967: Climber Greg Lowe invents the internal frame backpack. The “Expedition Pack” also featured the first adjustable back system, first side compressors, first sternum strap and the first load stabilizers.

1968: The National Trails System Act is passed by Congress, resulting in thousands of miles of trails being designated as National Scenic Trails, National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails.

1969: Bob Gore accidentally stretches a heated rod of polytetrafluoroethylene by almost 800%, which forms a microporous structure that was roughly 70% air. The discovery was introduced to the public under the trademark of "Gore-Tex," which became the first breathable, waterproof, and windproof fabric.

1992: Ray Jardine introduces the concept of ultralight backpacking with the release of his book, The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook. During his first PCT thru-hike Jardine’s pack weighed just 25 pounds. By his third hike it weighed less than 9 pounds. “Ray’s Way” of thinking has led to several innovations that have benefitted both backpackers and hikers.

This timeline is only a brief overview of the people, events, inventions and social trends that have helped to shape the sport of hiking as we know it today. If you enjoyed this post, please check out my new book on the history of hiking, which provides a much more in-depth narrative on the rich and compelling history of hiking.



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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

Glacier National Park announces major changes to shuttle system / reservations for 2026

Glacier National Park today announced it will pilot a ticketed shuttle system to Logan Pass in summer 2026, including early morning express routes. Beginning July 1, weather permitting, private vehicle parking at Logan Pass will be limited to three hours. Vehicle reservations will not be required anywhere in the park in 2026.

“With the new trial measures, we aim to improve the public’s ability to visit Logan Pass for short durations and allow the shuttle system to perform more reliably for a more specific purpose,” said Glacier National Park Superintendent, Dave Roemer. “This initiative reflects our continued learning and listening as we refine park transportation and access to better serve the public and safeguard the integrity of the park’s resources."

Logan Pass Parking
Beginning July 1, private vehicle parking at Logan Pass will be limited to a maximum of three hours. The time limit is intended to increase parking turnover and provide more visitors the opportunity to experience the area.

Three hours allows time to hike to Hidden Lake Overlook, visit the Logan Pass Visitor Center or attend an interpretive program.

Visitors planning longer hikes that begin at Logan Pass, including the Highline Trail to Granite Park Chalet or to the Loop Trailhead, must obtain a shuttle ticket.

Overnight parking will not be permitted at Logan Pass except for permitted backcountry users and registered guests of Granite Park Chalet.

Going-to-the-Sun Road Park Shuttles
In 2026, the park shuttle system will provide express service to Logan Pass for visitors planning extended alpine hikes and activities.

Shuttles to Logan Pass will not stop at Avalanche or board passengers without shuttle tickets.

Shuttle tickets will be released during two booking windows:

• A portion of tickets will be available 60 days in advance beginning May 2, 2026, at 8 a.m. MDT on a rolling basis.

• Remaining tickets will be released at 7 p.m. MDT for next-day entry beginning June 30.

Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis through Recreation.gov or the Recreation.gov call center at 877-444-6777. Tickets are not sold inside the park. A Recreation.gov account is required. The only cost is a $1 processing fee per ticket. All passengers age 2 and older must have a ticket. Tickets are nontransferable.

Cell service is unreliable in the park. Visitors should print or save a digital copy of their ticket before arrival. Tickets will be validated before boarding, and a photo ID may be requested. Additional information will be available at nps.gov/glac and Recreation.gov.

Shuttle Routes and Schedules
Shuttle service will provide access to Logan Pass from both the west and east sides of Going-to-the-Sun Road.

West side express routes will depart from Apgar Transit Center and Lake McDonald Lodge, with stops at the Loop in the afternoon and Logan Pass. Avalanche Lake and Trail of the Cedars will not be accessible by park shuttle in 2026.

East side express routes will depart from St. Mary Visitor Center and Rising Sun. Riders may transfer between routes at Logan Pass.

Updated route details, boarding times and stop locations will be posted later in the season.

Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and North Fork Vehicle Reservations
Vehicle reservations will not be required in Many Glacier, Two Medicine or the North Fork in 2026.

Vehicles may be temporarily diverted when areas reach capacity. Visitors with lodging, camping, boat tour, horseback ride, guided hike or backcountry reservations will be permitted entry during temporary restrictions but may experience delays.

Going-to-the-Sun Road opening
Snow removal operations begin in early April and typically continue until Logan Pass opens between mid-June and early July. Snowstorms and avalanches often continue through May, and the park cannot predict an opening date. Road crews work across approximately 40 avalanche paths, and progress depends on snow and avalanche conditions.

The shuttle system begins July 1, 2026. The park cannot predict when Logan Pass trails will open. Popular routes, including the Highline Trail, may remain closed due to hazardous snow conditions.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• My new edition on the history of hiking is now available on Amazon

The accidental discovery of “ePTFE”

The following is an adaptation from Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

While working for his father’s start-up company in Delaware, Bob Gore accidentally discovered a new polymer known as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, or ePTFE, which would eventually become a crucial component in a wide range of outdoor gear and apparel products.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon, was originally discovered by a DuPont scientist in 1938. Convinced that there were many other opportunities yet to be discovered, Bob’s father, Bill, left DuPont in 1958 to pursue other applications for the new polymer. In 1969, in a bit of frustration while trying to make the polymer more efficient, Bob gave a swift yank to a heated rod of PTFE that unexpectedly caused it to stretch by almost 800%. This transformed the solid PTFE into a super-thin microporous sheet that was now roughly 70% air. Consequently, the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, or ePTFE, was also discovered to have billions of micropores that were 20,000 times smaller than a droplet of water. As a result, Gore would eventually come to realize that the new product could block rain if it were applied to a fabric. Additionally, since the micropores were still 700 times larger than a water vapor molecule, the product would allow perspiration, in the form of vapor, to pass through its membrane, thus making it a truly breathable material.

In 1971, the company began selling products under the trademarked name Gore-Tex. Though initially used in electronics, computers, and a variety of industrial applications, the company entered the outdoor retail market in 1976 when Early Winters began selling tents and rain jackets made with Gore-Tex. Later that same year, Marmot introduced the first down sleeping bag manufactured with Gore-Tex, while Synergy Works began selling parkas made with the new synthetic product. In 1980, Gore-Tex introduced a laminate for use in hiking boots. Today, there are dozens of outdoor brands that use Gore-Tex in a variety of products, including Patagonia, The North Face, Vasque, Merrell, Black Diamond, Outdoor Research and Arc'teryx.

This book on hiking history is now available on Amazon Kindle.

Did you know there was a golf course at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park?

The following is an adaptation from Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

"Oh, what a paradise!"

That was Martha Longmire’s reaction upon seeing the lush meadows, spectacular wildflower displays and sublime scenery of Mount Rainier’s southern valley for the very first time in 1885. The name would stick. Today, the most popular area in Mount Rainier National Park is known as “Paradise,” and once you set your own eyes upon it you’ll understand why. In fact, I would rank the Skyline Loop as one of the best hikes I’ve ever taken.

Now, imagine a sprawling golf course marring this beautiful setting – or even worse, a motorcycle rally!

Paradise Park is widely recognized as one of the snowiest places on Earth. On average, the meadow receives roughly 640 inches of snow each year. During the winter of 1971-1972, it received a whopping 1122 inches (93.5 feet) of snow, which set a world record at that time. As a result of the extreme amount of snow that falls each year, the snow-free season at Paradise is quite short, lasting only three months or so. Because of the short tourist season, Mt. Rainier officials experimented with some highly unconventional tactics to attract visitors, thus hoping to raise more revenue for the park. This included opening a nine-hole golf course at Paradise in 1931. Horace M. Albright, the National Park Service Director at that time, rationalized the decision by stating,

Golf is a country game not a city one. It can be justified in parks easier than tennis. Anyway, I want to try out the thing and as the Rainier Company needs revenue more than any other Company I am disposed to let them try the experiment.

Fortunately, after the snow started falling in October of that year, the course was permanently closed. Perhaps the most egregious stunt ever employed by the National Park Service was the staging of a motorcycle hill climb at Paradise in 1922. The event was attended by more than 300 motorcyclists, but “came to a swift end when scars on the hillside became all too noticeable.”

This book on hiking history is now available on Amazon Kindle.

Vulcanization

The following is an adaptation from Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

Until the turn of the twentieth century, rubberized clothing was the most popular choice for staying dry in the outdoors. Hikers and outdoorsmen of all stripes used a variety of India rubber products to stay dry, or keep their gear dry. This included rubberized coats, ponchos, blankets and knapsacks.

India rubber was first used in textiles as far back as 1824. However, before Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization in 1839, the first generation of India rubber products failed to perform as intended. The rubber coating on textiles from that period tended to melt in the summer and crack in the winter. A perfect illustration of the ineffectiveness of the product comes from a U.S. Naval officer who wrote a scathing complaint about this newly issued garment in 1835, exclaiming:

Oh! I wish the rascal were here, who sold it to me! I am up to my knees in water, it runs in, but ‘it won’t run out,’ and the caps leak through every seam, the jacket is not worth a groat.

After the discovery of vulcanization, it would take Charles Goodyear another five years to perfect the process of curing, which made rubber products more pliable, easier to meld, and far more durable. The process that developed from Goodyear’s invention involved mixing sulfur and chemicals with the sap of a rubber tree, which was heated to form a sticky mass. The mass was then rolled into thin sheets, which were then applied to cotton, wool or silk before being steam-heated and cut into garments.

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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Just released: Ramble On: A History of Hiking