Accounts of Green Mountain Club outings throughout its first several decades show that women participated in tramps as often as men. This included thru-hikes of the Long Trail in Vermont, which was completed in 1930 as the first long-distance footpath in the United States. Though the final 10-mile segment leading to the Canadian border was only a blazed route at the time, Kathleen Norris, Hilda Kurth and Catherine Robbins became the second group of trampers to thru-hike the entire 272-mile trail in 1927. It took 32 days for the “Three Musketeers,” as they affectionately became known as, to complete their extended trek. During the trip, the three young ladies became media sensations, as newspapers across America covered their story. Their feat would inspire many other females to become “end-to-enders” in the years that followed.
The Three Musketeers: When they needed a rest they would pull out a ukulele and sing college prep songs until they were re-energized:
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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.
