Start Your New Year Off Right With A First Day Hike At A Montana State Park

Start 2021 off on the right foot with a First Day Hike at a state park near you.

On Jan. 1, Montana State Parks will host First Day Hikes at Lone Pine State Park, Flathead Lake State Park (Wayfarers, West Shore or Big Arm units) Makoshika State Park, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Cooney Reservoir State Park, Travelers’ Rest State Park and Bannack State Park. Being immersed in nature has never been more important for mental health and physical wellbeing. These fun and informative hikes are open to all ages and are family friendly. 

You can find more information on Montana State Parks First Day Hikes here.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Elk Tests Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in Grand Teton

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wildlife Health Laboratory confirmed on December 16 that an elk in Grand Teton National Park tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). The cow elk was harvested by a participant in the park’s elk reduction program and tissue samples were collected as part of the park’s mandatory testing program. This is the first elk to test positive for CWD in northwest Wyoming and in close proximity to elk feedgrounds.

To date, there have been no cases of CWD in humans and no strong evidence for the occurrence of CWD in people. However, experimental studies raise the concern that CWD may pose a risk to humans and suggest that it is important to prevent human exposure. Therefore, the Game and Fish and National Park Service adhere to the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization that hunters not consume any animal that is obviously ill or tests positive for CWD.

Wildlife managers say that while the positive test in an elk raises concern, the positive test result does not come as a surprise based on the steady progression of the disease westward across the state and the positive result for a mule deer in Grand Teton National Park in the fall of 2018. A mule deer also tested positive for CWD in Star Valley in 2016, the Pinedale area in 2017, and two mule deer in the Wyoming Range in 2020.

Intensive CWD surveillance of the Jackson elk herd has been ongoing since 2009. Over 4,500 CWD samples have been collected and tested for the entire Jackson elk herd with more than 1,400 samples collected through the park’s elk reduction program alone, and this is the first elk to test positive. State, federal and other agencies within the Jackson and Greater Yellowstone area will continue to coordinate on efforts to address CWD.

The positive test result for an elk in northwest Wyoming comes as Game and Fish and partnering federal agencies recently began a public collaborative effort to discuss the future management of elk feedgrounds in Wyoming. While Game and Fish is actively accepting public comment on state-managed elk feedgrounds through this public process, there is no plan to close any feedgrounds.







Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Survey Results: Montanans' views on grizzly bears

A new survey of Montanans shows positive attitudes toward grizzly bears and support for the presence of grizzly bears within the state, however acceptance of bear presence in areas closer to residential and agricultural areas is lower than in remote public land areas.

Researchers with the University of Montana worked with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists to better understand Montanans’ perspectives about grizzly bears and grizzly bear management in Montana. A survey questionnaire was mailed to over 5,000 households randomly selected from across Montana, and 1,783 adults responded between November 2019 and January 2020. The survey’s confidence interval is plus or minus 3.5 percent. A summary of the results and the full survey is available to read online: https://www.cfc.umt.edu/research/humandimensions/news/human-dimensions-grizzly-bear.php.

Trust in FWP to manage grizzly bears is relatively high, according to the survey, but Montanans’ report diverse views regarding the success of grizzly bear management and their satisfaction with that management in the state. More specific details are listed below.

* Most Montanans agree or strongly agree (92%) that grizzly bears have a right to exist in Montana, and 86% find it acceptable for bears to live in primarily forested areas that are publicly owned. When asked if grizzly bears do not belong where people live, the responses are more evenly divided: 35% agreed or strongly agreed, and 43% disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement.

* 57% disagree or strongly disagree that grizzly bears limit their recreational opportunities; however, 23% agree or strongly agree with that statement. When asked about their emotional response to seeing a grizzly bear from a distance while walking, more Montanans report they would be nervous, scared, and upset than those that report they would be relaxed, not scared, and pleased.

* 19% of Montanans agree or strongly agree that their personal safety is threatened by grizzly bears (19%), or that grizzly bears pose a safety risk to people they care about (28%).

* 60% agree or strongly agree that people should learn to live with grizzly bears near their homes, whereas 20% disagree or strongly disagree with this notion. When asked about taking actions to reduce grizzly bear-human conflict on their own property, willingness was high for securing attractants but lower for actions related to livestock.

* Almost all Montanans (94%) report they have or would be willing to carry bear spray while recreating or hunting.

* 49% support enough hunting to manage grizzly bear population size; 30% support a very limited season that does not affect the grizzly bear population size; and, 4% support as much grizzly bear hunting as possible. 17% believe grizzly bears should never be hunted in Montana.

The publication of these survey results follows the conclusion of a separate year-long effort involving the Governor’s Grizzly Bear Advisory Council. The council, which featured 18 citizens from across the state, completed a report of recommendations and input on the future of grizzly bear management and conservation in Montana last month. The council’s report, this survey, and other public inputs will continue to inform grizzly bear management in Montana.







Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Glacier National Park Launches “Headwaters” Podcast

Glacier National Park, in partnership with the Glacier National Park Conservancy, is proud to present the launch of Headwaters podcast.

"This is exactly the kind of innovative project that is going to drive the future of connectivity between the park and the community," said Doug Mitchell, Executive Director of the Glacier National Park Conservancy. "We need to meet people where they are, and podcasts have become an important source of information for people of all ages looking to dig a bit more deeply into issues they care about," Mitchell continued.

Co-hosted by park rangers Andrew Smith and Michael Faist, the seven-part podcast covers topics such as melting glaciers, world-class geologic features, the deep significance the area holds for native tribes, and the challenges of pit toilet pumping.

"It's been a treat working with Michael and Andrew on the Headwaters podcast series,” says Mitchell. “They are smart, engaging, and have a great sense of humor. In my view, they strike just the right tone in bringing serious information to the listener in an accessible way."

Many in-person park services were unavailable during the 2020 season due to COVID-19. The podcast allows rangers to keep telling Glacier's story without putting visitors or themselves at risk.

"It's always been my job here at Glacier to share the park with others; as an interpretive ranger giving campground talks, or as an education ranger leading snowshoe field trips," says co-host Michael Faist. “Since we couldn’t do those in-person programs this year the podcast was a perfect project to still be able to connect with visitors.”

"There’s something for everyone in this show, and we hope visitors will join us on this fascinating and enlightening journey,” says co-host Andrew Smith. “Headwaters will be a great platform for visitors to receive important and interesting information for years to come.”

To listen, visit the park website at go.nps.gov/headwaters or wherever you get your podcasts.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Women’s Hiking Attire During The Victorian Era

The following is a short excerpt from my book, Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

For women, hiking attire during the Victorian Era was an extremely complicated affair. The subject was frequently discussed and debated throughout the pages of Appalachia during the first decade of the Appalachian Mountain Club. The December 1887 issue of Appalachia 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 a grey flannel trouser beneath two skirts. The under skirt, 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 withstand tears from walking through briers and undergrowth. The outer skirt was also meant to be worn to ankle length. However, if the hiker were to find herself climbing 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 piece the writer assured her readers that her recommendations on female tramping attire would be “sufficiently presentable to enter a hotel or a railroad car” after a long tramp through the woods, “without attracting uncomfortable attention.”

The true realities of wearing a “costume” such as this were not 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 true 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 caught 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 her mountain guide was nearby and was able to pull her to safety before falling.

In one particular instance the burdensome attire that women were expected to wear may have been at least partially responsible for the death of one hiker. On September 13, 1855, 22-year-old Lizzie Bourne of Kennebunk, Maine became the first woman to die while climbing Mt. Washington, and quite possibly the first woman 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. As a result of early morning rain, however, the trio was forced to postpone the start of their trip. Just after lunch the weather finally cleared and they set out by trekking up the partially completed carriage road. However, as they continued towards the summit of the peak, the threesome encountered another round of bad weather while proceeding along the Glen House Bridle Path, which continued to worsen as they climbed higher. In a letter to the Boston Journal, which was intended to provide “a correct account of the whole affair,” George Bourne attested that as they ascended towards the summit, “Elizabeth began to show signs of weariness, and needed assistance.” As night fell upon the mountain, darkness and fog completely obscured the view of their destination. Fatigue had also crept in on each of the hikers. Not knowing where they were, or how far they were from their destination, the trio made the decision to lie down on the trail and wait out the night. Despite building a wind break from nearby rocks, George was convinced that each of them would perish due to the extreme cold and the violent wind. Indeed, that night, around ten o'clock, Lizzie quietly passed away while lying on the 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 George and Lucy tragically discovered that they were within sight of the Tip Top House. Had they known that 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 stones on the spot where Ms. Bourne died. A stone monument now stands on that same spot to mark and commemorate her passing.

Did Lizzie’s attire contribute to her death? Perhaps. 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! When this outfit became soaked in cold rain there’s no doubt this would’ve weighed her down, resulting in more stress on her heart, and certainly would have accelerated the effects of fatigue, exposure and hypothermia.

While Mrs. Pychowska was espousing the benefits of wearing the proper costume to coincide 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 of Appalachia, 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, published an article titled, “A Mountain Suit for Women.” In this piece Harriet Nowell once again took issue with the garb women were expected to wear during this era. She also mentioned the discussions she had with other women about the impracticalities and dangers of women’s hiking attire. Apparently they had carefully deliberated over what their alternatives were, and presented one 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” suit 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 and Trail Club of Utica 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 from their home. An online exhibit on the Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University website, titled, Taking the Lead: Women and the White Mountains, notes that skirts had virtually disappeared by the mid-1910s, and by the 1930s women were wearing clothes similar to what female hikers wear today, including shorts and halter tops.

Ramble On: A History of Hiking chronicles the history of the first hikers, trails and hiking clubs, as well as 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. You can find the book on Amazon by clicking here.



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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.