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Category Archives: outdoor recreation
Towards a Definition of Backcountry Skiing
Recently while researching at the American Heritage Center, I discovered the papers of a living legend who, nearly fifty years ago, attempted to describe one of the more significant modern developments in outdoor recreation. I am referring to William Morse … Continue reading
Posted in Mountaineering, outdoor recreation, Sports and Recreation, Uncategorized, Wyoming history
Tagged Backcountry skiing, Bill Briggs, Extreme skiing, Grand Teton, Hilaree Nelson, Jackson, Mortun Lund, Ski mountaineering, Snow King Resort, The Snow King Great American Ski School
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Wrangling the Western Metaphor: Charles Belden’s Wyoming Imagery
Reaching the Pitchfork Ranch in the 1920s wasn’t easy. In fact, it was arduous. Imagine yourself on the trek. After transferring at the Billings, Montana, branch line to the end of the rails in Cody, Wyoming, a light horse-drawn stage … Continue reading
Finis Mitchell (and Matthew Troyanek) Trailing through the Wind Rivers
In my preparations to become a backpacker seeking adventures in Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains, my research led me to take the footsteps of a man from the golden age of American mountaineering, whose chronicles and photographs bade me to these … Continue reading
Hans Kleiber and the Natural Beauty of Wyoming
The magnificent scenery of Wyoming has inspired many artists, but Hans Kleiber’s work stands out for the medium he used to capture the mountains, wildlife, and people of the state. Kleiber’s art was often created with line only, etched on zinc or copper plates. From these plates prints were made. Occasionally the prints were tinted, but many said all they needed to with lines. Continue reading
Who Gets License Plate Number 1?
The State of Wyoming began issuing motor vehicle license plates in 1913. Who got plate number 1? The man who wrote the motor vehicle licensing law, state senator Jacob M. Schwoob of Park County. Schwoob continued to apply for, and … Continue reading
Rockwell Polar Flight
On November 14, 1965, the Rockwell Polar Flight began what has often been described as the last of the great firsts in polar travel. It was the first round-the-world flight to pass over both the North and South Pole, establishing … Continue reading
Posted in aviation history, outdoor recreation, Recreation
Tagged air travel, Exploration, Recreation
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Americans on Mt. Everest
In 1963, 19 Americans, 32 Sherpas, and 909 porters set out to climb Mount Everest. The first successful assault on the summit had occurred just 10 years before under the command of Englishman Sir Edmund Hillary, but no American had … Continue reading
As you plan your summer vacation . . .
The days are getting longer and warmer, unviersity classes are over and the K-12 schools will soon be closing for a couple of months–must be summer! By now, most of us have started to daydream about which destinations we’ll choose … Continue reading
Posted in outdoor recreation
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Online Finding Aid Available for the Karl C. “Sunny” Allan Papers
Karl C. “Sunny” Allan (1886-1978) was born in Ogden, Utah. He worked as a telephone lineman in the early 1900s, and was part of the Bureau of Reclamation crew that built a telephone line from Ashton, Idaho to Moran, Wyoming. … Continue reading
Old Faithful Speaks
Old Faithful Speaks is a 35 millimeter nitrate film created between 1933 and 1935 to promote Wyoming tourism. Yellowstone National Park was then (and is now) a world-renowned tourist attraction. The film features what may be the first audio recording … Continue reading