The big day has finally arrived! I’m super excited to announce that my new book on the history of hiking has just been published, and is now available on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTRVVRYT

"Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World" chronicles hiking’s roots in alpinism and mountaineering, the societal trends that fostered its growth, some of the early hikers from the nineteenth century, the first trails built specifically for recreational hiking, the formation of the first hiking clubs, as well as the evolution of hiking gear and apparel.

#hiking #mountaineering #backpacking #nationalparks

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Time is Running Out! This is the last day to receive 50% off on “Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World” (this is the only time this book will be offered at a discount!): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTRVVRYT

#nationalparkweek
#hiking
#history

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Because of its very short tourist season, Mt. Rainier experimented with some very unconventional schemes to attract new visitors - in the hopes of raising more revenues for the park. This included opening a nine-hole golf course at Paradise in 1931! Fortunately, after the snow started falling in October of that year, the course was permanently closed. Believe it or not, this wasn’t the most egregious stunt ever employed by Rainier. You can read about these shocking footnotes in park history in “Ramble On”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTRVVRYT

#nationalparkweek
#npsfun
#mountrainiernationalpark

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Dozens of miles of abandoned railroad beds leftover from the logging boom in the Great Smoky Mountains were converted into trails by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Many ruins and artifacts from the logging and CCC days can still be found along these trails. “Ramble On” discusses how the trail system in the Smokies (and other national parks) was developed: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTRVVRYT

#nationalparkweek
#npsingenuity
#greatsmokymountainsnationalpark

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This group is for anyone who loves Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In particular, those who love hiking in the park. Post your questions, travel tips, photos, trip reports, and anything you love about Great Smoky Mountains National Park.