Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak is the most easterly located of any of the 14,000 peaks of the West. As a result it is visible for over a hundred miles across the Great Plains. Zebulon Pike tried to climb the peak in 1806 and even though he and his party failed in their attempt, the mountain is still named for the American explorer. The first ascent was actually made in 1820 by Edwin James.
The Grand Teton Debate
The Grand Teton is the highest peak in the Grand Teton Range in Wyoming. Who actually first climbed this iconic peak, is an amusing story, for there are two mountaineers who have claimed that honor. First claim goes to a geological party lead by James Stevenson and Nathaniel Langford in 1872, but for 26 years this account was disputed by William Owen, who was either the second or the first person to reach the top of the mountain in 1898.
John Muir
John Muir is an enigma in mountaineering circles, for he was more noted for his writings and activist ideas than the years he spent wandering around Sierra Nevada. Still, he did make the first ascent of Cathedral Peak in Yosemite.
Article Written By Henri Bauholz
Henri Bauholz is a professional writer covering a variety of topics, including hiking, camping, foreign travel and nature. He has written travel articles for several online publications and his travels have taken him all over the world, from Mexico to Latin America and across the Atlantic to Europe.
