Carol Treadwell, executive director of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, has a nice piece about Bob Marshall and the upcoming “Wilderness 50th” celebration in this week’s Hungry Horse News . . .
On the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 28, 1928, Bob Marshall departed Kalispell to embark on an eight-day hiking trip that would cover 288 miles and cross landmarks such as Mount Aeneus, White River Pass, the Chinese Wall, Big Prairie, Gordon Pass and Holland Pass and end at the Seeley Post Office.
Bob averaged 36 miles a day including “evening strolls” taken after dinner each evening. Bob was 28 at the time and continued to put down epic hikes throughout his life and even courted gals who could match his stride for 20 miles.
His greatest life accomplishment, however, was to spearhead the public initiative for the protection of wild lands. In 1935, he helped form the Wilderness Society and was its first donor, contributing $1,000.