The American Southwest is often associated with images of canyons, cacti, and mesas. But it is also known for its ancient and iconic Pueblo settlements. These unique structures were the homes of Native American peoples who lived in the area for thousands of years, and they remain an essential part of the region’s history and culture today.

“Pueblo” is Spanish for “village,” and it was the early Spanish explorers who discovered these cliff-dwelling settlements in the 16th century.  The Native Americans who built the pueblos, however, had lived in the area for thousands of years before Europeans arrived.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest Pueblo settlements date back to around 750 AD and was built by the Ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi, in what is now New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. These early pueblos were often constructed on cliff faces, providing natural shelter and protection from the elements.

Over time, the Ancestral Puebloans began constructing more extensive and complex structures, often using adobe, a type of clay brick, to create multi-story buildings. Adobe construction provides natural insulation to keep the buildings cool during hot desert summers and retain heat during the winter. These buildings also served essential social and cultural functions.

They were often built near vital resources like water and fertile land and served as centers for trade, religious ceremonies, and other communal activities.

The Pueblo settlements were designed with defense in mind. The buildings were made of adobe bricks, providing a strong and durable material that could withstand attack from arrows, spears, and, later, bullets. Pueblo buildings were often constructed on high cliffs or mesa tops, providing a natural defensive advantage.

Raising or lowering ladders controlled access to settlements and buildings and served as an additional deterrent to outside attackers. Pueblo residents also used other strategies to defend their communities, such as digging shallow pits or trenches around the settlement’s perimeter and using natural landscape features to their advantage.

In addition, Pueblo residents had a well-organized system of defense. They often formed alliances with neighboring Pueblo settlements. They would send out signals, such as smoke signals or drum beats, to call for assistance in the event of an attack. Pueblo settlements also had a system of watchtowers, where people could keep watch for approaching enemies and alert the rest of the community.

Although many of the Pueblo settlements were abandoned by the Ancestral Puebloans around 1300 AD, their architectural significance remains. The largest Pueblo “great house” is in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northern New Mexico. The house was built in stages between AD 850 to AD 1150 and is considered the Chacoan equivalent of Stonehenge or Machu Picchu.

Today, 21 federally recognized pueblos are located throughout New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. Many Pueblo settlements have been restored and are open to visitors, including New Mexico’s Taos Pueblo and Acoma Pueblo.

Pueblo peoples continue to maintain their cultural heritage, with many communities still living in buildings made of adobe, wood, and mud roofs. Their traditions and way of life have been passed down through generations, and the Pueblo settlements remain an essential part of their cultural heritage. 

Pueblo settlements are also known for their artistic traditions, notably pottery, with some of the earliest known examples dating back over 2,000 years. Artists used a coil-and-scrape technique, where long, thin clay coils are shaped and smoothed to create the desired form. The pottery is then fired in an outdoor kiln, often fueled by cow manure, which gives the finished pieces their distinctive black-and-white coloring. Other styles were brightly painted using natural pigments such as iron oxide.

Each Pueblo and individual artist had distinct styles which help archaeologists track the ancient trade routes of Pueblo culture.

Another vital art form for Pueblo people is weaving. Pueblo weavers create intricate patterns on rugs and blankets using traditional techniques passed down through the generations. They often use natural dyes made from plants, such as indigo, cochineal, and sumac, to create vibrant colors.

Despite their rich cultural traditions, Pueblo communities have faced many challenges over the centuries. European colonization in the 16th century brought new diseases, such as smallpox, that decimated the population. The forced relocation of Pueblo people to reservations in the 19th century disrupted traditional ways of life and caused many to lose their connection to their ancestral lands. Today, many Pueblo communities still face poverty and limited access to resources, but they continue to work to preserve their culture and way of life.

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A former slave turned legendary lawman, Bass Reeves was feared by outlaws and respected by his peers. With a towering 6’2″ frame, an imposing demeanor, and a reputation for being a relentless lawman, Bass Reeves was a force to be reckoned with. He brought law and order to the untamed frontier, using his wit, marksmanship, and fearlessness to bring criminals to justice. 

Born into slavery in 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas, Bass was raised under brutal conditions in the slave colony owned by William Steele Reeves, an Arkansas state legislator. 

At the outbreak of the Civil War, George Reeves — the slave owner’s son — organized a company within the 11th Regiment of the Texas Cavalry and joined the Confederate Army. Bass was forced to accompany George as his personal slave. 

At some point during the war, George and Bass fought over a card game, with Bass severely thrashing George before escaping. Bass fled to the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma) where he remained a fugitive. He found refuge among the various Native American tribes and learned the languages and tracking skills of the Cherokees, Creeks, and Seminoles. 

George Reeves survived his beating by Bass and left the Civil War with the rank of colonel.  The slave owner would later become a three-time Texas State Legislator and Speaker of the House. In 1882, George was bitten by a rabid dog and locked in a padded wooden shed, where he died from rabies.

Freed by the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, the 27-year-old Bass immediately left his frontier life in the Territory to settle down, start a family and become a farmer near Van Buren, Arkansas.

Bass and his wife Nellie raised 11 children on their Arkansas homestead. Between his farming and ranching chores, Bass occasionally took work as a scout and guide for U.S. deputy marshals working in the Territory.

At the time, fugitives, bandits, and outlaws ruled the Territory. There was no federal or state jurisdiction in the Territory, so it was the perfect place to hide from the law. 

That changed when the Federal Western District Court was moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Hanging Judge Parker arrived on May 10, 1875. Law and order were about to be brought into the Indian Territory.

Parker appointed U.S. Marshal James F. Fagan to recruit 200 deputy U.S. marshals to clean up the Territory. Bass’s reputation as a tracker, marksman skills, and ability to communicate with several Native American tribes made him a top pick for Fagan. 

In 1875, Reeves became the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi and was assigned to serve the Western District of Arkansas.

Bass could not read or write, so he memorized each arrest warrant by having someone read the contents to him while he was in Fort Smith. Then, he would load his pockets with the warrants and set out on his white horse to hunt for fugitives. Armed with two Colt pistols he wore butt forward, Bass spent months at a time patrolling the Territory for outlaws and enforcing Judge Parker’s orders of “Bring them in alive — or dead!”

Over his 32-year career as a lawman, Bass tracked down and captured over 3,000 criminals. Despite having his hat and belt shot off in separate gunfights, Bass killed 14 outlaws and never suffered any injuries.

Aside from his bravery, tracking, and sharpshooting skills, Bass was also known for his ingenuity and use of disguise. He often rode the Territory dressed as a cowboy, farmer, gunslinger, or outlaw to get closer to his quarry.

One of Bass Reeves’ more memorable arrests occurred while pursuing two outlaw brothers. Bass had organized a posse to bring in the brothers, who he believed were hiding at their mother’s cabin near the Red River between the Arkansas and Texas border.  

Bass had the posse set up camp 28 miles from the cabin while he walked in, disguised as a tramp hiding his pistols, handcuffs, and badge under his dirty clothes. He knocked on the cabin door carrying a cane and wearing a floppy hat with three bullet holes.

A woman opened the door, and Bass told her he was on the run and was being pursued and shot at by a posse. She invited him in for a meal. As they ate, the woman mentioned her two outlaw sons and suggested that they should join forces. Reeves pretended to be interested, gaining the mother’s trust and permission to stay the night.

Later that evening, Bass heard a whistle from outside that the mother answered. Soon, two riders arrived and spoke with the woman before coming inside to meet Bass. After swapping stories about their crimes, the three men agreed to join forces. Bass spent the night in the same room as the brothers, carefully watching them as they slept. When they were snoring soundly, he handcuffed them without waking them up.

The following morning, Bass marched the two outlaws out of the house and towards the waiting posse 28 miles away. The outlaws’ mother followed for the first three miles, cursing Reeves the entire time. When the trio arrived at the posse’s camp, Bass turned the outlaws over to the authorities and received his  $5,000 reward.

However, the fugitive Bass was most proud of bringing to justice was Bob Dozier. Dozier was a cattle rustler, bank robber, stagecoach bandit, land swindler, and leader of a horse-stealing ring who had successfully evaded the law for years. He was also known for torturing and murdering people for information.

Bass took the warrant for Dozier. When the outlaw learned the famed marshal was on his trail, Dozier sent a message to Bass that he would kill him if he didn’t stop hunting him. Bass got word sent to Dozier that he was ready to give Dozier the chance when he caught up to him.

After several months, Bass had tracked Dozier to the Cherokee Nation. With a storm coming in, Bass and one posse member decided to set up camp early on the night of December 20, 1878. As the two men started their preparations, a bullet whizzed by Bass’ head. 

Ducking for cover and ready to return fire, the men only heard silence.

Then, Bass saw a shadow moving through the trees and fired twice. The gunfire was quickly returned, and Bass quickly dropped to cover again.

Dozier, believing he hit Bass, started laughing from the treeline.

Bass jumped up and ordered Dozier to drop his gun. 

The outlaw dropped into a squat as he brought his rifle to bear on the lawman. 

But Bass was faster and shot Dozier in the neck, killing him instantly.

Despite his many accomplishments, Bass Reeves’ life had its challenges. A devoted family man, Bass made a point of being present for his family as much as possible, often taking breaks from work to visit them.

His wife, Nellie, died of consumption (tuberculosis) in 1896.

Then, on June 7, 1902, his son Benjamin (Bennie) murdered his estranged wife after accusing her of infidelity. 

Even though the news shook him, Bass insisted on being the lawman to arrest his son and bring him to justice. 

Bennie was later tried, convicted, and served 11 years at Fort Leavenworth before his sentence was commuted. Bass would never see his son again.

Bass retired from his position as a deputy U.S. marshal in 1907 and served two years as an officer in the Muskogee Police Department before he became ill and stepped down.

After retirement, Bass’ health continued to deteriorate, and he died of Bright’s Disease on January 12, 1910.

Bass Reeves was among the most successful law enforcement officials of his time, but the public largely forgot his legacy. 

However, there has been a renewed interest in his life and accomplishments in recent years. In 2010, the U.S. Marshals Service honored Bass by unveiling a bronze statue in his likeness outside the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The figure depicts Bass on horseback, with a shotgun in his hand, ready to pursue outlaws.

Bass Reeves’ life and career are a testament to the courage and determination of those who seek justice and equality in the face of adversity. He overcame the brutal conditions of slavery and discrimination to become a true hero. He will forever be remembered as one of the most successful lawmen in American history.

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Winter is coming.

The cold, snow, wind, short days, and lack of fresh food have made winter a survival challenge for every species on the planet. While humans have used technology to prevail in harsh climates, wildlife never had that luxury. They have had to adapt to these seasonal changes through various physiological and behavioral modifications. 

However, recent genetic and anthropological research has revealed that nature has also revamped the human body to endure life in the cold zone.

Here are five ways animals, including humans, deal with the depths of winter.

1. Get out of town 

If you can’t handle the cold, it’s time to pack your bags and head south for the winter. Like New Yorkers who escape cold weather by moving to Florida for the season, wildlife also heads to warmer climes for survival.

One of the main reasons animals migrate is to find food. For example, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) swim to summer feeding grounds near the polar ice to feast on small fish and krill. They return to warmer waters in the winter to give birth and raise their calves. Some whales make round trips of up to 10,000 miles.

Approximately 4,000 species of birds migrate every year. The world record holder for migrations distance is the Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea). Averaging 44,000 miles every year as it flies from the Arctic to the Antarctic, and back, this tiny bird spends most of its life in the air. 

Another epic airborne migrator is the Monarch butterfly(Danaus plexippus). These insects have a 3,000-mile migration route that stretches from Canada to Southern California and Mexico. Since these butterflies typically only live 2 to 6 weeks, the migration takes place over several generations. The butterflies stop to lay eggs on milkweed plants along their route. When the eggs hatch, the young caterpillars eat the milkweed, form their chrysalis, and within 14 days, emerge as butterflies to continue the migration. 

2. Sleep it off 

If animals don’t have the body type for covering long distances, they have to stay home for the winter and find a way to survive on little to no food. Animals like bears, mice, skunks, turtles, and frogs survive winter by entering a state of dormancy called hibernation. 

Contrary to popular belief, hibernating animals don’t actually sleep through the winter. For example, Alaskan brown bears (Ursus arctos) just get extraordinarily sleepy and lethargic. They lower their body temperature by 8-12 degrees, and their bodies break down fat stores for fuel to consume for the 2-5 months that winter lasts. During this hibernating period, bears will stay in a den and not eat or drink. They also rarely defecate or urinate.

Bears do move around inside the den during hibernation. They periodically wake to shift body position to better conserve heat and prevent pressure sores from developing. 

Not all bears hibernate. If food is available, some bears will reduce their activity and sleep more than usual but will still be out and about foraging during the winter. 

3. Shelter in place

Some animals can’t migrate or build up enough fat stores to survive winter, so they need to find a way to avoid the bitter cold. 

Beavers (Castor canadensis), the civil engineers of the wild, hunker down inside their intricately constructed and bomb-proof lodges. Before the beaver’s pond freezes, these semi-aquatic rodents store fresh willow, alder, birch, and poplar branches in the deepest part of their pond to protect their winter food supply. Once the top of the pond develops an ice cap, the beaver simply swims under the ice to the cache and brings fresh food into the lodge for family mealtime.

Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) will sometimes sublease space in a beaver lodge during the winter. Muskrats bring in reeds and other foliage to help shore up the lodge’s interior. The muskrats get a safe and warm winter haven in exchange for their tenant improvements and even share the beaver’s food.

4. Change your body

Other animals have evolved to survive the cold through unique physiological adaptations. While most frogs spend winter hibernating deep underwater, their body temperature never falls below freezing. 

The wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) uses a different strategy. Instead of living underwater, this amphibian buries itself in leaf litter on the forest floor. While the leaves and snow provide some insulation from the cold, the frogs are not as protected as they would be if they were surrounded by water. As a result, the wood frog’s body freezes solid and can remain in the frog-sicle state for up to eight months.

The winterization process starts with the wood frog’s internal organs getting encased in ice. The frog’s liver flushes large amounts of glucose into every cell just before it freezes. This syrupy sugar solution acts as an antifreeze to keep the cells from freezing and binds water molecules inside the cells to reduce dehydration.

On the other hand, the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) has its own version of internal antifreeze and stays active year-round. Found deep in Arctic waters, the Greenland shark is the second-largest carnivorous shark after the great white and is also the slowest swimming with an average cruising speed of 0.75 mph.

This shark prefers water between 32-50 degrees Fahrenheit and has a lifespan of more than 200 years. The Greenland shark can thrive in this frigid environment because their bodies contain high levels of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), which makes their flesh poisonous to eat, but also works as a natural antifreeze. 

Fun fact: Early Greenland and Iceland settlers found a way to safely consume this shark by burying the meat in the ground for 2-3 months. By exposing it to several cycles of freezing and thawing and then hanging it to dry for several more months, the meat is ultimately cut into bite-sized morsels known as the cultural delicacy, Hákarl.

On the terra firma side of winter, mammals rely on insulation to retain body heat and dense fur for protection from the elements.

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) has a thick coat of insulated fur that covers a warming layer of fat. An extra evolutionary bonus is black skin which better absorbs the sun’s warming rays.

Penguins also have a dense layer of blubber under their thick skin to provide insulation. Instead of fur, they have four layers of tightly packed and overlapping tiny feathers that provide warmth and waterproofing. Penguins also huddle together in large groups to preserve their collective body heat. These adaptations allow them to survive temperatures as low as -94 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Use technology…while nature forces adaptations

Over the millennia, humans emerged from a tropical environment and moved north. Since our bodies are poorly adapted to the cold, we’ve had to develop strategies that focus on controlling the environment around us. 

Like other mammals, we’ve migrated south to warmer climates. We’ve also attempted to mediate winter’s effects by building warm structures, fabricating insulating clothing, and using fire to provide external heat sources.

We’ve also changed our behaviors and adapted to a more meat-centric diet to replace the fruits and plants that don’t exist at higher latitudes.

Nevertheless, evolution has also forced our bodies to deal with colder climates as our species moved north. Research suggests that early subsets of humans crossbred with Denisovans, an extinct species of human that ranged across Asia more than 150,000 years ago. These interspecies liaisons ultimately led to a boosted immune system, changes in skin color, and cold tolerance adaptations.

Tibetan populations, for example, have the EPAS1 gene, which allows them to function at higher and colder altitudes. This gene is thought to have originated from Denisovans, and breeding with other hominids gave modern man the genetic secret sauce for braving the cold.

Similarly, many Greenlandic Inuits have genetic similarities to Denisovans which allows them to increase heat generation from body fat. These genes, specifically TBX14 and WARS2, are divergent from nearly every other human population. 

Recent research also reveals that our ancestors may have been hibernators. Anthropologists believe some early humans coped with hardcore winters by slowing down their metabolism and sleeping for months on end. Bone analysis of our hominid predecessors in northern Spain revealed lesions and other signs of damage that were consistent with those left on the bones of other hibernating animals.  

The bone markings revealed seasonal variations in bone growth. These disparities suggest that growth was disrupted for several months each year during a period of lowered metabolic states that are typically seen in other hibernating animals.

While some may believe the connection between reduced bone growth and hibernation is tenuous, scientists point to the hibernation attributes of other primates like bushbabies and lemurs. The genetic basis and physiology for lowering metabolism exist in many mammalian species and could easily include humans. 

What about the modern Inuit and Sámi people?

They live in arguably colder and harsher conditions but don’t hibernate.

The answer is diet. 

These indigenous people eat reindeer fat and fatty fish during the winter. This food provides enough nourishment that to keep their metabolism revved up. However, our ancestors in northern Spain lived in an area that didn’t have enough fat-rich food to support them during the cold winter months, making them resort to cave hibernation. 

While seasons come and go, winter is often the harshest and most difficult to survive. This season of extreme cold and limited food tests the limits of every animal. It has also created countless biological miracles, from epic migrations to rewiring cellular structures, showcasing how life on this planet can not only adapt to harsh conditions but thrive. 

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While most of North America’s 4,000 species of spiders are venomous, only four are considered dangerous. That’s mainly because most spiders’ fangs are too short and fragile to break through human skin. 

The four deadliest spiders didn’t become deadly because they had longer or stronger fangs. Or because they use pheromones to coordinate a massive attack, like Africanized honeybees, against their target. This toxic quartet earned their well-deserved reputation from the potency of their venom that turns living tissue into dead, tenderized meat.

1. Brown Recluse (Loxosceles reclusa)

The most venomous of North American spiders, recluse spiders (there are 11 species), are found throughout the United States, with the brown recluse primarily contained in warmer latitudes. 

With a body between ¼ to ¾ inch long, the brown recluse’s most identifiable mark is a dark violin shape positioned on top of the leg attachment region with the violin “neck” pointing toward the abdomen. The recluse also only has six eyes compared to the eight eyes in other spider species. A pair of eyes is in front, and one pair sits on either side of its head.

If you’re looking for a brown recluse, you might find them living in the gaps under logs, rocks, and behind just about any item stored in your garage.

Nearly 90 percent of brown recluse bites result in no reaction in human skin. Some may develop a small red papule (hard, raised skin lesion) that will heal on its own.

The brown recluse’s claim to fame comes from the other 10 percent of bites. The venom from these bites creates dermonecrotic lesions that develop over the course of two weeks. The skin surrounding the bite turns black and eventually falls off. 

The brown recluse’s venom contains a rare protein that has not been found in any other venomous animal. This protein attacks parts of the victim’s cell membrane. If the victim has a reaction to that protein, a dark lesion will form around the bite mark. This is the body’s immune system attempting to keep the venom from spreading by shutting off the blood supply to the affected area. This response had been described as “tissue suicide” to prevent additional damage. 

If the brown recluse venom extends beyond the initial bite area, it is considered systemic. The proteins will start destroying blood cells, possibly leading to kidney or renal failure.

Fortunately, most brown recluse spider bites go unnoticed, and their prey is small. During the day, the spider rests in its web and hunts at night for soft-bodied insects like crickets and cockroaches. 

2. Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans)

The black widow is one of 32 recognized widows in the genus Latrodectus. The black widow is found throughout North America, from Mexico to Canada, but is most common in the southern and western areas of the United States.

A black widow’s body length is approximately a half inch and is black. The female widow has a shiny black body and an orange-to-red hourglass marking on the underside of her abdomen. Sometimes, this hourglass is a small red dot.

Black widows create their webs close to the ground in sheltered areas such as woodpiles, rubble piles, and undisturbed, cluttered spots in crawl spaces and basements. Black widows also love to hang out in outdoor bathrooms and under toilet seats where flies are plentiful. 

Unlike the brown recluse’s venom, the venom of a black widow attacks the victim’s nervous system. It contains neurotoxins called latrotoxins that are 15 times more toxic than prairie rattlesnake venom. The most potent of these latrotoxins is alpha-latrotoxin. This specific toxin targets the juncture between the synapse of one neuron and another neuron or muscle cell. This attack causes the neuron to dump all of its neurotransmitters, creating intense pain and often causing nausea, headaches, abdominal pain, and hypertension. 

About 2,200 people report being bitten by a black widow every year. Most recover within 24 hours with medical treatment that may include antivenin. 

The black widow uses its webs to trap flies, mosquitoes, beetles, and caterpillars and then injects its venom to paralyze its prey before wrapping it in silk.

Black widow venom has evolved over the years to become more potent. Scientists have recently observed black widows tackling larger prey like small snakes and lizards. The spiders are even building more robust webs to hold their heavier quarry.

3. Hobo Spider (Tegenaria agrestis)

The hobo spider is found in the arid regions of southwestern Canada and the western United States.

The smallest of the deadly four, the hobo spider is light brown with a body length between ⅓ to ⅔ of an inch. The spider’s abdomen sports several herringbone-shaped markings. Males have two large mouth pieces — called palpi — that resemble boxing gloves. Females typically have larger and rounder abdomens.

Hobo spiders prefer to inhabit human structures. Since the spider rarely climbs vertical surfaces, it is commonly found in basements and ground-level structures. 

The hobo spider is considered the most aggressive of the four spiders and often bites with little provocation. It can run at a top speed of 1.1 meters per second, or about 2.5 mph.

Like the brown recluse, the hobo spider has necrotic venom. The hobo spider’s bite may initially be painless, but the bitten skin will soon appear red and develop into a blister after 24 hours. The blister will burst, leaving an oozing ulceration in the skin. The wound may take several months to heal. 

The hobo spider is a funnel web spider, building a funnel-shaped structure made from silk sheeting. The spider waits on the small end of the funnel for insects to tumble into the structure.

4. Yellow Sac Spider (Clubionidae mildei and Clubionidae inclusum)

Found throughout the U.S., the yellow sac spider comes in two primary varieties. C. inclusum is native to the States and typically found outside, while C. mildei was introduced from Europe in the 1940s and is mostly outside.

The yellow sac spider’s body is between ¼ to ⅜ of an inch long. While the body color depends on recently eaten prey, it is usually pale yellow to tan and may even have pink or green hues.

The indoor-loving yellow sac is found in homes across America. In contrast, the outdoor-favoring yellow sac lives in silk retreats in crevices or under leaves. 

Since the yellow sac hunts at night, most nuisance bites occur when this tiny hunter bumps into a sleeping human and plunges its powerful fangs, easily penetrating the skin.

The yellow sac’s venom is mildly toxic. Although the bite may be painful and cause skin irritations, it rarely causes necrosis in the skin. Most yellow sac bites heal quickly with minimal scarring. Due to the similar but milder symptoms, yellow sac bites are often misdiagnosed as brown recluse bites.

Oddly enough, some yellow sac spiders are attracted to gasoline. Some species have woven webs inside empty gas containers and even inside the canister vent of specific Mazdas, resulting in blockage and pressure build-up in the car’s fuel tank.

Honorable Mention: Arizona Bark Scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus)

While they may not look exactly alike, spiders and scorpions are both members of the arachnid family. 

Both have four pairs of legs, two distinct body segments, and use sensory organs to detect their nearby prey. Spiders use their fangs to inject venom, and scorpions use their front pincers to catch their quarry and inject venom with a stinger attached to their tail.

Most scorpions in the United States have a weak venom that is only potent enough to kill the small animals and insects it feeds on. 

But the Arizona bark scorpion has enough venom to kill a human.

The Arizona bark scorpion can be found in the southwestern U.S. in the Sonoran Desert. Adult males can reach 3 inches in length, and the slightly smaller females 2-¾ inches in length. 

This scorpion has layers of wax on its exoskeleton to prevent body fluids from evaporating in the hot desert sun. Even with this protective adaptation, the bark scorpion hides under rocks and tree bark during the day. 

A nocturnal hunter, the Arizona bark scorpion preys on beetles, crickets, cockroaches, and other scorpions.

The Arizona bark scorpion’s venom is a cocktail of toxins that target the victim’s neurons, causing intense pain that can last between 24 to 72 hours. People have described the sensation of searing electric jolts in the affected limb. Stings on hands and arms have even temporarily disabled the limb. 

Like most other scorpions, Arizona bark scorpions will glow when exposed to a black light. Typical UV LED lights may be a handy addition to any savvy desert camper’s kit before setting up for the night. 

The post The Top 4 Venomous Spiders in North America appeared first on Danger Ranger Bear.

Illustrator-turned legendary mountaineer Edward Whymper (1840-1911) is considered one of Britain’s peak-bagging legends during the Golden Era of climbing. In addition to being the first person to summit the Matterhorn, Whymper’s climbing exploits advanced barometric research and revolutionized high-altitude tent designs.

Born on April 27, 1840, in London, Whymper was the second of 11 children. His father, Josiah, was a painter and engraver. At age 14, Whymper dropped out of school to join his father’s wood engraving business. 

Six years into his new occupation, an editor at Longman — a book publisher founded in 1724 —  commissioned 20-year-old Whymper to create a series of illustrations of prominent alpine peaks in the Alps. 

Whymper immediately fell in love with the area’s rugged peaks upon his arrival in Switzerland. He spent the summer hiking more than 600 miles sketching and scrambling across glaciers and various mountains. 

Enthralled by the experience, Whymper returned over the next four summers and started to take climbing seriously. As was common at the time, his only mountaineering gear was a tweed suit, a modified hatchet, ice creepers (spikes driven through the soles of the boots), and a grappling hook. 

He also used thick, heavy hemp ropes. Since these woven fiber ropes had no stretch, they were not used for arresting a climber’s fall since the shock load typically resulted in a rope or anchor failure. The hemp ropes were primarily used to create human chains while traversing glaciers and rock ridges. 

During these summer visits, Whymper completed the first ascents of Barre des Ecrins, Aiguille d’Argentière, and Mont Dolent in 1864. The following year, he summited Aiguille Verte, Grand Cornier, and Grandes Jorasses, later renamed Pointe Whymper.

By 1865, 15 attempts had been made to summit the 14,692-foot high Matterhorn, which straddles the Italian and Swiss border. Seven of those attempts were even Whymper. 

By July of that year, Whymper had decided to change his strategy. He retained the services of an Italian guide to climb the Matterhorn’s Italian ridge. But before the expedition departed, Whymper discovered his guide would leave him for a new, higher-paying client who wanted to make the summit attempt. 

Whymper quickly organized another team of eight climbers in Zermatt, the town at the mountain’s base. His objective was to beat the Italians to the summit and become the first human to stand atop the Matterhorn.

Whymper hired Swiss guide Peter Taugwalder and his two sons, Peter and Joseph. He then recruited four other climbers who were in the area and planning their own summit attempts: French guide Michel Croz and Englishmen Lord Francis Douglas, Charles Hudson, and 19-year-old Douglas Hadow. 

Just days before, Hudson and Hadow had completed an aggressive climb on Mont Blanc. While the speed of their climb was notable, the effort expended would lead to catastrophic consequences for the Matterhorn attempt.

On the morning of July 13, Whymper’s new team made a mad dash up the mountain’s Swiss side. After 7-½ hours of climbing, the party set up a tent near the base of the peak to spend the night and prepare for their summit attempt early the following morning.

Shortly after dawn, the men started for the summit, unroped. By 1:40 p.m., they had conquered the Matterhorn.

Checking for footprints that would reveal if the Italian climbers had beat him to the top, Whymper peered over the edge and saw the Italians 200 meters below, still working toward the summit.

Whymper and Croz yelled and threw rocks at the Italians to get their attention. Once the Italian guide saw Whymper beat his team to the summit, he turned around and led his team back down the mountain.

After staying for an hour on the summit, Whymper and his team began the long descent. The men were tied together with hemp rope, Croz in front, followed by Hadow, Hudson, and Douglas. Next was the senior Taugwalder, Whymper, with Taugwalder’s son. 

The young Hadow, allegedly fatigued from his Mount Blanc climb, needed extra assistance during the descent. His worn shoes kept slipping, so Croz had to help him secure his feet. Croz had to lay down his ice axe every time he did this.

At 3:45 p.m. — the moment imprinted on the crushed pocket watch of one of the victims — Hadow slipped again and slammed into Croz. Croz lost his footing and fell headlong down the steep slope, pulling Hadow, Hudson, and Douglas with him. 

Hearing Croz yell, Taugwalder and Whymper latched onto nearby rocks to arrest the men’s fall, but the rope broke. 

Whymper watched Hadow, Hudson, Douglas, and Croz slide downwards on their backs, frantically clawing at the snow to save themselves. One by one, they fell off the precipice and landed on the Matterhorn glacier nearly 4,000 feet below. 

In shock, Whymper and the two Taugwalders fixed their remaining rope to rocks, then continued the descent before finding a resting place to spend the night at 9:30 p.m. 

The surviving expedition members reached the town of Zermatt on the morning of July 15, and a rescue attempt began that afternoon. Volunteers saw the men’s bodies lying on the snow near the plateau of the Matterhorn Glacier and retreated back to town before dark.

Early Sunday morning. Whymper led the recovery effort to find his fallen teammates. Upon reaching the glacier’s plateau, Whymper found the bodies of Hadow, Hudson, and Croz. The only sign of Douglas was his sleeve.

The bodies were recovered on Wednesday, July 19. Douglas’ body was never found.

Later, Whymper examined the hemp rope that had connected the team during the descent. He discovered that Taugwalder had used the oldest and weakest rope in the team’s arsenal. This rope had only been intended as a reserve. Stronger ropes had tied the fallen men together, while the weaker reserve rope was the one that connected Douglas to the elder Taugwalder.

The Matterhorn tragedy immediately became a media sensation. Peter Taugwalder became the subject of an investigation on allegations he cut the rope to save himself. He was eventually cleared of responsibility but shunned by other mountaineers. He soon quit his guiding job and emigrated to America.

The accident drew so much media attention that Queen Victoria even asked her advisors to draft laws to prevent her subjects from participating in mountaineering and climbing.

After the accident, Whymper shied away from the Alps. He continued to run his family’s engraving business and organized expeditions to explore the coastline and interior of Greenland.

In 1880, he completed the first ascent of Ecuador’s Chimborazo (20,549 feet). During his South American trips, Whymper started studying the scientific effects of altitude on humans.

In 1892, Whymper published “Travels Amongst the Great Andes of the Equator.” Considered his finest work, the book blends Whymper’s illustrations and his scientific inquiries and recollections of Ecuadorian climbs investigating altitude sickness. The book earned him the Patron’s medal from the Royal Geographical Society for groundbreaking work on living in high elevations.

Whymper later published “How to Use the Aneroid Barometer” for climbers and guide books for Chamonix and Zermatt.

Whymper also designed an A-frame mountaineering tent known as the Whymper tent. During Whymper’s Era, there were no tents suited for the harsh conditions found in mountaineering. Most tents were large, unwieldy, and designed for the military. 

Whymper’s tent was held up with two crossed poles and a climbing rope as a ridgeline. The tent was made of canvas with an integral Mackintosh groundsheet and weighed 22 pounds — dry. 

The Whymper tent revolutionized mountaineering since it was relatively light with high stability and wind resistance at altitude.

In the early 1900s, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) hired Whymper to conduct trail explorations and surveys in the Canadian Rockies that would help develop tourism in the area. The CPR also paid Whymper to promote the Canadian Rockies and the rail line during his lectures in Europe and Asia. 

During his trips to Canada, Whymper made the first ascents of Mount Whymper and Stanley Peak in the Vermilion Pass area of the Canadian Rockies.

Despite his scientific work, Whymper’s most famous book is “Scrambles Among the Alps,” published in 1871. In addition to over 80 illustrations by Whymper, the book includes a detailed account of his experience in the Alps from 1860-1869, including the tragic event that haunted him for the rest of his life.

“Every night, do you understand, I see my comrades of the Matterhorn slipping on their backs, their arms outstretched, one after the other, in perfect order at equal distances-Croz the guide, first, then Hadow, then Hudson, and lastly Douglas. Yes, I shall always see them…”

Later in life, Whymper returned to the Alps every summer. After a climb in Chamonix in 1911, he returned to his room at the Grand Hotel Couttet and died at the age of 71.

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One of the world’s most renowned watermen, Clyde “Duke” Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku, changed how we view and engage with oceans today. As a five-time Olympic medalist, rescue swimmer, and the father of modern surfing, Kahanamoku defined the standard of the 20th-century Renaissance aquatic athlete.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1890, the same year the United States annexed Hawaii,  Kahanamoku grew up in a family of prominent swimmers. His father, Charles, was a local champion swimmer and surfer. His brothers, Nai and Kan, also became champion swimmers. 

On August 11, 1911, Kahanamoku broke the world record in the 100-yard freestyle swim by 4.6 seconds. In addition to having a six-foot, one-inch tall physique and size 13 feet — perfectly built for propelling him through the water — the 21-year-old used a combination of the Australian crawl stroke with a double-flutter kick. 

Later called the “Kahanamoku Kick,” this version of the Australian crawl helped him easily beat the competition in swimming events. 

His record-breaking swim was so impressive that the American Athletic Union (AAU) disallowed it, concluding that currents and timekeeping errors contributed to his feat.

The Hawaii community rallied behind Kahanamoku and raised money to send him to the U.S. mainland in 1912 to demonstrate to the AAU his skills in the water were indeed real.

Kahanamoku’s muscles cramped during his first national pool competition, and he had to be rescued from the water. 

He tried later in the week and won the 50-yard and 100-yard races he entered. 

These wins caught the attention of George Kistler, the University of Pennsylvania swim coach. Kistler worked with Kahanamoku to improve his turning technique, breathing, and diving. 

Less than a month under Kistler’s tutelage Kahanamoku earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic swim team. In 1912, at age 22, he went on to  win a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and a silver medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the Stockholm Olympics. 

Buoyed by his Olympic success, Kahanamoku invested the next four years of his life in training for the 1916 Summer Olympics that were to be held in Berlin, Germany. Unfortunately, the games were canceled with the First World War raging across Europe. 

Kahanamoku then shifted his sights to the 1920 Olympics and spent the intervening years raising money for the American Red Cross by giving swimming and lifesaving performances across the globe. 

Contracting the Spanish Flu in 1918 put a temporary halt to his training. Kahanamoku eventually recovered and went on to compete in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics. He won the gold medals in the 100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter freestyle relay. 

Kahanamoku returned to the 1924 Games in Paris, where he won the silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle. Johnny Weismuller, the future star of the “Tarzan” movies (1932-1948), captured the gold medal, and the bronze went to Kahanamoku’s younger brother, Samuel. 

Kahanamoku made one last appearance in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. At age 42, the five-time Olympic medalist served as an alternate on the U.S. water polo team.

Although he introduced longboards to the United States and Australia in 1914, Kahanamoku’s wave riding influence increased after he retired as an Olympian and traveled the world teaching swimming and sharing the Hawaiian sport of surfing. 

Kahanamoku’s early surfboards were made of redwood or pine and were between 12 to 16 feet long. His longer redwood surfboards weighed up to 100 pounds.

Kahanamoku also taught Australian lifesavers how to use the longboard as a rescue tool effectively. While the Aussies had acquired a surfboard while visiting Hawaii in 1912, they didn’t know how to use the board to its fullest potential. When Kahanamoku visited Australia in 1915, he showed the lifesaving teams how to use the surfboard to transport distressed swimmers to shore. 

In 1925 in Newport Beach, California, Kahanamoku used that technique to save eight people when a squall capsized a 40-foot sport fishing boat. He made eight trips through the stormy surf, dragging passengers onto his board, and kept venturing out into the swells to recover the bodies of those who perished.

Newport’s police chief declared Kahanmoku’s feat the “most superhuman surfboard rescue act the world has ever seen.” 

After that event, American lifeguards started using surfboards as part of their rescue efforts.

Kahanamoku was cast in several minor Hollywood film roles in the 1920s and played himself a few times in the 1950s and 1960s. 

Hawaiians elected him to serve as sheriff of the city and county of Honolulu in 1934, and he remained in that office until 1960. 

When Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state in 1959, Kahanamoku was named the official State of Hawaii Ambassador of Aloha. 

He later survived brain surgery and danced the hula with Queen Elizabeth II of England before dying of a heart attack on January 22, 1968, at 77. 

As a testament to his widespread impact and influence on swimming and surfing, Kahanamoku was the first person inducted into both the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1965, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984, and the Surfers’ Hall of Fame in 1994. 

Since longboard surfing led to modern-day skateboarding, snowboarding, and even skysurfing, many board enthusiasts believe Kahanamoku is the father of all board sports.

In 1999, Surfer Magazine named Kahanamoku “Surfer of the Century.” In 2000, Sports Illustrated honored him as Hawaii’s “greatest sports figure of the century.”  Today there are no less than three statues celebrating the Duke; one in his hometown of Waikiki, another in Huntington Beach, and a third at Fresh Water Beach Australia.

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Located 290 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, Katmai sits in the middle of one of the most volcanically active landmasses on earth.

The 1912 eruption of Novarupta transformed a fertile green valley that was home to wildlife and humans alike for millennia, into an ash-filled wasteland. Novarupta was the 20th century’s most massive volcanic eruption. The explosion buried some parts of the valley under 700 feet of volcanic matter. The ash fall reached as far away as Texas, and the blast was heard 700 miles away in Juneau. 

Explorer Robert Grigg climbed nearby Katmai Pass in 1916. He became the first person to see the valley floor’s remnants and its thousands of steam vents, or fumaroles. He is credited with coining the name, the Valley of 10,000 Smokes. 

Grigg’s efforts to preserve the area led to the creation of Katmai National Park & Preserve on September 24, 1918.

This “valley of destruction” is one of the top attractions of Katmai National Park & Preserve. Since the eruption more than 100 years ago, the Ukak River has carved gorges into the ash, creating breathtaking geologic features. 

Outside of the Valley of 10,000 Smokes, Katmai shimmers with life and color. In addition to bears, more than 40 other mammal species live within the park’s coastal and lake regions. 

But perhaps the park’s most famous attraction is the brown bear (Ursus arctos). Katmai is home to North America’s largest protected population of brown bears, one of the world’s largest living terrestrial members of the order Carnivora. About 2,200 brown bears live in the park, and more bears than people live on the Alaska Peninsula.

Between 75-100, brown bears gather along the Brooks Falls on the Brooks River to feed on the massive summer sockeye salmon run. The annual event brings in tourists from around the world and creates one of the Internet’s more popular live streams.

At least 14 active volcanoes are within Katmai’s boundaries, with around 80 major volcanic centers located in the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. 

Parts of the Aleutian Range are within the park’s 4.2 million acres. Higher peaks are volcanoes that steeply rise from the coastline to elevations higher than 7,000 feet. Glaciers surround many of the mountain slopes, with a handful descending almost to sea level. The park’s largest glaciers are up to 12 miles long and four miles wide.

Katmai’s northern region is known as the “lake region.” The centerpiece is the park’s largest lake, Naknek Lake. The 40-mile-long lake is fed by glacial waters and drains into Bristol Bay via the Naknek River. 

Naknek Lake has all five Pacific salmon species as well as rainbow trout, Arctic char, and northern pike, making the lake a highly sought-after destination for anglers.

Situated near the mouth of the Brooks River and the shore of Naknek Lake is the popular campsite Brooks Camp. Protected by an electric fence, campers can watch brown bears swim and stroll along the beach and fish along Brooks Falls.

The Brooks River has been a hub of human activity for at least 9,000 years.  

Due to similarities in tools and remains, archaeologists believe some of the area’s earliest residents may have crossed over the Bering Strait land bridge by foot or boat.

About 5,000 years ago, Naknek Lake and Brooks Lake were one body of water. As the centuries passed, the Naknek River began to cut through the glacial moraine that dammed the lake, lowering its level and ultimately creating two separate lakes.

By 3,000 BCE, inhabitants were building permanent, semi-subterranean homes called ciqlluaq along the lake’s shoreline.

Most of Katmai’s indigenous people were of Alutiiq/Sugpiaq descent — one of the eight Alaska Native peoples. Their primary food sources were salmon, halibut, and whales. Land mammals and berries provided secondary sustenance based on the seasons.

Russian explorers arrived in the Katmai area in the 1740s, and European fur traders soon followed.

There were four year-round villages in the area until the 1912 Novarupta eruption. Due to the heavy ash fall, the residents left Katmai and resettled elsewhere along the Alaska Peninsula.

Unconnected by roads to any town, today’s visitors can only reach the Katmai National Park & Preserve by a two- or three-hour floatplane flight from Anchorage or Homer. 

In addition to world-class bear watching and fishing, many wilderness adventurers come to Katmai for epic backcountry camping or canoeing and kayaking the 86-mile Savonoski Loop. Experience traveling in bear country is highly recommended.

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Gertrude Bell (1868-1926) was a Victorian-era trailblazer who left the posh comforts of her wealthy British family for a life of exploration, archaeology, and political service. She authored several books on the Middle East and played a critical role in establishing modern-day Iraq after the First World War. 

Gertrude Bell was born in Washington, England, to an affluent and politically connected family. She attended Queen’s College and then Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford University for her formal education. 

Bell graduated with a modern history degree in 1892 and was one of the first two Oxford women to graduate with first-class honors.

Immediately after leaving Oxford, Bell went to Persia (modern-day Iran) to visit her uncle, Sir Francis Lascelles. He was serving as an embassy minister at the time. Her first book, Persian Pictures: From the Mountains to the Sea (published in 1894), features Bell’s sketches and explores the country’s heroic past and prolonged decline.  

Bitten by the adventuring bug, Bell left Persia to mountaineer in Switzerland. She climbed the highest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc. She then gained some celebrity after a summit attempt of the unclimbed northeast face of the Finsteraarhorn. A sudden summer blizzard pinned Bell and her team on the highest mountain in the Bernese Alps, clinging to a rope for 53 hours.

Bell’s love for history led her back to the Middle East in 1899. She visited Syria and Palestine and explored the historic cities of Damascus and Jerusalem. These experiences led her to a deeper understanding and passion for the region’s culture and people.

During this time, Bell became fluent in several languages, including Persian, Arabic, Turkish, French, Italian, and German. 

In 1907, Bell began working on excavations in Turkey with Sir William M. Ramsay, a Scottish archaeologist considered one of the foremost authorities of his time on Asia Minor history and the New Testament. 

She then shifted her focus to Mesopotamia (roughly modern-day Iraq), the land between the Tigris River to the east and the Euphrates on the west. She studied and mapped ancient ruins in Carchemish, Babylon, and Najaf. 

She completed her four-year Middle Eastern journey in 1913 by traveling 1,800 miles from Damascus to Ha’Libecame, the second non-native woman to visit Ha’il in northwestern Saudi Arabia. 

When the First World War kicked off on July 28, 1914, Bell wanted a diplomatic posting to the Middle East. Her requests were denied, so she volunteered with the Red Cross and worked in an auxiliary military hospital established in the home of Lord and Lady Onslow at Clandon Park.

Frustrated by the low level of work she was doing at the hospital — sorting and distributing books to the patients — Bell pushed for a position closer to the front lines in France. 

That request was eventually granted, and in November 1914, Bell received instructions to report to the Red Cross headquarters in Boulogne, France. 

When she arrived in France, Bell was 46 years old. 

She wanted to contribute more to the war effort than working as a field hospital secretary.

After all, In the years leading up to the Great War, she had commanded desert caravans. She mapped Middle Eastern terrain with great precision during her previous exploits. She studied the geography of the region and the politics of the tribes. Her cultural awareness, political savvy, and excellent language fluency allowed her to build relationships with local tribes that many of her male contemporaries could not.

Bell’s past eventually caught the attention of British Intelligence. They needed someone with her Middle Eastern experience to help soldiers successfully navigate the desert. With her close relationships with locals and tribal leaders in Syria and Mesopotamia, Bell was made a political officer in the British forces in Cairo — the only woman with that distinction during the war. 

When British troops captured Baghdad in 1917, Bell was appointed Oriental Secretary for High Commissioner of Iraq. Her assignment was to assist in the restructuring of the former Ottoman Empire. 

As a reward to the various Arab tribes that had joined the British under T.E. Lawrence (aka “Lawrence of Arabia”) to overthrow the Ottomans, the British had promised the groups the right to self-governance at the war’s end. 

In 1919, Bell authored the report “Self Determination in Mesopotamia,” which ultimately led to the creation of modern-day Iraq. 

Despite Bell’s experience with the region and its people, vital elements of her report were unfortunately ignored by British leadership. Bell soon realized that Britain had promised an Arab government with British advisers but intended to create a British government with Arab advisers.

Britain’s objectives were formalized at the Cairo Conference of 1921 — which included Bell, Lawrence, and Winston Churchill as delegates. A plan was approved that divided the former Ottoman territories into two. Each region would be ruled by a prince in the Hashemite family. Prince Faisal I bin Al-Hussein bin Ali Al-Hashemi, who worked with Lawrence during the war, would be the leader of a new country called Iraq. His brother, Prince Abdullah, would lead Transjordan (now Jordan). 

Bell believed that none of the proposed borders would satisfy every faction, and long-term peace would be improbable. However, she was determined to see the new country succeed, so she continued as Oriental Secretary. 

Bell made Baghdad her permanent home and became an advisor to King Faisal. She helped to write Iraq’s constitution and organize elections. Her deep knowledge of the culture and language allowed her to effectively deal with the various Iraqi factions and interests, earning her the nickname “al-Khatun,” or “Lady of the Court.”

Another result of the war’s conclusion was an excavation frenzy by American and European archaeologists across Iraq. Bell wanted to keep the artifacts in the country, so she worked with King Faisal to create the Iraqi Archaeological Museum (now the National Museum of Iraq). She also supervised excavations, donated several items from her personal collection, and served as director of antiquities.

Eventually, the desert heat and Bell’s heavy workload affected her health. Suffering from rapid weight loss and recurring bronchitis, she gave up her post and returned to England. 

Upon her landing in 1925, she found her family’s fortune, made primarily in the iron industry, was in a downward spiral. Labor strikes and economic depression across Europe had taken their toll on the family’s businesses.

Bell soon developed pleurisy, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs. Shortly after she recovered from the illness and returned to Baghdad in 1926. 

She stayed out of politics, but in June, presided over the opening of the museum’s first antiques room. 

Weeks later, she was found dead on the morning of July 12 from an overdose of sleeping pills. 

Gertrude Bell was buried in Baghdad’s Bab al-Sharji district at the British cemetery. She was posthumously awarded the Order of the British Empire. 

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The son of two freeborn sharecroppers, famed African American explorer Matthew Henson was one of the first two Americans to reach the North Pole on April 6, 1909. Henson had been an indispensable member of Robert Peary’s multiple Arctic expeditions and was valued for his polar expertise and relationships with the local Inuit.  

Orphaned at 11, Henson worked for a brief time as a dishwasher in a restaurant before walking nearly 40 miles to Baltimore and joining the merchant ship Katie Hines as a cabin boy. The vessel was bound for Hong Kong and became Henson’s home for the next five years.

Henson visited China, Japan, France, Africa, and Russia during his time aboard the three-masted sailing ship. The ship’s captain, Captain Childs, was a Quaker who taught Henson seamanship, reading, writing, navigation, geography, history, and mathematics.

After Childs fell ill and died in 1883, Henson left the ship in Baltimore and joined the crew of a fishing schooner bound for Newfoundland. The captain and crew of the new ship treated Henson poorly, so he left once they arrived in Canada. 

Working his way back to Baltimore, Henson found few opportunities in the Post-Civil War reconstruction era. Jobs were scarce, but he ultimately found work in 1887 as a stock clerk in the clothing and hat store, B.H. Steinmetz and Sons. 

There, he met a young naval officer, Lieutenant Robert E. Peary. Peary was in the store looking for tropical hats for an upcoming trip to Central America. Impressed by Henson’s seafaring background and Steinmetz’s recommendation, Peary hired Henson to join him as his personal valet on an engineering survey expedition to Nicaragua. 

The pair traveled together for the next 20 years, including seven Arctic expeditions between 1891 and 1908.

Between Arctic expeditions, Henson married Eva Helen Flint in 1891 and then quickly rejoined Peary for the duo’s first Greenland expedition. 

Henson and Peary returned to Greenland for a second time in 1893, intending to chart the country’s entire ice cap. The team was on the verge of starvation at the end of their two-year expedition, having survived by eating all but one of their sled dogs. 

Despite these travails, they returned with another team in 1896 and 1897 to collect three large meteorites they had found during previous expeditions. The meteorites were sold to the Museum of Natural History, using proceeds to fund future expeditions.

Henson’s multiple Greenland expeditions created friction in his marriage, and he and Flint divorced in 1897.

Peary and Henson made several attempts to reach the North Pole. Their 1902 expedition ended with six Inuit members dying once the team ran out of food and supplies. 

Their 1905 trip was sponsored by President Theodore Roosevelt. Armed with a state-of-the-art ice cutter, Peary and Henson were able to sail within 175 miles of the North Pole before being forced back due to weather conditions affecting the pack ice.

Both Peary and Henson fathered sons with local Inuit women during this trip. Henson’s son, Anauakaq, grew up to become an Arctic hunter and lived in his home village of Moriusaq, Greenland, until his death in 1987.

Upon returning to the United States and before he left for the Arctic expedition that would land him as one of the first men to stand on the North Pole, Henson married Lucy Jane Ross in 1906. He remained married to her throughout his life and had no other children.

After several attempts, Henson and Peary, along with four Inuit aides (Uutaaq, Ukkjaaq, Iggiannguaq, and Sigluk), finally reached the North Pole on April 6, 1909. The expedition began with 24 men, 19 sleds, and 133 dogs and ended with six men and 40 dogs. 

Over the two decades Peary and Henson worked together, contemporaries criticized Peary for hiring a black man instead of a white assistant. While some argued that Henson worked for smaller wages as a black man, others point to the fact that Henson was one of the few living men who had the skills necessary to reach the North Pole. 

Henson was an accomplished polar explorer who built sleds and repaired them, built igloos, managed sled dogs, made clothing from furs, and spoke the Inuit language. 

According to another North Pole expedition member, Donald B. McMillan, Henson “…made every sledge and cookstove used on the route to the pole. Henson was altogether the most efficient man with Peary.”

In addition to his critical contributions to the 1909 expedition’s welfare and survival, Henson saved Peary’s life twice. The first was when Peary nearly drowned, and the second time was when he was attacked by a musk ox. Henson also treated Peary when the expedition leader suffered frostbite and gangrene on the polar ice cap. 

Henson was also the most skilled and beloved member of the expeditions when it came to working with the local Inuit communities. Peary was liked for his gifts, while Henson was seen as a friend. The Inuit gave him the nickname Maripaluk, meaning “kind Matthew.”

After his last North Pole expedition, Henson returned home to live a life of relative obscurity, working as a clerk for U.S. Customs. 

Henson wrote two books about his arctic explorations. The first was his memoir,  A Negro Explorer at the North Pole, in 1912. He later collaborated with Bradley Robinson in 1947 to co-write his biography, Dark Companion: The Story of Matthew Henson.

Henson was honored with two Master of Science degrees, one from Morgan State College and one from Howard University. He was also elected as a member of The Explorers Club in 1937. The mittens he wore on the 1909 expedition are displayed at the organization’s New York City headquarters. 

Henson was also awarded the U.S. Navy Medal in June 1945, along with other Americans from Peary’s 1909 expedition. He was not invited to the ceremony because he was black. 

Henson died in New York City on March 9, 1955, at the age of 88. He and his wife Lucy were reburied with other national heroes at Arlington National Cemetery in 1988.

Today, the USNS Henson, a 329 foot Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship sails the world’s oceans conducting research in his name.

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The Grand Canyon should be on everyone’s short list of must see natural wonders. On January 11, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared the Grand Canyon a national monument and in 1919 it was further preserved by becoming one of the country’s earliest National Parks. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site.

Formed by millions of years of erosion by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, 18 miles at it’s widest and over a mile deep at its floor. This large area means there are almost unlimited views and ways to see the Canyon whether from the air, hiking along the rim, camping or from a raft in the Colorado River.

Now a National Landmark in itself, Architect Mary Colter’s Desert View
Watchtower was constructed in 1932 and offers sweeping views of the Eastern Portion of Grand Canyon

Depending on where you go in the park or the activity it is important to plan ahead. During 2016 over 6 million people visited the park. In order to lessen crowds and the impact on the environment, some permits are required for activities such as river trips and back country camping. It’s best to make reservations as far in advance as possible though there are a small number last minute permits available for backcountry camping they are usually limited to a two night stay.

When deciding where and how to visit the Grand Canyon it may be easier to divide it into North and South.

North Rim

The North Rim section of Grand Canyon National park and is only open from May to October. This short season is due to the winter snows that frequent North Rim’s 8 thousand feet of elevation. The North Rim is a good bet if you’d like to avoid crowds as it is 45 miles north of main area of the park and offers areas for camping, motor campers and a lodge. You can take it slow or there is plenty of scenic driving in this area with plenty of stops to view the Canyon from a variety of vantage points.

South Rim

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the main hub of activity. It is home to the Park’s Headquarters and many lodges and hotels. This area can be very crowded during peaks tourist season. There are also camp grounds and plenty of hiking trails in this area.

Your best bet is to come off peak and be an early bird. There is train service from Williams Arizona to the South Rim. No matter your mode of transportation it is advised to skip parking hassles and use the various free shuttle busses that make multiple loops throughout the park.

The South Rim is also the jumping off point for the famous mule rides to the canyon floor. Do to 2011 changes in park regulations there are only 10 slots available per day so plan accordingly.

Visiting the Grand Canyon also puts you in close proximity to other National Forests and great outdoor destinations. One hour by car is the forested and cooler area of Flagstaff. One more hour and you can visit Sedona which also has beautiful red cliffs and rock formations. Sedona is also believed by some to be a vortex of the Earth’s energy!

However you do it and no matter the season, the Grand Canyon will leave you with lasting memories of Nature’s shear power and beauty.

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