Hello all! I’m Noah Bosworth. I’ll be finishing up a degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology (focus in endangered species policy and fisheries ecology) next fall after six long years. I’m a transplant to Montana from the beautiful state of Maine, having made the move after my first attempt at school went up in smoke. A great deal of my childhood was spent criss-crossing the U.S. from one wild place to another, and mountains have always been close to my heart. Paddling, skiing, fishing, rock and ice climbing, camping, and exploratory trips to the many ranges of this country taught me invaluable lessons in self-reliance and perseverance. This year marks a decade during which climbingin all its forms has been a part of my life, and I find myself thinking more critically about the way this user group functions in our wild alpine realm. This class seemed an excellent way to explore the history of controversy surrounding this subject.