Every year, millions of tourists visit the great state of Wyoming. Some of them are morons. This is the legendary tale of the Cowboy State's original 'touron', Truman Everts.

Everts was an I.R.S. Agent from Montana invited to participate in the first official expedition to Yellowstone in 1870. His 37-day journey through the wilderness was marred by a series of unfortunate events.

When the party arrived at Yellowstone Lake, Everts wandered out of camp and got lost. Then, his horse took off, taking his gun and most of his supplies. 32 miles later and several days later, Everts arrived at Heart Lake, where he slept in a tree to avoid mountain lions. Along the way, he lost both of his knives, was scalded when he fell into a hot spring and burned his hair off when he accidentally started a forest fire.

As hunger and isolation led to delusions and hallucinations, Everts stumbled on the Yellowstone River. Finally, after meandering in the backcountry for five weeks, he was rescued by a hunter named Yellowstone Jack, who originally mistook Everts for a mangy bear.

Following his epic misadventure, Everts wrote an account of the expedition titled "37 Days in Peril". The story fascinated readers across America and was credited for helping Yellowstone become the country's first national park two years later.

A monument to Wyoming's original touron still stands today. Mount Everts is a 7,846 peak, not far from the Mammoth Hot Springs that nearly killed its namesake 149 years ago.

 

 

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