BY KAREN BOSSICK

In 2014 Ted Stout and friends a few friends embarked on a week-long expedition across the jagged aa lava rock of Craters of the Moon National Monument.

Stout, who hopes to repeat the trip this spring, will discuss his 2014 adventure in a free presentation called “Hiking the Great Rift” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at Hailey Town Center West. The talk will be accompanied by images taken by professional photographer Craig Wolfrom.

The presentation is part of the Hailey Public Library’s Wanderlust series, which so far has taken armchair adventurers to Morocco, the Himalaya and Greenland.

Stout served as chief of interpretation and education at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve for 17 years until his retirement in 2020. His pictorial guide to the national monument was published in 2022 as part of the Images of America series.

“Ted’s amazing trip celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act and highlighted a little-known story about the creation of Craters of the Moon National Monument,” said Kristin Fletcher, the Library’s education and community engagement manager. “The group followed in the footsteps of the historic, 17-day, 80-mile crossing of the Great Rift in 1920 by Robert Limbert, his friend Walter Cole and Teddy, an Airedale Terrier. It must have been brutal.”

In fact, it was Limbert’s article in a 1924 edition of National Geographic magazine that brought the attention of Craters to the public and raised calls for it to be turned into a national park. Limbert’s article and the slide shows he presented throughout the country ultimately led to the creation of Craters of the Moon National Monument by President Calvin Coolidge in May 1924.

The monument and preserve will celebrate its 100th anniversary this spring.

Thursday’s program will be livestreamed at