Book excerpt: "Life of the Trail" is a fascinating series that guides today's hikers and armchair travelers through the stories of historic routes in the Canadian Rockies. When authors Emerson Sanford and Janice Sanford Beck began backpacking together nearly 20 years ago, they often wondered whose footsteps they were retracing and how today's trails through the Rockies came to be there. In "Life of the Trail," they share their findings with adventurers and history buffs alike. "Life of the Trail 3: The Historic Route from Old Bow Fort to Jasper" starts at the remains of Peigan Post, originally built in 1832 and still visible today, located at the west end of the Morley Reserve. This entire route is now a contemporary road, but early in the 20th century the section north of Lake Louise was the main trail heading north and was very busy with pioneers, adventurers and explorers. The trail has been divided into three sections: Old Bow Fort to Lake Louise, Lake Louise to Sunwapta Pass and Sunwapta Pass to Jasper.