HELENA — Despite the cold temperatures, people were outside and set off on the year's first hike in Helena. It was because of New Year’s resolutions for some and others it’s a way to spend time with loved ones.
For Ryall Evans and Bella Birmingham, it was more than just a first day hike.
"Today is kind of our last hang out before I leave for the Marines. Going to be gone for a while, a couple years, and just figured we would take a hike and see how it goes," Evans said.
January 1st marks the tenth annual observance of National First Day Hikes.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks promote the first-day hike to encourage people to get outside and enjoy a state park or local trail.
Nathan Ragsdale, a hiker at Mount Helena says, "What better way to start the New Year than to climb a mountain see some pretty stuff and take in all of Helena."
In Helena, hikers are taking on Mount Helena and other trails in the area and enjoy more than just the exercise.
A young hiker named Silas did the hike with some of his friends.
"It was beautiful and I saw the snow and we had a good time," he told MTN.
Hiking to the top of a mountain less than 24 hours into the New Year is an achievement for some.
“I definitely feel like I have accomplished something already," Madison Stewart, another hiker said.
Ragsdale says, "This is the first year that we have done this and it beats being hungover on the first and just struggling to get through the day."
As many set goals for the New Year, many Montanans set outdoor goals like hiking, fishing, and running more. Some want to learn how to set traps and hunt to feed their family.
A first-day hike is just one way locals were getting into the New Year's goal mentality.
Evans says, "Hiking is a good symbol, just one step at a time taking on the New Year."
