In Bivouac Headquarters, April 2001

But every job I had was temporary, and I wanted to do something more permanent. When the internet came along, I was so excited, and that is what started Bivouac. In the next couple of years I spent most of my savings on operating a money losing company to make internet databases. But eventually I stumbled on a practical technology, and that became Bivouac.com.

Bivouac became something because of volunteers. It wasn't just a guidebook written by one person, it became a guidebook written by dozens. Through the website, I met numerous new contacts, and some pretty talented programmers. I try to get to know something about each of the key contributors personally. Between 1995 and 2000, we tried various ideas with Bivouac, but things really started working in 2000 when it turned into an Encyclopedia. Don't ever believe that MBA stuff about the need for formal "business plans". The real way small businesses work is by evolution. You never really know how events will unfold.

My own trip reports soon faded into the background of the great guidebook like collections you see today. But I still keep writing new stories, every time I go somewhere new. I'll look in bivouac, and find a peak or area for which there is very little information, and that will be my motivation to go there. I always wanted to be a reporter.