On a beautiful fall day on America’s first national forest, Prince Albert II of Monaco retraced the steps his great-grandfather took 100 years ago through the wilderness of the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming.
Prince Albert II helped celebrate on Sept. 20 the centennial anniversary of the hunting trip his great-grandfather, Prince Albert I, took with now-historic figures William “Buffalo Bill” Cody and Abraham Archibald Anderson, the first Special Superintendent of Forest Reserves. The successful hunting trip cemented lasting relationships between the men and established an area in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, which is still known today as Camp Monaco.
The centennial celebration began with a morning horseback trail ride following a route very similar to one Prince Albert I took a century ago. A local outfitter and fly-fishing guide, Lee Livingston Outfitting Inc., guided Prince Albert II and his party through the changing leaves of the forest where they were greeted with splendid mountain views and a few grizzly bear sightings.
The trail ride was followed by a luncheon at the Pahaska Tepee, Buffalo Bill Cody’s original hunting lodge on the Shoshone National Forest. While enjoying the splendor of the historic lodge, guests were treated to the history of the original hunting trip, as well as stories about Prince Albert I and Buffalo Bill Cody.
After lunch, Prince Albert unveiled a bronze plaque, created by the Forest Service and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The plaque commemorates the original trip in 1913, as well as the centennial celebration ride. It also recognizes the establishment of the Camp Monaco Prize, which is dedicated to the scientific exploration and public education to safeguard the biodiversity in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The plaque will be placed at the wilderness boundary at a later date.
Shoshone National Forest Supervisor Joseph Alexander and Wapiti District Ranger Susan Stresser had the opportunity to meet with Prince Albert II following the unveiling, further fostering the positive association between Monaco and the Forest Service that began a century ago.
