While the glaciers interspersed along the peaks of Glacier National Park weren’t responsible for the enormous U-shaped valleys, their gradual disappearance brings a sort of urgency to see these classic icons.

When talk builds around some of the best small towns in America when it comes to putting down roots, you're bound to come upon a handful or so of national park gateway towns. And the folks at Liveability.com have made it official with their list of the Top 100 Best Small Towns."

Flying into Kalispell, your eyes dart here and there, trying to take in all the peaks clawing skyward. While this laid-back Montana town is the western gateway to Glacier National Park, it's also seated in the Crown of the Continent, an idea as much as a phrase that captures Rocky Mountain wildness.

Maps unlock the world in front of us...even if we're not standing right in front of the landscape contained on the map we're gazing at. They allow us to wander through the landscape, cross mountains, ford rivers and streams, and envision campsites in the backcountry. And, in the case of a new eBook, they allow us to look into the past of some national park settings.