Ladders tegen een bergwand met ijspegels before 1886

This photograph, taken by George Fiske, shows wooden ladders built against a mountainside, laden with icicles. It's not just a pretty picture; it tells us something about the late 19th-century tourist industry. Think about what it would take to construct these ladders. The labour involved, the skill to assemble them, the risk of working on a steep, icy cliff face. The ladders aren't just a means of accessing a scenic view. They're a physical manifestation of human intervention, transforming the landscape for consumption, allowing those with the leisure and money to experience what was once inaccessible. The choice of photography as a medium is also important. It was a relatively new technology at the time, allowing for mass production of images that could be distributed widely, further fueling the desire for tourism and shaping perceptions of the American West. It presents an interesting relationship between labour, tourism, and the commodification of nature.