Stephen R. Bown was born in Ottawa and studied history at the University of Alberta. He has long been interested in early travelers and explorers. In the summer of 2001 he hiked for seven days to retrace the famous Scottish botanist David Douglas' route over the feared Athabasca Pass. A former multimedia projects producer and freelance writer, Bown contributes to several magazines, including Alaska, Mercator's World, Beautiful British Columbia, and The Beaver. Bown lives outside Calgary, Alberta with his wife and son.