Kit Carson aimed his rifle and fired, killing an elk. The young scout walked over to bag his prize. Without warning, two grizzly bears emerged from the trees. Carson managed to escape the bears but lost the elk. Scouts like Kit Carson had to be ready for anything on the western frontier. Americans eager to move west needed help to get there. While famous explorers often got the credit for discovering trails and creating maps, they could never have done it without the leadership of scouts. Author Jeff Savage explores the fearless scouts, who opened up the West for others to follow.