More than a century and a quarter before the word glamping earned an entry in the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016, a boisterous group of women were camping in style in the wildlands of California. Beginning in the 1880s, as John Muir was captivating the nation with his writings on the “inventions of God,” the Merry Tramps of Oakland set off for Mount Shasta, Yosemite, and the San Gabriels “in beautifully appointed Pullman cars with enormous suitcases, fine liquors, and comfortable bedding,” wrote Dan White his camping history “Under the Stars.”

Thankfully, the Tramps included a talented photographer named Frank Rodolph among their ranks (men were also allowed) who took copious pictures. See some favorites from the Rodolph archive below.

This article is from the California Sun, a newsletter that delivers must-read stories to your inbox each morning . Sign up here.