Conical woven hats — made from plant fibers in a specific weaving style — are associated with the coastal Tlingit and related peoples of the Northwest Coast.

They are a distinctive marker of coastal material culture, recognizable as part of the visual tradition of the coast rather than the interior.

The presence of a coastal-style hat on a man found in the interior alpine landscape of the Tatshenshini-Alsek region raises immediate questions about his origins, his connections, and his movements.

There are several possible explanations for the presence of coastal-style clothing elements.

He could have been a coastal person who was traveling inland, wearing his own clothing.