RidgeRunner In rural areas, the rough and rugged men, women and families from the backwoods, mountains and hills that produced and distributed alcohol products during the prohibition era. The men typically wore full beards and overalls. The women usually wore modest, full length dresses with hair up in a bun style. They usually spoke with a strong southern drawl. Loosely, the equivalent of hillbilly. Also called moonshiner. My great granddad used to get his whiskey from a ridge runner that lived way up in the hills, where even the sheriff wouldn't go.