Nope.Survival of the fittest.

I've been on the Cascade range and saw old wagon ruts that were from the original oregon trail. It was extremely cool

I even saw old wagon log Ruts when they would use logs for wheels in deep snow and mud on steep banks when Normal wheels would get stuck.

I assume you're referring to the modern day Rendevouz? Between 1825 to 1840 they were held in various locations throughout the Rockies.[/quote]
Nope where Pinedale is located the mountain men from around that whole surrounding area themselves would all met up there every year.If I remember right would spend the winters there.[/quote]

Most of them were anyway, from 1826-28 they were held in Mexico.

I think a mountain man stayed cold and wet.

Some had their women with them. Some left wives elsewhere and had their kept women.

They stayed warmer

Hudson Bay brigades had a large contingent of Indian and Metis wives that helped keep camp and put up the beaver. Peter Skene Ogden records in his Snake River Journal of 1826-27 how he took note of the camp women vying with one another to see who did the best job putting up beaver.

This, plus no teeth by 35 and dead by 40. Stunk all the time.

I once read that the average lifespan of the mountain man once he hit the rockies was three years.

It sure wouldn't have been very healthy to have been part of Jedediah Smith's parties. More of his men died at the hands of Indians than what survived. And after escaping death twice himself, was finally killed by Comanches on the Cimarron while scouting for a party headed to Santa Fe.

good read thanks .

The classic rendezvous of the western fur trade were held at 9 different locations between 1825 and 1840.

Randazvouse Creek, Wyoming 1825
Willow Valley, Utah 1826 and 1831
Sweet Lake, Utah 1827 and 1828
Popo Agie, Wyoming 1829,
Pierre's Hole, Idaho 1829 and 1832
Wind River, Wyoming, 1830 and 1838,
Green River, Wyoming 1833, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1839 and 1840
Ham's Fork, Wyoming 1834

Bruce T, I've read a fair bit about the Rocky Mtn fur trade era including the mtn man gatherings, and been to the Pinedale museum, but I don't recall anything about an annual gathering in the Pinedale area. There is a lot to take in at the museum. Perhaps some of it got mixed up a bit.

Depending on the wife they were probably still cold.

Do you have any info about Rendevous in the Great Lakes area and/or Portage?

"the average trapper carried six traps"

wow this suprised me

Well the cold Wives they left in St.Louis

The fur trade looked a lot different in the Great Lakes. Goods left Montreal in canoes in the spring to resupply forts and posts. Natives, for the most part, brought their skins to the posts or forts to trade. In the later years, some euro traders would travel to native areas to trade direct. The skins were then canoes back to Montreal. A few euros, less hivernants, would spend the winter with native families. Quite often, the traders would marry into native families for trading ties. Euros did very little fur gathering, unlike the rocky Mountain trade. Some was done, but the bulk of hides were from the natives.

At about 6 pounds a piece, I'd hate to carry more. With 2 a day checks, they could easily average 6 to 8 beaver a day. Then skin, flesh and stretch those the same day. And carry all the previous catches.

I've often wondered where this trap has been and what it might have caught and by who. The springs obviously came along later when the original springs broke or proved to be too weak. Still an interesting piece of our history.

They sure were heavy

It's what I read posted there at the museum. The largest gathering of the mountain men took place right there in where Pinedale is now.