William Ashley is credited with developing the rendezvous model of fur trade/trapping in the West. His first operation started with an advertisement in the Missouri Gazette, Missouri Republican and St. Louis Enquirer in 1823.
Among the respondents were men who would become part of this nation's legends: Jim Beckwourth, Jim Bridger, David E. Jackson, Tom Fitzpatrick, Jedediah Smith, William Sublette, and Mike Fink.
This group of men became known as Ashley's Hundred, and would start a decade of fur trade in and West of the Rocky Mountains.

To Enterprising Young Men

The subscriber wishes to engage ONE HUNDRED MEN, to ascend the river Missouri to its source, there to be employed for one, two or three years. – For particulars, enquire Major Andrew Henry, near the Lead Mines, in the County of Washington, (who will ascend with, and command the party) or to the subscriber at St. Louis.

Wm. H. Ashley. – February 13

That ad was an incredible piece of history right there. It spawned the mountain man era.

Things quickly changed as The Indians quickly made it nearly impossible to get up the river with their supplies and then back down the river with their loads of valuable furs. The overland route was started and the rendezvous era began in 1825 because of the problems with the Indians on the Missouri.

If I was alive at that time and had seen that ad, I would have been on those boats.

Super Cool

What really strikes me is the lack of details in the ad. Just a "hey, wanna go up river and work?" type thing. Until you talked with Ashley, you had no idea what you were getting in to.

And yeah, the Blackfoot, Arikara and others sure had a hand in developing the rendezvous system also.

The attack by the aricarees was the biggest factor. If you haven't ever read James Clyman's journals, they are well worth the time. His escape from the attack during this first trip up the river was incredible. He's not as well known as some of the mountain men, but he was right in the thick of some of the most incredible historic events. He's the one who sewed up Jedediah Smith's scalp, and sewed his ear back on after the grizzly attack.

Even when they signed on they really had no idea what they were getting into! They knew they would be trapping beaver and probably had an idea there was a 50/50 chance they would either get rich or be killed.

By the time Ashley was getting an outfit ready to ascend the Missouri there had already been fortunes made from Rocky Mountain beaver plews. Even the infamous Daniel Boone had been up the Missouri trapping beaver when he was in his late 70's! (Circa 1810-11).

I believe there was a gold rush mentality surrounding the fur trade at the time and young bold dreamers wanted a slice of it.

For sure there was already an established fur trade in the Northern Rockies by the time Ashley took his men up there. What Ashley did was revolutionize how the trade occurred.

And yes, there was a gold rush type mentality. Just like during the more recent fur booms. High prices attract all sorts.

I agree K snow, the mountain man period that we so romanticize these days was when the Rendezvous were held annually, with both company and free trappers plus Indians selling their fur, getting outfitted for the coming year and having a great time! A TRULY AMERICAN invention.

Really glad you're hosting Mountain Man Monday!

I surmise you would have fit in well k.

Very cool K snow was out to Ft Bridger and then over to Burnt Fork to overlook the site of the 1925 rendezvous the way I understand it a few weeks ago Then I went over to Savery to the Little Snake River Museum to see Jim Bakers (the redheaded Shoshoni)cabin and gravesite so I can really visualize where those guys roamed sure enjoying this thread

I spent a week in southwest Wyoming this summer visiting a lot of the fur trade sites. It was really awesome to see the same landmarks that these men used for navigation. And seeing the same peaks, passes and rivers really makes what I read come to life.

That's awesome k snow. My oldest brother (RIP) once swam in the Madison river near where it was thought John Colter had escaped the Blackfeet and entered a beaver lodge from under the water just to see if it could be done.

I'll bet your tour of the Rockies was a blast.

Some day I'd love to get out there and pull a beaver out of one of those streams.

I hope you can make that happen I was fortunate enough to be able to trap the Platte,Sweetwater,Greybull and Tongue Rivers while I lived out there it sure makes the mountain man history come alive

That's pretty cool. Colter's account of the ordeal said he was hiding under a log jam at the upstream end of a small island. Somehow this got translated into a beaver lodge. This happened in the three forks area but I don't think it's ever been specified which two streams were involved. He did climb over a cliff in the night to escape and I have been looking for that cliff without success.

My brother had heard both accounts about how Colter escaped but wanted to test the plausibility of the beaver lodge escape version.

Very cool experience I am sure.

did he try it before or after you trapped the beaver out?

In keeping with the mountain man theme has anyone read Crow Killer by Raymond Thorp/Robert Bunker? I would be interested in your opinions as to its accuracy. It has Jeremiah Johnson’s cabin where the crows killed his wife down on the Little Snake River south east of Baggs and also making part of the ride with Portugee Philps down to Fort Laramie and then turning back when almost to the fort after the Fetterman Massacre seems odd to me but would like to hear others opinions