The Mountain Man Era

The Mountain Man era, spanning from 1806 to 1840, was defined by the personalities and exploits of legendary figures such as Jim Bridger, Jed Smith, and John Coulter. These backwoodsmen played a critical role in the Rocky Mountain beaver trade, which became symbolic of the untapped opportunities in the West during this time. The podcast outlines how these men not only became proficient in trapping and hunting but also significant cultural intermediaries between settlers and Native Americans. This era came to an end as changing economic landscapes and increased settlement in the West pushed these mountain men towards new avenues of existence, leading to their gradual disappearance from the historical scene.