Bear River Rendezvous returns

Tee pees, traditional garb, but is fellow on far right using a cell phone?

Nearly 190 years later, the site for the Bear Lake Rendezvous hasn’t changed much. “The only things missing are the cottonwood trees,” said Kash Johnson, organizer of the second annual event. “Ranchers and pioneers wiped them out, building houses and as firewood. But everything else is still here, including the springs that feed the creek on the property.” Kash knows the lay of the land because of a detailed diary kept by Philip Covington, who traveled west to the annual rendezvous in the pioneer times, to sell goods. Rendezvous — annual events that were vital to mountain dwellers for selling furs and stocking up on supplies otherwise unavailable — were held on the same site in 1827 and 1828, Johnson said. Johnson used to host a similar event in Wyoming, he said, and traded for Utah when he heard the modern version of Cache County’s Rendezvous had been discontinued several years earlier. Johnson met the rancher who owned the 1820s rendezvous site, and they agreed on arrangements to restart the tradition. The first year we had 28 traders and another 25 campers,” Johnson said. “Quite a few members of the public came in and enjoyed the fun and festivities. We really had a good showing, and we’re expecting to at least double what we had last year.” Demonstrations and activities will include shooting, archery and American Indian dancing. A group called Women of the Fur Trade is coming...more