These journals preserve, in his own homey words, James Clyman's experiences on the plains and in the mountains during the heyday of the American fur trade and during the peak of emigration to Oregon and California. The events Clyman recorded were momentous. He was a member of Jedediah Smith's first brigade, which discovered South Pass and opened the Intermountain West to the beaver hunters. Crossing the country during the great migration of 1846, he encountered the Donner party and gave them sound advice they tragically ignored. "Journal of a Mountain Man "is especially valuable, says editor Linda Hasselstrom. The journals are "conspicuously sober and meticulous Clyman shows the mental bent of a surveyor: he scrupulously takes measurements and notes down facts Alongside the vivid but exaggerated sketches some mountain men have left us, we are lucky to have the record of one man who was a keen, thorough, and precise observer."

The journals of James Clyman, a keen, thorough and precise observer of life in the West during the early nineteenth century.

A first-hand account of one of America's most joyful explorers. As a member of Jedediah Smith's first mountain man brigade, James Clyman was there when the South Pass was discovered, opening the inter-mountain West to fur trappers. Traversing the American West, he experienced a host of events in the untamed 1800's frontier. From encountering the Donner Party to sewing Jim Bridger's ear back on after a grizzly bear attack, and walking six hundred miles to Fort Atkinson, Clyman journeyed twice to the Pacific before settling in Napa Valley. There, he raised a family and began sharing legendary tales of the mountain men. Told with vivid description and using Clyman's historic journal entries, Win Blevins brings to life a bygone era of adventure and danger in this colorful memoir.

The western fur trade era—a time when trappers and traders endured constant danger from man, beast, and weather—was one of the most colorful periods in American history. Over a decade ago, William R. Nester wrote the first biography of Robert Campbell (1804–1879); the subsequent discovery of nearly five hundred new documents, most from two major caches of letters, led to this even-more-detailed and vivid account of Campbell’s self-described “bold and dashing life.” Campbell came to America from Ireland in 1822 and entered the fur trade soon after. He quickly rose from trapper to brigade leader to partner, all within a half dozen years, and this new edition includes an expanded narrative of his adventures in the Rocky Mountain fur trade. In the mid-1830s, having amassed considerable wealth, Campbell retired from the mountains and embarked on a new career. He returned to St. Louis and built up a business empire that embraced mercantile, steamboat, railroad, and banking interests, thus becoming a leading force behind the region’s economic development. A more extensive account of the cutthroat business world in which Campbell operated now enriches this portion of the book. Nester masterfully depicts the “sterling character” for which Campbell was renowned. Campbell enjoyed deep and enduring friendships and strong familial ties, both in America and abroad. Although he was an outstanding businessman and philanthropist, his personal life was marred by tragedy. Ten of his thirteen children died prematurely. Despite those tragic losses, his faith in God never faltered. He believed that all worldly successes should honor God and once wrote that , “all worldly gain is but dross.” This edition elucidates the complex relations among his family and chronicles both tragic events and humorous incidents in more depth. Exploring the letters, journals, and account books that Campbell left behind, Nester places him in the context of the times in which he lived, showing the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that provided the opportunities and challenges that shaped his life. Nester provides new insights into Campbell’s ownership of slaves, his attitudes toward slavery, and his behind-the-scenes political and economic activities during the Civil War. This comprehensive exploration of Robert Campbell’s life depicts a fascinating era in American history.

History belongs to the people, Dean May reminds us, and must ultimately be accessible all. Based on his award-winning television series, Utah: A People's History provides a sweeping view of the state's past. From prehistory to present, May explains Utah as it is today and its promise for the future. The video series upon which this book is based is no longer available for sale.

Nicknamed 'Mountain Man' by the Sunday Telegraph, James Forrest is the record-breaking adventurer who climbed every mountain in England and Wales in just six months – the fastest ever time. Solo and unsupported, he walked over 1,000 miles and ascended five times the height of Everest during his 446-peak challenge. And he did it all on his days off from work, proving it is possible to integrate an epic adventure into your everyday life. From collapsing tents and horrific storms to near-fatal mountaineering mishaps, James endured his fair share of hardship out in the hills. But the good times far outweighed the bad. He slept wild under the stars, met eccentric locals, and exchanged the 21st century social media bubble for a simpler, more peaceful existence. What did he learn along the way? That life is more fulfilling when you switch off your phone and climb a mountain. Readers will be inspired and motivated by James's amazing adventure, and so the book concludes with a section on how YOU can achieve your next adventure – whether it's something to get the kids involved in at half term, a fun challenge to tackle solo or with friends, or, like James's, a record-breaking attempt of epic proportions, James will guide you through everything you need to do to plan and execute your adventure, as well as give you some great ideas too.