Mountain men were ethnical, socially, and religiously diverse, fitting no ready stereotype. While they considered themselves independent they were, in fact, an economic arm of the big fur companies which held annual fairs, known as trappers' rendezvous, for the mountain men to sell their wares. Most mountain men were born in Canada, the United States, or in Spanish-governed Mexican territories, although some European immigrants also moved west in search of financial opportunity, and the French and British both had long-standing active fur-trading industries in Canada. Like any businessmen, mountain men were primarily motivated by profit, trading with Native Americans, trapping for beaver and other skins, and selling the skins, although some few were more interested in exploring the West and traded solely to support their passion. As such, most of them were part trader, part explorer, part exploiter, part trapper, part teamster and part settler; some were also farmers or occasional (army) hired scouts, and most survived by having good relations with one or more native tribes, and so were multilingual out of necessity. They quite frequently lived part of the year (mainly winters) with Amerindians and often took Native American wives in the normal course of human events. bridal hair combs
The stereotypical mountain man has been depicted as dressed in buckskin and a coonskin cap, sporting bushy facial hair and carrying a Hawken rifle and Bowie knife, commonly referred to as a "scalpin' knife". They have been romanticized as honorable men with their own chivalrous code, loners who would help those in need but who had found their home in the wild.
However, in actuality, most trappers traveled and worked in companies. Their typical dress combined woolen hats and cloaks with serviceable Native American-style leather breeches and shirts. Mountain men often wore moccasins but generally carried a pair of heavy boots for rough terrain. Each mountain man also carried basic gear,[7] which could include arms, powder horns, a shot pouch, knives, hatchets, canteens, cooking utensils, and supplies of tobacco, coffee, salt, and pemmican. Items (other than shooting supplies) that needed to be "at hand" were carried in a "possibles" bag. Horses or mules were essential, in sufficient number for a riding horse for each man and at least one for carrying supplies and furs.
The Trapper's Bride (ca. 1837), by Alfred Jacob Miller, shows a trapper, Francois, paying $600 in trade goods for an Indian woman to be his wife.
In summer, mountain men searched for fur animals, but they waited until autumn to set their traplines. They sometimes worked in groups. Several men would trap, others would hunt for game, and one would remain in camp to guard the camp and cook.
As particular traps were sometimes placed in cold rivers, retrieval of beavers was a trying task. They removed the hide with the fur (the pelt) and kept these beaver pelts for many months.
Since there were always Native Americans in the areas where they trapped, trappers had to deal with each tribe or band separately. Some tribes were friendly, while others were hostile. Mountain men traded with friendly tribes and exchanged information. Hostile tribes were avoided when possible.
The life of a mountain man was rugged: many did not last more than several years in the wilderness. They faced many hazards, especially when exploring unmapped areas: biting insects and other wildlife, bad weather, diseases of all kinds, injuries and hostile tribes presented constant physical dangers. Grizzly bears were one of the mountain man's greatest enemies.[8] Winters could be brutal with heavy snow storms or extremely low temperatures
In order to stay alive, the men needed keen senses, and knowledge of herbal remedies and first aid, among other skills. In summer, they could catch fish, build shelter, and hunt for food and skins. The mountain man dressed in deer skins that had stiffened after being left outdoors for a time; this suit of stiffened deer skin gave him some protection against the weapons of particular enemies.[9] There were no doctors in the regions where mountain men worked; these men had to set their own broken bones, tend their wounds, and nurse themselves back to good health.[10]
With the exception of coffee, their food supplies generally duplicated the diet of native tribes in the areas where the mountain man trapped. Fresh red meat, bison, fowl, and fish were generally available. Some plant foods, such as fruit and berries, were easy for the men to harvest. They traded with the tribes for prepared foods, such as processed roots, dried meat, and pemmican. In times of crisis and bad weather, mountain men were known to slaughter and eat their horses and mules.
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