An excellent guide for mountain-man enthusiasts and an intriguing exploration of the West, Rocky Mountain Rendezvous focuses on the fur-trading rendezvous that took place from 1825-1840 in the Central Rocky Mountains. Originally commercial gatherings where furs were traded for necessities such as traps, guns, horses, and other supplies, they evolved into rich social events that were pivotal in shaping the early American West.

Carefully crafted and compiled from primary sources, Rocky Mountain Rendezvous includes fascinating text by Gowans accompanied by firsthand accounts of 16 rendezvous from scientists, artists, military personnel, government explorers, and missionaries. Their diaries, journals, narratives, and books, along with Gowan's careful research, are illustrated with photographs and drawings. Maps pinpoint the location of each rendezvous, and photos depict the site today. Dr. Fred Gowans is a former professor at Brigham Young University who continues to lecture on the West and its unique history. His books include Mountain Man & Grizzly and Fort Bridger: Island in the Wilderness. He lives in Wyoming.