As many of you know, I’m writing a follow-up to Colter’s Winter.
It’s called Colter’s Hell and it’ll be out next month. Just this week I got a map made for the book, and this is what it looks like:
It’s called Colter’s Hell and it’ll be out next month. Just this week I got a map made for the book, and this is what it looks like:
John Colter 1807-8 Map
John Colter's Trek through the Montana/Wyoming wilderness in 1807-8
I had the same designer make this map as made the first map, M. Nires. Here’s pretty good at maps, and I enjoy working with him. Here’s what an earlier draft looked like:
What we’re really getting at here is the larger Missouri River and some of its tributaries, primarily the Yellowstone. I also deal with the Snake River a bit, and since we’re dealing a bit with French trappers, we’ll also explore the upper Red River. Here are maps of that:
Missouri River map for fur trapping
Yellowstone river for fur trapping
Snake River and Fur Trapping
North Red River and Fur Trapping and Larocque
The books focus on the fur trade on the Upper Missouri in 1807-8. We’re looking at Fort Raymond, which was the fort that Manuel Lisa built on November 21, 1807.
Shortly after that, or perhaps shortly before, John Colter was sent out on a solo trek through today’s Montana and Wyoming wildernesses to find routes, establish trade with the Crow Indians, and generally make the business-minded whites’ presence known. Here are some of those forts:
Shortly after that, or perhaps shortly before, John Colter was sent out on a solo trek through today’s Montana and Wyoming wildernesses to find routes, establish trade with the Crow Indians, and generally make the business-minded whites’ presence known. Here are some of those forts:
Fur Trapping forts on Missouri River, 1807-1820s
We’ll get to them all eventually, at least in novel format. I’ve already written about all of those in my book Tribes and Trappers: A History of Montana, Volume One.
Before most of those forts, there was Fort Manuel, also called Fort Raymond. It was the first, and allowed Colter to go out during the winter of 1807-8.
A lot more happened over that winter, including Colter getting wounded in a fight with the Blackfeet, a fight that saw his Crow guides abandon him. That will be in the book, and so much more as well.
If you haven’t read Colter’s Winter yet, you’re missing one thrilling ride through the wilds of Montana. More than 100 people have bought the book, and I hope you’re one. If so, you’re in for another thrilling ride, one that builds up to the ultimate John Colter finale, his run from the Blackfeet in 1808.
That’s coming, so get ready!
Before most of those forts, there was Fort Manuel, also called Fort Raymond. It was the first, and allowed Colter to go out during the winter of 1807-8.
A lot more happened over that winter, including Colter getting wounded in a fight with the Blackfeet, a fight that saw his Crow guides abandon him. That will be in the book, and so much more as well.
If you haven’t read Colter’s Winter yet, you’re missing one thrilling ride through the wilds of Montana. More than 100 people have bought the book, and I hope you’re one. If so, you’re in for another thrilling ride, one that builds up to the ultimate John Colter finale, his run from the Blackfeet in 1808.
That’s coming, so get ready!
