Photo Courtesy of Ken Wyley, Participants in the rendezvous on the last day of the event

CREEDE — The Rocky Mountain National Rendezvous held their annual reenactment at Soward’s Ranch outside of Creede.

Participants wore period appropriate clothing and relived a week in the life of fur trappers and traders from 1820 to 1840. These two groups would come together to trade goods. Trappers could avoid having to journey for long distances for supplies and traders had eager consumers for their goods. These gatherings came to an end sometime around 1840, according to the RMNR website.

Modern participants not only dress in the fashion of traders and trappers many also spend the week living in tipis and era-appropriate tents. Organizers request that sunglasses, T-shirts, tennis shoes and other modern items that are considered common place anywhere else stay out of sight at the rendezvous.

Street clothes were allowed for two days and visitors could buy goods from the traders and experience some of what life was like for some those living in the mountains before 1840.

Activities enjoyed during the week included shooting, a knife and tomahawk competition, archery and much more. For more information on this year’s event and upcoming rendezvous visit www.rmnr.org.