Annual rendezvous returns to historic Fort Buenaventura on Friday
-
- The Miles Goodyear Primitive Area at Ogden’s Fort Buenaventura, photographed Monday, May 19, 2025.
-
- The Miles Goodyear Primitive Area at Ogden’s Fort Buenaventura, photographed Monday, May 19, 2025.
-
- The Miles Goodyear Primitive Area at Ogden’s Fort Buenaventura, photographed Monday, May 19, 2025.
OGDEN — A spring tradition for history buffs, modern-day mountain men and those curious about what life was like during the apex of the North American fur trade in the 19th century will return to Fort Buenaventura in Ogden this weekend.
The 39th annual Fort Buenaventura Rendezvous — a joint venture of the Fort Buenaventura Mountain Men, or FBMM, club and the Weber County Parks & Recreation Department — will emanate from the historic fort, beginning with opening ceremonies on Friday and running through Memorial Day.
The multiday event will feature demonstrations, competitions and other activities for visitors of all ages. That includes black powder rifle and archery shoots, knife and hawk throws, a frying pan toss, children’s games, mountain man/kids runs, a Dutch oven cooking contest and much more.
Katie Ransom is serving as “booshway” for the rendezvous, a descriptor that was once given to the people who led the fur trapping expeditions of the 1800s. However, the FBMM isn’t just a once-a-year commitment or a passive hobby for her; it’s a family tradition.
“My dad was really into this growing up,” Ransom told the Standard-Examiner. “I remember, as a little kid, going to the rendezvous and playing in the river and stuff. We’ve been doing this our entire lives and have just grown up with this club and grown up going to this rendezvous and other events like this. Now that we’re older, it’s kind of fun to get more involved in running it.”
FBMM members relish the opportunity they have to share their knowledge and demonstrate their mountain man skills throughout the year. Earlier this month, the group hosted several hundred students for School Days at the fort.
“We had 13 different stations and we had more than any of those kids could see,” club member Alan Phister told the Standard-Examiner. “They can only make about six stations that we could show them and then it was time to go. … We try to do more than anybody can comprehend or do in a day.”
Phister added that the club’s regular Buckskinner Day, which occurs at the fort on the second Saturday of every month, is open to all comers.
“We’ll have a shoot in the morning and we’ll have seminars … then we’ll have a potluck, and it’s to teach other people,” Phister said. “We invite anybody to come down and sit down with us to learn anything. They don’t have to join us.”
According to Ransom, rendezvous attendees can expect that same willingness to converse, teach and demonstrate skills during this weekend’s event.
“The biggest thing is just talking to people,” she said. “Everybody who’s involved with (FBMM), the vendors, the people doing the demonstrations and competitions, everybody’s really eager to help educate people. We’re really passionate about keeping this era of history alive. We think it’s really important for people to know how important the fur trade was to the growth of the West.”
The Fort Buenaventura Rendezvous will be open to the public beginning at 9 a.m. daily over the weekend with gates closing at 6 p.m. Ransom said that roughly 100 vendors will be on hand during the event. Fur trade-era dress will be required during competitions and in camp after hours.
For more information, go to https://fortbuenaventuramountainmen.org/.
