Those who went to the western mountains of the North American continent to reap beaver in the 1820's were a rugged, restless breed of men. They were molded from a lot that was never content with settling in any one place for any length of time. They were drawn by the unbroken trail and the challenge of carving out a life in the west.

By 1940, the demand for fur on the world's fashion market had declined, dramatically dropping the price offered for beaver pelts, the montainman's currency. This broke most traders and forced trappers to look for new enterprise.

Those who stayed in the west kept on the move, seeking out new trade routes, lured by the wealth of the Santa Fe trade, and later the charms and gold of California.

Among the first explorers of the western American continent, they were driven to know what over the next high ridge. Though known as true loners, some found themselves leading settlers on the trail west to California and the Oregon Territories.

This collection of old style mountain tunes follow the mountain men out of the Rockies, down the Santa Fe Trail, to Mexico, and west to California.