Finding Our Roots

Finding Our Roots. . , Following ancient paths , The history of Chaffee County as part of the United States began in 1803, with the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France. , But human history was established here centuries earlier. Many of the hiking trails and roads we use today were once the footpaths of early inhabitants, most often the native Utes and Comanches. , The Utes are the oldest continuous residents of Colorado. It is not known when they arrived, but it is possible the Utes were the reason for the Anasazi people’s exodus to cliff dwellings south of the area. , From spring to fall, Ute family groups dispersed over a wide area to hunt and gather food for the coming cold months. In winter, groups would gather together around central camps. The most important of these camps was located in the Gunnison Valley near Montrose to the west and in the San Luis Valley to the south., Horses = Change , The Ute way of life changed significantly with the arrival of European explorers, particularly the Spanish. The first Spanish record of peaceful trades with the Utes was in 1626. The most significant trade item was the horse. , Possession of horses allowed the Ute people to hunt buffalo on the eastern slope of the Rockies. Local bands traveled between the San Luis Valley and South Park via present day Chaffee County. The road we know today as Ute Trail was a well-traveled route to rich hunting grounds. , Some of the peaks of the Sawatch Range on the western edge of Chaffee County remind us of this area’s history. “Sawatch” derives from a Ute word meaning “blue earth.” , The trio of mountains south of Highway 50 near Poncha Springs are named for Ute Chief Ouray, his wife Chipeta and their son Pahlone. North of Highway 50 and west of Highway 285 are Mount Shavano, with its famous “angel,” Tabeguache Peak and Mount Antero. , [photo captions] , . Chief Ouray, center, with Warets, Shavano, Ankatosh and Guerro, sub-chiefs of the Tabeguach (Uncompahgre) Ute band. , . Utes, including Edwin Cloud and George Norris, en route to the reburial of the remains of Chief Ouray near Ignacio, Colorado. 1913. , Explore More! , Follow the Aspen Ridge Exploration Route and add your steps to the Ute Trail. , You’re traveling the Collegiate Peaks Scenic and Historic Byway , For visitor information: , www.colorado.com/byways/collegiate-peaks , Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce , Buena Vista Area Chamber of Commerce