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Show add 4/ worker replied in mountainman jargon. Scratching his coarse beard (he's a participant in the beard growing contest), he pointed out that it's this way for most enthusiasts, only a parttime adventure. But Clemin is trying to change even that. "One of our biggest problems is that we're scattered across the nation. There are bunches here and there, but no real home for the mountainmen. So we've decided to build a fort where all the ideas and history of mountainmen can come alive and be preserved," he said, displaying some of the raw horse courage that possibly explains why he's interested in such an unusual activity. To be situated in the hills of Utah, it will be a replica of an early fort. There will be room for shooting matches, a print shop, living quarters, even cannons for Indian attacks, he pointed out while leaning against a hand carved muz-zleloader. What's even more important is that all the methods for building available to mountainmen will be used. The walls will be erected by hand. Modern machinery won't be used. Backing his dream is the American Mountainmen Assn. which will be headquartered in the fort, appropriately named Fort Larson . According to Richard James, Ogden, Utah, the organization is about three years old. It was formed by a group of men interested in the outdoors, Indian folklore and the history of the early west. |