Mountain man rendezousin Carson City on weekend

By Don Quilici

If by some chance, you are not one of the many tens of thousands of fishermen planning to participate in the opener of the 2004 California trout fishing season on April 24, there is another unique outdoor event scheduled for that weekend in Carson City.

It should be included on your "A Fun Thing To Do This Weekend" list.

The Eagle Valley Muzzleloaders Club of Carson City will host its 12th annual Spring Rendezvous from the morning of April 23 (Friday) through the afternoon of April 25 (Sunday).

By way of explanation, the Eagle Valley Muzzleloaders Club is a local organization of muzzleloader (black powder) shooting enthusiasts, who are dedicated to preserving the ways and traditions of the early west explorers known as mountain men.

Those men and women dress in buckskins, carry weapons of that era and camp in a similar fashion to the long ago individuals, who explored the west.

That Spring Rendezvous will be held at the Eagle Valley Muzzleloaders Club range, located at the far west end of Rhodes Road in the southwest portion of Carson City. It can be reached by taking Carson Street south until reaching Rhodes Road or by taking Curry Street south until reaching the Greenhouse Garden Center. In either case, just turn onto Rhodes Road and follow it west to the mountain men's encampment.

The dirt portion of that road does not require four-wheel drive.

This unique, annual event features individuals dressed in either mountain man or Native American attire, complete with the tents, tepees, equipment, food and weapons of that era.

Included in the list of events, scheduled for the weekend, are such activities as black powder rifle shooting, black powder pistol shooting, knife throwing, tomahawk throwing and a special candle shooting contest. The candle shoot will be held on Saturday evening, and the contestants must try to load their muzzleloaders in the dark and then shot out the flame of a lit candle, without hitting the candle.

The rendezvous will also feature traders and vendor booths offering assorted items for sale.

There is no charge for the general public to attend the rendezvous and to watch the various events and activities.

The rendezvous will conclude on Sunday at about noon with an awards ceremony, followed by the traditional breaking of camp by the mountain men.

So if you've never been to the mountain men's rendezvous, give it a try on that weekend.

For information, call Two Falls (John Considine) at 884-4542.