Thank you for stopping by, the plan is to share pictures, events, news, along with some history of the Che-lo-han Freetrappers; I would like to thank all of you freetrappers for letting me into your world of history, crafts and friendship, because this is what's all about! Reviving the 'Fur Trade Era'.
We are a small group of serious primitive trappers from the Pacific Northwest named Che-lo-han Freetrappers of Ellensburg,Wa.
Mike Genson suggested to adopt the name after a gathering place located about 10 miles Northeast of Ellensburg, Wash. on Caribou Creek", we thought it was a great idea and the "Che-lo-han Freetrappers were born.

We are a club whose focus is the recreation of the Rocky Mountain Fur Trapping era of 1810-1840, with a specific emphasis on the period when the Mountain Man Rendezvous were held in the Rockies, 1825-1840.
We strive to wear the clothing and use the gear that was in use at at that tome. The gear we use includes personal items, weapons (long rifles, short rifles, bows & arrows, knives & hawks) and our camp gear.
We hold monthly meetings and monthly shoots. We have two annual Club Rendezvous; one in the Spring, one in the Fall
We enjoy shooting, camping, and fellowship with like-minded folks.

CFT Guidelines

You are to be in full primitive gear (clothing, gear, guns, camp, etc.) during the club's rendezvous; that is all day Saturday and until the meeting concludes on Sunday.
You are to wear at least three (3) items of clothing and/or gear at both our club shoots and our meetings.
There is a 6-month grace period for new members.

"Rare Photograph Circa 1895 taken at the "Che-lo-han" Grounds

"Another rare Photograph Circa 1895 shows white men and local Indians standing next to the "Hyas tipi" or Big tent, where Indian Religious Ceremonies were held;
"Che-lo-han" was the great Ancient Ceremonial Grounds in the Notheast corner of the Kittitas where.......

.....all the tribes of the northwest came each year to barter, to play and to dig roots. Upon entering the Kittitas in 1814, Alexander Ross of the North West Fur Company gives the following description ...."for we scarcely advanced three miles when a camp in the true Mameluke style presented itself, a camp of which we could see the beginning but not the end! It could not contained less than 3000 men, exclusive of women and children and treble that number of horses. It was a grand and imposing sight in the wilderness, covering more than six miles in every direction. Councils, root-gathering, hunting, horse racing, gambling, singing, dancing, drumming, yelling and other things, which I cannot mention, were going around us"

Email: blackfeather1830@yahoo.com