National Forests and the Intermountain Region 3 



favorite food of the beaver, was plentiful, and trappers throughout 

 the region found the mountains a most satisfactory and profitable 

 hunting ground. 



PRESENT OUTLOOK 



The glorious days of the fur trader have long since gone, trapping 

 is now a much less picturesque pursuit, and the supply of fur-bear- 

 ing animals has been depleted. Even now, however, the annual sale 

 of skins is a matter of no small importance. Furthermore, the future 

 promises more importance to this trade rather than less; for the 

 beaver are increasing rapidly under protection. 



F-I5167I 



Fig. 1. — Pine marten, a valuable fur-bearing animal, found only in tbe forests 



The mountain forests furnish ideal homes for these valuable ani- 

 mals, and forest preservation and protection assure the continuance 

 of the beaver colonies amid natural conditions where again they 

 may thrive and produce annually hundreds of pelts of first quality 

 and highest value. Not only the beaver, but many other kinds of 

 fur-bearing animals (fig. 1), find homes in the timbered mountains, 

 and in the future as in the past the fur trade will depend in a large 

 measure upon the perpetuation of the mountain forests. 



IRRIGATION 



THE MORMON PIONEERS AND THE BEGINNING OF IRRIGATED FARMING 



From about 1825 to 1847 the only industry of the intermountain 

 region was that of the trapper and fur trader. In the summer of 

 the latter year, however, Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young 

 forced their way through the passes in the mountains that surround 

 Salt Lake Valley and came down on what was then a great sagebrush- 

 covered flat. On July 23 came the first advance guard, driving their 



