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tradition, exploration and tourism, prospecting, agricultural development, coal • mining, railroad building, oil production, and modern recreation have all experienced times of modulated growth and decline. Northwestern Colorado has, by virtue of its isolation and inaccessibility, remained on the fringe of Colorado's development as a ~.vhole. The lack of major finds of precious metals, less-than-glowing reports of the region's prospects from early travelers, troubles with Indians, labor strife, and economic caprice have combined to retard the area's growth. Nevertheless, the history of the region is rich and colorful. Historic Aboriginal Habitation of Routt County As archaeologists, we are concerned with the prehistory of the survey area; as historians we are interested in primarily the nonaboriginal history of the region. As anthropologists we are interested in cultural juxtaposition, encounter, and assimila- tion...That murky period where prehistory and history merge. Records are sketchy at best (predating the chronicles of newspapers and other forms of documentation) and take the form of diaries and journals of travelers and explorers, from which we S get a glimpse of the aboriginal occupants before they were overrun and removed from Colorado. North western Colorado was used by various Indian groups in the historic period. The Red Desert, Laramie Plains, North Park, and the plains of the east via Middle and South parks provided access to various Indian groups. These Indians warred extensively and enthusiastically with each other and presented a threat to the first explorers. John C. Fremont, in writing about the Little Snake River Valley says, "The country we are now entering is constantly infested by war parties of the Sioux and other Indians, and is considered among the most dangerous war grounds in the Rocky Mountains; parties of whites having been repeatedly defeated on this river" (Fremont 1970). (See Exhibit 2.8-2.) The presence of Ute Indians in northwestern Colorado is well documented. "The Ute formerly occupied the entire central and western portion of Colorado" (Swanton 1953:372). The Bannock and Shoshoni roamed over the extreme northwestern corner of the state (ibid.:370). John Wesley Powell notes the presence of Utes west of the Green River as well, in the Uintas (Powell I9ol). • According to Athearn (1976:3), the Ute were the largest group in north western Colorado, with Arapaho in North and iyliddle Parks in conflict with them over hunting 2.8-8