The Ute Indians utilized much of the Crystal River Valley as their home, especially during the summers before the infamous Meeker Massacre in 1879.They were ultimately driven by the U.S. military to reservations in Utah and in southwestern Colorado.

Throughout the centuries when they roamed Colorado’s Rocky Mountains much of each band’s existence centered around a spiritual leader who under stood the supernatural powers he possessed and how to utilize them most effectively. Most often he (this person was almost always a male) was called either a “Holy Man” or a “Medicine Man.”

 Years ago, Don Coldsmith, a friend of the author of this piece who was himself an author (of books about Native Americans) who had nearly six million books in print when he died, read an early draft of This Cursed Valley and said Native Americans preferred the term “Holy Man.”

 These Holy Men often visited “Power Points” in the mountains (where many had first discovered their own power) to pray and ask for help. Many different types of spirits were believed to live there and could provide help or do harm depending on how they were treated.

Also they believed, inside the Holy Man lived a small being, or powa’a, who directed the use of power and swallowed the sickness when it was removed by sucking from the patient.

 In fact, the author’s historical novel This Cursed Valley details how the Holy Man of the story discovers his power on a “power point” near Redstone and, later, how he uses his medicinal knowledge to treat patients.

 “One day when the sun was far to the west, blinding him without his being aware of it, he realized that this spot, this vantage point, was where all of his recent discoveries about himself had been made.

“This spot was ihupi’arattubut, a haunted spot. Inu’sakats had led him there. To ponder. To consider himself. To discover.

“Finally one day he knew. He was, indeed, po’rat, a holy man. Otus asio, the screech owl, came silently in the last light of day. Nearly upon him, otusasio spoke as a man. “You may know,” the owl said, gracefully pointed its left wing downward and, banking to the north, swept grandly down toward the river where it disappeared into the twilight.

“A sparrow followed, then another and then a dozen, more than a dozen. “You may lead,” they said and they, too, turned in unison and flew toward the valley floor.

“Finally came the eagle, its wingspan wider than a man was tall. It came like the owl, slowly, grandly, proudly. “You may see,” it said. And it disappeared into the darkness below as the sun ended its daily journey and left, as a day-ending gift, a sky red as blood.”

Later Owl Man, the Holy Man of the story, treats patients who have various woes.

“Owl Man dipped his finger in the vinegar solution he had prepared and touched it to his lips. It seemed appropriately foul, so he placed the potato in the liquid and covered the pot with a piece of ancient deerskin. Soon when the potato was thoroughly saturated, he would take it to Blue Flower, the wife of his friend Two Hawks. By morning, if Blue Flower followed Owl Man’s instructions and ate the potato slowly, her terrible headache would be gone.”

At other times he fed cornmeal browned with grease and water to a patient with diarrhea, or packed tobacco into a women’s aching tooth to kill the pain. Now and then he sent those with aches and pains to the hot springs near what is now Redstone to bathe in the soothing healing water. 

Illness meant the sick person’s body was out of tune with nature, the Holy Man believed. He told his patients that an evil spirit had entered their body.  Frequently, he called upon relatives and friends of the patient to join him in chanting to help speed the cure by driving the spirits away.

Now and then, when all else failed, he would press his forehead against the spot on the patient’s body that was determined to be afflicted. Then, with great pomp and ceremony, he would spit the evil spirit from his mouth and banish it forever. Often, the patient, believing he had been cured, would immediately begin to feel better.

Holy Men were Ute religious leaders because the power of healing was such an important aspect of Ute Life. This person often had learned these healing rites through repeated dreams received during the years of puberty. These supernatural teachings could not be denied, but they also could not be divulged, charging him with a lifelong responsibility of service.

A Ute’s life was tied closely to the rhythms of nature and, not surprisingly, water and grass played a dominant role. Just as the deer moved down from the higher elevations in the late fall, the Utes followed the same pattern descending to valley or canyon floor where shelter and more abundant food were available. Often, the Holy Man guided the tribe to the right location.

Thus, it is believed the Crystal Valley was often a summer home but the Utes left here in advance of the onslaught of winter.