Using government documents, archives, and local histories, Simmons has painstakingly separated the often repeated and often incorrect hearsay from more accurate accounts of the Ute Indians.

Moving with the seasons, the Utes covered vast areas of
Colorado and surrounding states. Summer would find the tribes in the
high country of the Rockies. In the fall, attention turned to
gathering food and supplies and preparing for the harsh season
ahead. Winters were spent in the semi-arid country of northern New
Mexico and Utah, trading with neighbors. Springtime would find the
various groups heading back to the high country of the Rockies. The
traditional Ute food gathering and hunting lifestyle brought the Utes
into inevitable, tragic and absolute conflict with incoming settlers,
soldiers, and miners, who wanted to divide up the Ute homeland into
privately owned parcels.

The heart of Ute history lies in the oral tradition and is slowly fading away. "Utes: The Mountain People" presents the rich panorama of Ute history, from the archaeological features of prehistoric Ute cultures to elements of present-day Ute culture. A wealth of rare and historic photographs of early Utes and important leaders, and an abundance of information on tepee culture, Ute artwork, stories, songs, dances, and religious ceremonies, hunting and horsemanship, wars, skirmishes, and treaties make this book a valuable resource for anyone interested in Native American cultures.