Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — John Ordway: June 17, 1806
The party traveled about six miles down a creek before climbing a high mountain, where snow grew progressively deeper until reaching 12 to 15 feet at the summit, even on the sun-exposed south side. With no forage for the horses, no visible trail, and no guide to lead them through four more days of such terrain, the officers reluctantly decided to turn back. The men cached baggage they could spare, and amid cold hail and rain, they retreated to Hungry Creek and camped for the night.
chilley and cloudy, we proceeded on down sd Creek about 6
miles then took up a high mountain, when we got about half
way up it the ground was covred with Snow 3 or 4 feet deep as we
ascended higher it got deeper untill we got to the top of the moun-
tain where it was 12 or 15 feet in general even on the South Side
where the Sun has open view but is so settled so that it bears. up
our horses, here is not a sign of any green Shrub or any thing for
our horses to eat, and of course no better for 4 days march a head,
if we could even find the road which is impossable without a
guide as their is no sign of a road or trail here so we halted on the
top of this mountain and our officers consulted on what was best
to do. at length determined to our Sorrow to return to where we
might git feed for our horses. So we Scaffelled up all our baggage
we could do a Short time with out. set in to hailling & raining
at this time verry cold and disagreeable, so we turned back
much against our expectations when we started went back on
hungry creek & followed up it about 2 miles & Camped for the
night’.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Chilly and cloudy. We proceeded on down said Creek about 6 miles, then took up a high mountain. When we got about half way up it, the ground was covered with snow 3 or 4 feet deep. As we ascended higher it got deeper, until we got to the top of the mountain, where it was 12 or 15 feet in general, even on the south side where the sun has open view, but is so settled that it bears up our horses. Here is not a sign of any green shrub or anything for our horses to eat, and of course no better for 4 days' march ahead, if we could even find the road, which is impossible without a guide, as there is no sign of a road or trail here.
So we halted on the top of this mountain, and our officers consulted on what was best to do. At length they determined, to our sorrow, to return to where we might get feed for our horses. So we scaffolded up all our baggage we could do a short time without. It set in to hailing and raining at this time, very cold and disagreeable. So we turned back, much against our expectations when we started. We went back on Hungry Creek and followed up it about 2 miles and camped for the night.
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