Lolo Trail, ascending into Bitterroot Mountains — Joseph Whitehouse: September 12, 1805

a white frost, and clear pleasant morning. the hunters Set out
eairly. we loaded up and Set out soon after Sunrise, and pro-
ceeded on a Short distance. then took the mountains covred
with pitch pine. went up and down a nomber of bad hills and
mo! crossed Several runs & about 1 oClock P. M. we descended
a bad part of the mo! nearly Steep came down on the creek
again, and halted to dine. our hunters has killed this day 4
Deer and a fessent. we proceeded on crossed 2 more creeks,
and assended a high rough mountain rockey & a verry rough
trail to follow. we proce? on along the ridge which was covred
with pitch pine timber. night came on and we had to go
through the thickets of pine and over logs &c. untill about 10
oClock at in the evening before we could git any water. then
descended a Steep part of the mountain down on the Creek
which we left at noon, and Camped on the bank of the creek
where we had Scarsely room to Sleep. Came 17% miles this
day. Saw high Mountains to the South of us covred with
Snow, which appears to lay their all the year round. Scarsely
any feed for our horses.
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL