Lolo Trail, ascending into Bitterroot Mountains — Joseph Whitehouse: September 12, 1805
After a frosty but clear morning, hunters set out early and the party loaded up shortly after sunrise. They climbed into pine-covered mountains, traversing steep hills and crossing several streams before descending to a creek for a midday break. Hunters brought in four deer and a pheasant. The group pushed on over rough, rocky ridges and through dense pine thickets after dark, finally reaching water around 10 p.m. and camping on a cramped creek bank. They covered about 17 miles, sighted snow-capped mountains to the south, and found little forage for the horses.
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
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A white frost, and a clear, pleasant morning. The hunters set out early. We loaded up and set out soon after sunrise, and proceeded on a short distance. Then we took to the mountains, which were covered with pitch pine. We went up and down a number of bad hills and mountains, crossed several streams, and about 1 o'clock P.M. we descended a bad part of the mountain, nearly steep, came down on the creek again, and halted to dine. Our hunters had killed this day 4 deer and a pheasant.
We proceeded on, crossed 2 more creeks, and ascended a high, rough, rocky mountain with a very rough trail to follow. We proceeded on along the ridge, which was covered with pitch pine timber. Night came on and we had to go through the thickets of pine and over logs, etc., until about 10 o'clock in the evening before we could get any water. Then we descended a steep part of the mountain down to the creek which we had left at noon, and camped on the bank of the creek where we had scarcely room to sleep. Came 17½ miles this day. Saw high mountains to the south of us covered with snow, which appears to lie there all the year round. Scarcely any feed for our horses.
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