Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 17, 1806
In rainy weather, the expedition headed down Hungry Creek about six miles before climbing a large mountain. Snow grew deeper as they ascended, reaching twelve to fifteen feet at the top, with no forage for the horses and no clear road. Judging it too dangerous to push on without a guide, they cached their baggage on poles between trees, covered it with deer skins, and turned back disappointed. They descended to Hungry Creek and camped where the horses could feed, with hard rain falling through the afternoon.
rain. We early continued our march; took down Hungry
creek about six miles, and then took up a large mountain.
When we got about half way up the mountain the ground
was entirely covered with snow three feet deep; and as we
ascended it still became deeper, until we arrived at the top,
where it was twelve or fifteen feet deep; but it in general car-
ried our horses. Here there was not the appearance of a
green shrub, or any thing for our horses to subsist on; and
we know it cannot be better for four days march even could
we find the road or course, which appears almost impossible,
246 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
without a guide perfectly acquainted with the mountains.
We therefore halted to determine what was best to be done,
as it appeared not only imprudent but highly dangerous to
proceed without a guide of any kind. After remaining about
two hours we concluded it would be most adviseable to go
back to some place where there was food for our horses. We
therefore hung up our loading on poles, tied to and extended
between trees, covered it all safe with deer skins, and turned
back melancholy and disappointed. At this time it began to
rain; and we proceeded down to Hungry creek again; went
up it about two miles, and encamped for the night where our
horses could get something to eat. The grass and plants
here are just putting out, and the shrubs budding. It rained
hard during the afternoon. .
WV ednesday 18th. The morning was cloudy and several
showers of rain fell during the day. We started about eight
o’clock, and found the road very slippery and bad. Two men
went on ahead to the village to enquire for a guide, and two
more remained to look for two horses that could not be
found. We proceeded on with four men in front to cut some
bushes out of the path; but did not go far till one of the men
cut himself very badly with a large knife; when we had to halt
and bind up his wound. We again went forward, and in
crossing the creek the horse of one of our men fell with him,
threw him off, hurt his leg and lost his blanket. We halted
for dinner at the same place where we dined on the 16th and
had a gust of rain, hail, thunder and lightning, which lasted
an hour, when the weather cleared and we had a fine afternoon.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 247
We continued our march till we came to a small glade on the
branch of a creek, where we encamped, and some hunters
went out in the evening; we had left two men to hunt at
the place where we dined. We found the musquitoes very
troublesome on the creek, notwithstanding the snow is at so
short a distance up the mountains. At night our hunters
came to camp, having killed nothing; but saw some large
fish in the creek, which they supposed were salmon.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Rain. We continued our march early; went down Hungry Creek about six miles, and then started up a large mountain. When we got about half way up the mountain, the ground was entirely covered with snow three feet deep; and as we ascended it became still deeper, until we arrived at the top, where it was twelve or fifteen feet deep; but it generally supported our horses. Here there was not the appearance of a green shrub, or anything for our horses to feed on; and we know it cannot be better for four days' march, even if we could find the road or course, which appears almost impossible without a guide perfectly acquainted with the mountains. We therefore halted to determine what was best to be done, as it appeared not only imprudent but highly dangerous to proceed without a guide of any kind. After remaining about two hours, we concluded it would be most advisable to go back to some place where there was food for our horses. We therefore hung up our loads on poles, tied to and extended between trees, covered it all safely with deer skins, and turned back melancholy and disappointed. At this time it began to rain; and we proceeded down to Hungry Creek again; went up it about two miles, and camped for the night where our horses could get something to eat. The grass and plants here are just sprouting, and the shrubs budding. It rained hard during the afternoon.
Wednesday 18th. The morning was cloudy, and several showers of rain fell during the day. We started about eight o'clock, and found the road very slippery and bad. Two men went on ahead to the village to inquire for a guide, and two more remained to look for two horses that could not be found. We proceeded on with four men in front to cut some bushes out of the path; but did not go far before one of the men cut himself very badly with a large knife, when we had to halt and bind up his wound. We again went forward, and in crossing the creek the horse of one of our men fell with him, threw him off, hurt his leg, and lost his blanket. We halted for dinner at the same place where we dined on the 16th, and had a burst of rain, hail, thunder, and lightning, which lasted an hour, when the weather cleared and we had a fine afternoon. We continued our march until we came to a small glade on the branch of a creek, where we camped, and some hunters went out in the evening; we had left two men to hunt at the place where we dined. We found the mosquitoes very troublesome on the creek, despite the snow being at so short a distance up the mountains. At night our hunters came to camp, having killed nothing; but they saw some large fish in the creek, which they supposed were salmon.
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