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Historical Background

A harrowing mountain journey: the Lolo Trail

For more than a week, the men had been anxiously eyeing the lofty, snow-capped Bitterroots to the west. They knew from the Indians that crossing them over the Lolo Trail, which extended 155-165 miles from the Travelers Rest vicinity to present Weippe Prairie, was an ordeal. [118] But they could hardly have imagined that it would involve some of the worst terrain in the Rockies and prove to be the most agonizing part of their entire journey.

The nightmare began on September 12, the day after leaving Travelers Rest along Lolo Creek on a clearly defined road. It not only turned into a mere trail, but in places fallen timber made it almost impassable. Pushing up the steep hills and rocky mountain slopes, struggling through deep gorges and hollows, and tearing through tangled forest choked with underbrush, drained the strength of man and beast.

The next day, the 13th, a stop was made at Lolo Hot Springs, whose waters Clark tasted. A few miles farther, skirting Lolo Pass a mile or so to its east and reentering present Idaho from Montana, the group traversed a fine glade, Packers Meadow. Two miles beyond, camp was established by Pack Creek—part of the Columbia drainage.

Lolo Hot Springs, in the mid-1850's before roads were built in the area. The men of the expedition bathed in these springs, which are in the upper reaches of Lolo Creek. (Lithograph by Sarony, Major & Knapp from a sketch by John Mix Stanley, in Reports of Explorations and Surveys to Ascertain the Most Practicable and Economical Route for a Railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean (12 vols., Washington: Senate and House Ex. Docs., 1855—60), hereinafter cited as U.S. Pacific Railroad Surveys, XII, Plate LVIII.)

Snow fell on the following day. Old Toby, whose knowledge of the trail was weak, strayed from the main branch. He followed what turned out to be a fishing path. It led down to the Lochsa River, a branch of the Clearwater; Lewis and Clark called both streams the Koos-koos-kee. That night, camp was made opposite an island at the site of present Powell Ranger Station in Clearwater National Forest. Ever since leaving the Jefferson River, rations had been short. The food now all but gone and game practically nonexistent, a colt was killed and roasted. Gass called it "good eating." To mark the occasion, a nearby creek (modern White Sand Creek) was designated Killed Colt Creek.

The following morning, the 15th, the Lochsa was followed downstream, or westward, for about 4 miles before a turn was made to the north up steep Wendover Ridge. Some of the horses gave out and were left behind. Several others slipped and incurred minor injuries. A few rolled down the mountainside. Clark's field desk, carried by one of them, was broken. That evening, the main trail was reattained. It followed a high divide that sometimes reached more than 7,000 feet in height. In the rarefied air, the men gasped for breath.

Packers Meadow, Idaho, a short distance southeast of Lolo Pass. Camp was made at this place on September 13, 1805. (National Park Service (Everhart, 1958).)

Morale further sagged on September 16, one of the worst days. Just before dawn, a severe snowstorm began. By nightfall 6 to 8 inches had accumulated over the old snow. Through it all, the explorers, wet and cold and their hands and feet freezing, pushed on. In the blinding snow, they could barely distinguish the vague trail, sometimes defined only by low-hanging foliage that packs of Indian horses had earlier rubbed against. During the day, the landmark known as Indian Post Office, two rock cairns placed by the Indians, was probably passed. [119] This was the highest point on the trail, an elevation of 7,036 feet. Because the hunters found no game, supper consisted of another colt and some unpalatable canned and dried "portable soup," the Army experimental ration Lewis had obtained in Philadelphia.

About 10 more miles were covered on September 17. All that was visible in every direction was the jumble of the Bitterroot Mountains. That night, the last colt was consumed. The two captains conferred on their desperate plight and decided they would need to separate to get through the mountains.

In the morning, Clark and six hunters pushed ahead. From a high mountain, Sherman Peak, they saw miles ahead an extensive plain, bounded by mountains. Later, describing the food situation, Clark named a stream Hungry Creek (present Obia Creek). Progress for the day totaled 32 miles. A stray Indian horse encountered the following day, a heartening indication that Indians were probably in the vicinity, provided a meal. The remainder was hung up for the main party, which found it the next day.

Lolo Trail, Idaho-Mont. The rugged mountainous terrain and heavy timber alone would have made the crossing difficult enough, but severe weather conditions further hampered progress. (Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (Blair, 1964).)

Contacting the Nez Perces

Meantime, Clark had pressed on ahead. On September 20, he came out onto the beautiful, pine-bordered plain he had viewed earlier. It was modern Weippe Prairie, which the two captains referred to variously as the "quawmash ground," "quawmash flats," and "camas flats." Clark encountered some hospitable Nez Perces residing in two villages, separated by a distance of 2 miles. They were probably an even more welcome sight than the Shoshonis had been. The seven hungry men voraciously consumed a meal of dried salmon, berries, and cakes of camas roots. The Indians said in sign language that their highest chiefs were away on a war expedition and that the ranking one on hand was Twisted Hair, who was fishing at a camp about 20 miles to the northwest on the Clearwater.

Lochsa River at modern White Sand Creek, known to the explorers as Killed Colt Creek. On the night of September 14,1805, they camped opposite an island in the river, at the present site of the Powell Ranger Station of Clearwater National Forest, and killed a colt for food. (National Park Service (Everhart, 1958).)

Late the next day, the 21st, Clark set out for the fishing camp. From the westernmost of the two villages, he sent back Reuben Field and a Nez Perce with some dried salmon, berries, and camas roots he had obtained by barter to meet Lewis and the main party. Clark did not reach the camp until about 11:00 p.m., but held a long conference with Twisted Hair. In the morning, they returned to the villages, where late in the day the Lewis party staggered into the eastern village. Earlier, in the foothills 8 miles away, it had met Field and his Indian companion.

On September 23, at the first village, Lewis and Clark held a council with Twisted Hair and other secondary chiefs. Neither Old Toby, his son, nor Sacagawea could speak Nez Perce, so communication was with signs. After passing out medals and gifts, Lewis and Clark explained their mission and requested assistance in building canoes so that they could proceed by water, which was feasible according to the chiefs. In the evening, the expedition traveled with Twisted Hair to the western village, his place of residence. The leaders were anxious to get to the Clearwater to build canoes.

Rock cairns on the Lolo Trail near Indian Post Office, Idaho. These markers, erected by the Indians and probably rebuilt several times during the past century, may have had some religious significance. (National Park Service (Mattison, 1958).)

The next day, the explorers and some Indians, apparently including Twisted Hair, moved to the river and camped for the night on an island a short distance below the one where he had originally been contacted. By this time, many of the men were violently sick with dysentery, whose symptoms were acute diarrhea and vomiting. Lewis was virtually immobilized for a few days. The dried fish may have contained bacteria to which the Nez Perces had developed an immunity. Other possible causes were the change of diet from essentially meat to cereals and fish; the famished condition of the men and the strange food; and the drastic weather change they had recently undergone, from the intense heat of the plains to the severe cold of the mountains. Clark dispensed Rush's pills, emetics, and salts. For several days the complement was reduced almost to helplessness. If the Nez Perces had been hostile, they would have enjoyed an opportunity to destroy the Corps of Discovery.

Still, the terror of the Bitterroots had ended and the Rockies had been conquered. The men had survived starvation, freezing cold, fatigue, strange food, all sorts of medicines. They were finally on the Columbia drainage, which they hoped would carry them to the ocean. They could not be certain this river system would lead them to it or that the system could even be navigated. But hopes were high, and the future looked much brighter than it had during the past month.

Sherman Saddle, looking toward the northwest. At this place, the present Lolo Trail departs from the one Lewis and Clark followed and proceeds to the west and northwest. (National Park Service (Mattison, 1958).)

On September 25 Clark and Twisted Hair set off downstream to find trees large enough to construct canoes. About 4 or 5 miles away, in a small bottom some 5 miles west of present Orofino, Idaho, on the south side of the river opposite the point where the Clearwater's north fork joined the main stream, they found pines that were suitable. The next day, the expedition moved to the site, which has come to be known as Canoe Camp. To help their comrades regain their strength, any hunters who were able to move about went to work to find food more agreeable than dried fish and camas roots. Game was scarce, but some deer were taken. One of the party's horses was also killed and eaten.

Some of the sick recovered, and all the able-bodied worked on the canoes. These were built by the easier Indian method of burning out tree trunks rather than hewing them. On October 5 two of the boats were completed; and the 38 remaining horses, which Twisted Hair agreed to care for until the expedition's return, were collected and branded. [120] The following day, the saddles and some ammunition were cached and the last three of the five canoes—four large and one small—were completed and put in the water.

This branding iron, now in the possession of the Oregon Historical Society, was used to brand the horses before they were left over the winter with the Nez Perces. (Oregon Historical Society.)

DURING their brief stay with the Nez Perces, Lewis and Clark, who called the tribe "Chopunnish" or "Pierced Noses," observed that their culture was advanced. Another characteristic was their friendliness; in time, the two leaders came to feel they were the most likable and hospitable of any native group encountered. The horses were also noted to be superlative, but slight attention was paid to them at the time because of the primary interest in canoes.