Heart of the Rockies
The long and narrow valley of the Lemhi River stretches northward, then intersects the valley of the Salmon River coming in from the west in the left background of this photo. In September of 2001, there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for an interpretive center for the Lemhi Shoshone, Sacagawea's people, who lived for hundreds of years in this valley before the westward expansion of the U.S. forced them onto a reservation some 200 miles south of here.

A few miles upstream on the Salmon River, an orange parapet (at lower right) stands sentinel over the river's sinuous course.

 

 

 

 

 

Opening into a gentle valley, the Salmon River does not seem threatening.
Further downstream, the Salmon River becomes impassible because of continual rapids and sheer walls, earning its name 'The River of No Return.' Clark wrote "Every man appeared disheartened from the prospects of the river, and nothing to eate." Lewis and Clark wanted to descend on the westerly flowing river, but after a brief exploration they decided to follow their native guide's advice and go up the North Fork instead.

 

 

Near the headwaters of the North Fork of the Salmon River the expedition crossed Lost Trail Pass, now easily traversed by a highway. Then they began their descent into the Bitterroot Valley, seen here in the far distance.

The beautiful valley of the Bitterroot River, a small stream, is nearly one hundred miles long. Today fertile farms alternate with small towns like Darby, seen here at center right. The Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Mountains is at the left.

 

 

 

A small reservoir shimmers with reflections of snowy peaks.

 

 

The Lolo River enters the Bitterroot River from the west. "We called this Creek Travellers rest,... a fine bould clear runing stream," wrote Lewis.

 

 

Today's Lolo Hot Springs is the same place where 200 years ago "both the men and the indians amused themselves with the use of a bath this evening," according to Lewis on the return journey.

 

The Corps began the most difficult part of the entire journey after crossing Lolo Pass (here showing the effects of logging) into the heart of the Bitterroot Range. They had initially expected the Rockies to be as easy to cross as the Blue Ridge Mountains of the east. Instead they found multiple ranges of younger, higher and rougher mountains. The rivers were impassible and the trails were grueling.

Wanting to follow the Lochsa River downstream, the party found the banks too narrow and obstructed with fallen logs. They climbed about 5,000 feet instead to the age-old Nez Perce trail along the tops of the mountains shown here. As we fly over the trail, largely obscured by snow in late May, we marvel at the challenge they faced. We have to climb to 10,500 feet to escape from howling winds over one of the most lonely and forbidding landscapes we have ever seen.
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