Howard’s Camp is a fine grassy meadow, long used by the Indians as a camping spot. It is not now actually situated on the Lolo Trail, but it is so definitely described by the explorer’s journals as to leave no question as to the actual spot. The elevation of Howard’s Camp is 6445 feet above sea level. The spot takes its name from being used by General Oliver O. Howard of the U. S. Calvary in 1877 when he was in pursuit of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indian Tribe. The following afternoon the travelers of the Corps of Discovery resumed their journey. Their journals record, “we continued our journey over high and rough knobs and several drains and springs and along a ridge of country separating the waters of two small rivers.” This water flow was the head of Weitas Creek, a tributary of the North Fork of the Clearwater River and another branch of the Lochsa River. After traveling ten miles over brutal and rough going, camp was made for the night at what is now called Grave Camp. This place takes its name from the burial there of an Indian boy who belonged to the Spalding family living in the vicinity of what is now known as Orofino, Idaho. From Grave Camp, Grave’s Creek flows south into the Lochsa River. The altitude of this camp is 6,200 feet. At this camp the third and last colt was killed and eaten.
The next morning Captain Clark took six men with him and went rapidly forward, ahead of the main body, trying to get food and contact the Indians. The men were all close to starvation. After traveling some twenty miles Clark records coming out on a high, bald mountain from which could be seen to the west and southwest a very extensive plain. This outstretched plain was what is now known as the Camas and Nez Perce prairies of central Idaho. The mountain peak from which these prairies were observed would have had to have been Sherman Peak, though it is not 20 miles from Grave Camp. It is most difficult for a man to accurately estimate distances in such rough and rugged country through which they traveled. Captain Clark further records, “We then went on an additional twelve and one half miles until we reached a bold stream running to the left or to the southwest. This stream was appropriately named Hungry Creek. Here camp was made. The bold creek spoken of was probably Obia Creek, the largest branch of Fish Creek, though it is only three miles west of Sherman Peak to Obia Creek.
Captain Lewis followed Clark and his six men, however they took a different route. They traveled about eighteen miles, making camp on a dry ridge, between Bald Mountain and No-see-um Meadow. They did not go past Sherman Peak although if they had done so, they would have found at least two good camping places holding an abundance of drinking water. The next day, Captain Clark proceeded up either Fish Creek or Obia Creek and some six miles when he reached a small plain. Here he found a loose horse which was promptly killed and the men had a fine feast. The balance of the uncooked meat was hung up in a tree and left for Captain Lewis and his men. Going two miles further, Clark left the creek and crossed three high mountains. This course was not on the Lolo Trail, but rather on an old Indian trail leaving Fish Creek and going on up to McLennan Butte and thence westerly over Middle Butte and Frenchman Butte to El Dorado Creek of the Lolo Creek drainage. After leaving these mountains, Captain Clark records passing the heads of several branches of hungry (Fish) Creek when he came to a large creek running westward. This was El Dorado Creek. He followed it four miles, crossed a ridge and came to a creek on his left. This was what is called Cedar Creek and their camp was made in its meadows. Twenty-two miles were made this day. Captain Lewis records in his journal…“We followed Captain Clark soon after sunrise. At six miles, the ridge terminated, and we had before us the cheering prospect of the large plain to the southwest.” After making 18 miles that day they encamped. “Having no other provisions, we took some potable soup, our only refreshment during the day. This abstinence, joined with fatigue, has a visible effect on our health. The men are growing weaker and losing their flesh very fast. Several are afflicted with dysentery, and eruptions of the skin are very common.” They encamped on Hungry Creek.
After leaving the Cedar Creek meadows, Captain Clark crossed a divide and at a distance of five miles reached the Lolo Creek, called by them Collins Creek. They crossed this stream just above the mouth of El Dorado Creek They went down the right side of Lolo Creek for a mile to the Lolo Creek meadow. At this point they left the Lolo Creek and clambered up and over the breaks. This was the old Indian trail, though it is now hardly distinguishable. They continued north through the timber across Crane Meadow and on up to the top of the mountain, where now there is an old fire lookout station. At this mountain they turned westerly and “descended the last of the Stony Mountains,” reaching a level plain. The party traveled five more miles across the level country when they first saw three Indian boys, who immediately ran and hid themselves. They were soon found and pacified, sent forward to their village a mile distant, and returned with an Indian man who conducted Captain Clark and his party of explorers to a conference tent in the village. Most of the adult male Indians were away from the village on the war path in the Shoshone country to the south. After being sumptuously regaled with food, the company set out for a second village two more miles distant, which is the present location of the town of Weippe, Idaho. This was the village of Twisted Hair, chief of the Chopunnish. Local scholars say that the spelling of this word should be Chup-nit-palu, meaning pierced nose, or the French Nez Perce. Chief Twisted Hair was away from the village fishing on the Clearwater River and it was the purpose of Captain Clark to contact him at the earliest possible moment. Clark sent a messenger to Captain Lewis with supplies and who was charged with telling Lewis of Clark’s intentions. Clark engaged a guide and set out for the camp of Twisted Hair. The explorers marched twelve miles to the breaks of the Clearwater River; three miles more and they were at the water’s edge, near the mouth of Ford Creek. They found Twisted Hair on a low island and its sand bar. Leaving his men Captain Clark and Twisted Hair returned to Weippe.
After unbelievable hardships, Captain Lewis and his men here joined forces with Captain Clark. Chief Twisted Hair drew a splendid map on a tanned elk hide of the river’s actual course that the explorers expected to follow. This map was indeed a great value to the Corps of Discovery. There were nearly 2,000 Indians at or near Weippe by the time the explorers reached there. The elevation of Weippe Prairie, which contains about 3,000 acres of ground is 3,000 feet above sea level. After a short rest, the entire party, accompanied by Twisted Hair and a number of Indians, set out for the Kooskooske or Clearwater River, which they reached at China Island, just above the mouth of Orofino Creek. Camp was established on China Island. Thereafter Captain Clark and some Indians set out in quest of timber suitable for boat making. Such was found four miles downstream from camp, on the opposite side of the Clearwater River from the mouth of the North Fork of the Clearwater River. The explorers named the North Fork Chopunnish, though the Indian name is Ahsahka. Camp was relocated to this boat making spot, seven canoes were constructed, a cache of surplus supplies was made, the horses were left in the care of Twisted Hair and the long journey started westward toward the Pacific Ocean.
After Lewis and Clark, the Lolo Trail felt no tread of white men that is recorded until some 55 years later, after the 1861 discovery of gold in Orofino Creek . Later in 1877 the trail was again to come into prominence when Chief Joseph selected it for his masterly retreat during the Nez Perce Indian war. Joseph was pursued by General Oliver O. Howard who had axmen cut the trail out of the forests almost to the dimensions of a wagon road.
There is a story that still persists that General Howard lost a cannon near Sherman Peak during his pursuit of Chief Joseph over the Lolo Trail. Though several persons claim to have actually seen the cannon, so far up to this date, no attempts to retrieve it have been successful. It remains a lost mystery. It has never actually been found. After the pursuit of Chief Joseph, the trail again became little used until the establishment of the Forest Reserves. Ever since 1900 the trail has been kept in good repair and function by the Forestry Department of the federal government. It has been used extensively in the patrol and control of the fire hazards that frequent the area…mostly caused by lightning strikes. U.S. Highway 12, what is now called the Lewis & Clark Highway, does not follow the route of the Lolo Trail. It traverses parallel to the Trail along the north bank of the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers.
There is still a great deal of confusion in the minds of people regarding the entrance of Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery into the State of Idaho. The explorers crossed the Continental Divide through the Lemhi Pass which is located 17 miles up the Lemhi River from its mouth near Salmon City, Idaho Territory. Afterwards they recrossed the Continental Divide back into Montana at a point approximately 50 miles north of the confluence of the Lemhi River with the main Salmon River. They then crossed back over the Continental Divide through an unnamed pass presently called “Lost Trail Pass” and descended into the Bitter Root River Valley. The Lolo Pass is not in the main range of the Rocky Mountains. Rather it is a low saddle in the Bitter Root Mountains further west. These latter mountains are a spur from the main range of the Rockies. The waters from Lolo Pass flowing both eastward and westward, eventually intermingle and find a resting place in the Pacific Ocean.
Oh the price that was paid by the Corps of Discovery in the opening of our beloved country in 1805 and 1806.
End of Part II of II of The Romantic, Tragic, and Historic Lolo Trail
Peace and Love to All of You…………..Poppa Bear