August 16-21 Day 146-151
August 16
Old smokejumper buddies Bruce Ford, Steve Baker and I drove down to Lolo Hot Springs for a good breakfast and coffee. Many laughs were enjoyed with the food.
We dropped off Steve’s motorcycle at Lolo Pass then Bruce brought us back to where I finished the day before. Steve and I said goodbye to Bruce and then walked up the road a way before turning off to pick up the trail. We had to do a bit of cross country hiking and climb over plenty of deadfall before seeing the welcome Lewis and Clark Trail emblem.
From there we walked on real hiking trail. It was a luxury hiking mostly in the shade of the big timber as well. We ate the first huckleberries of the trip and walked through Packer Meadows.
At Lolo Pass we got some info and Steve bought a map. We agreed to meet at 7 PM wherever I ended up along the road.
I made good time on the steady downhill. Like Lemhi Pass, the west side of the pass was much more lush.
I’d made about nine more miles when Steve motored up. He scouted ahead for a campsite. It was a fine spot in big cedars and near the Lochsa River. We had a fine time, and stayed up late telling stories.
Clark: September 13th Wednesday 1805… passed Several Springs… I tasted this water and found it hot & not bad tasted… I put my finger in the water, at first could not bare it… we proceeded over a mountain to the head of the Creek which we left to our left and at 6 miles from the place I nooned it, we fell on a Small Creek from the left which Passed through open glades Some of which 1/ 2 a mile wide, we proceeded down this Creek about 2 miles to where the mountains Closed on either Side crossing the Creek Several times & Encamped… Some mountains in view to the S E & S W. Covered with Snow.
August 17
I got up early. Lochsa Lodge for breakfast was the goal. Steve showed up just as I was nearing the lodge.
It was a beautiful log building and breakfast was great. We firmed up the plan for the food cache and water caches that Steve would leave along the Lolo Trail and parted ways. It had been really fun hanging out with my old Bro.
I followed the L&C hiking trail along the river then turned to begin the long climb of Wendover Ridge where the Corps had left the Lochsa on the same climb. I was starting at about 3,200 feet and climbing to 6,600 feet.
The trail started among the cedars and stayed in the timber for a long time. There were at least a hundred trees down across the trail. The shade eased the heat of the steep climb. When the trail entered long openings from old forest fires a nice breeze helped considerably. The first fall colors were visible here and there.
There was more up and down than I’d expected, adding considerable climbing.
After several hours I made the ridge. It was extremely important that I find Steve’s food cache, it contained all my food for the next five days. Happily he’d put it in exactly the right spot, hung high in an expert bear proof fashion. At the base of the tree was five quarts of water. This cache had really lightened my pack. I had a good meal and drank all the cool water I wanted.
I walked a mile or so before setting up my tent at a flat spot along the ridge. It was nearly dark when I heard a deer walking towards me. I could barely see the huge ears of the doe against the sky as she walked closer and closer, so close I thought she might trip on my tent lines, sniffing loudly. It was fun to get so close to a large wild animal.
Clark: Wednesday Septr. 15th 1805… here the road leaves the river to the left and assends a mountain winding in every direction to get up the Steep assents & to pass the emence quantity of falling timber which had falling from dift. causes i e. fire & wind and has deprived the Greater part of the Southerley Sides of this mountain of its gren timber, 4 miles up the mountain I found a Spring and halted for the rear to come up and to let our horses rest & feed, about 2 hours the rear of the party came up much fatigued & horses more So, Several horses Sliped and roled down Steep hills which hurt them verry much…
August 18
It was a day of great, long mountain views as I followed the quiet road along the Lolo Trail. There was a little smoke haze from some distant fire. I knew I’d be doing lots of climbing when the road dropped well over a thousand feet then began the long climb to regain the altitude.
Huckleberries were plentiful and I’d stop to pick them at especially good spots. I saw an old “Indian Tree” bent long ago to mark the trail. I also found a silver dime from 1951.
I was resting at a water cache Steve had left when the first car drove up. It was a very friendly couple, curious about my trip.
An hour before dark two motorbikes drove up and asked if I was the guy who’d come from St. Louis. They gave me a cold beer and we talked about adventuring as dusk fell. Just before dark they headed east and I headed west.
I camped in the huckleberries beneath the stars. When the full moon rose I could see well enough to pick ripe berries from my sleeping bag.
August 19
A cold wind blew across the face of the moon and swayed the lodgepole pines above my sleeping bag.
I gathered fresh huckleberries for breakfast. My jacket felt great when I started hiking. Before noon though, the summer heat was back.
When I checked my position on my iPhone it was an hour earlier than I expected. When did I enter Pacific Time?
A grouse exploded from the huckleberries, making me jump, a blue grouse I think. I’d seen spruce grouse too.
Occasionally wooden signs marked landmarks along the way. Usually Bears had scratched the posts with their claws and as often as not had partially chewed up the signs. Despite all the berries there didn’t seem to be many bears around now.
I found a motorcycle license plate on the road. By going through my photos I saw that it was Steve’s. Small world! I picked it up to possibly mail to him.
Three rocks on the rugged road’s edge marked another hidden water cache Steve had left. Natural water had been hard to come by near Wendover Ridge, but here it just saved me the hassle of treating.
I slept in a mountain saddle under big timber.
Clark: Monday 18th Septr. 1805 a fair morning cold I proceded on in advance with Six hunters to try and find deer or Something to kill we passed over a countrey Similar to the one of yesterday more falling timber passed Several runs & Springs passing to the right from the top of a high part of the mountain at 20 miles I had a view of an emence Plain and leavel Countrey to the S W. & West at a great distance a high mountain in advance beyond the Plain, Saw but little Sign of deer and nothing else, much falling timber, made 32 miles and Encamped on a bold running Creek passing to the left which I call Hungery Creek as at that place we had nothing to eate. I halted only one hour to day to let our horses feed on Grass and rest
August 20
I picked up some good hiking trail this morning, trail marked with the Lewis and Clark or Nez Perce emblem.
It was warm in the sun but very cool in the shade. It was good to be hiking a long stretch of foot trail again.
The trail neared a low, wet meadow, crossed by a boardwalk. A boardwalk! A black animal came out of the shadows and loped towards me. A wolf! It froze, then whirled and ran back the way it came. Wow! It had been half grown. In the dust beyond the meadow were tracks of other members of the pack.
The route passed through old and recent burns and hot sun, and then through long shaded stands of dark timber, draped with sun-dappled green moss.
My route called for another long stretch of trail but I couldn’t find the trailhead. I tried heading cross country to intersect it but it was rough country for cross-country travel and there was no sign of trail.
I got back on the road. Just as I was about to give up on the trail I found the trailhead and the three rocks marking the last of Steve’s water caches, water I could use right now.
The trail was barely visible in places at first, but then most fallen timber had been cleared off the trail, making for a fairly easy walk through ferns and big timber: fir, ponderosa and cedar.
The trail came back to the road for a bit. Two ladies stopped and gave me some tangerines and cold water.
Signs marked a couple of Lewis and Clark camps. I followed another stretch of hiking trail back up into the evening shadows. There were no human tracks but deer and elk were making heavy use of the trail.
The days were getting shorter. Under the thick cedars, and now in Pacific Time, dark was coming early. I camped on a flat spot in the cedars, once again forgoing my tent.
The trail was barely visible in places at first, but then most fallen timber had been cleared off the trail, making for a fairly easy walk through ferns and big timber: fir, ponderosa and cedar.
The trail came back to the road for a bit. Two ladies stopped and gave me some tangerines and cold water.
Signs marked a couple of Lewis and Clark camps. I followed another stretch of hiking trail back up into the evening shadows. There were no human tracks but deer and elk were making heavy use of the trail.
The days were getting shorter. Under the thick cedars, and now in Pacific Time, dark was coming early. I camped on a flat spot in the cedars, once again forgoing my tent.
August 21
I heard animals, elk I think, last night. I noticed a big whitetail antler near my sleeping bag when I got up.
This morning was the most beautiful stretch of trail on the whole trip, big timber, cool air and well-maintained trail.
All the logs cleared off the trail had been chopped off, a huge chore. Why the trail clearing crew hadn’t used a chainsaw, or at least a crosscut saw, was a mystery. Then I noticed sawdust at each log, and that each removed piece of log was missing. Apparently trail-clearing was being used as training for chopping and sawing for Boy Scouts and the Northwest Children’s Home as evidenced by two signs I saw.
It was fun to think that some of these ancient trees along the trail had witnessed the passing of Lewis and Clark and hundreds of years of Nez Perce hunters.
I waded Lolo Creek and followed the logging road on the other side. It was a long time before I saw the first pickup truck.
The landscape had a unique look, patches of open prairie in the timber. In late afternoon I walked into Wieppe. The fellow running the gas station/grocery store was super helpful. I bought some food and he called a local lady who set me up with a large private trailer for $50, $25 when she found out I was doing the Lewis and Clark Trail. Thanks! Running water, TV and a soft bed, quite a luxury. I ate a good meal of Mexican food at a roadside stand. A nice way to end a big day. Colter
Clark: Wednesday 20th September 1805… decended the mountain to a leavel pine Countrey proceeded on through a butifull Countrey for three miles to a Small Plain in which I found maney Indian lodges, at the distance of 1 mile from the lodges… a man Came out to meet me with; great Caution & Conducted us to a large Spacious Lodge which he told me (by Signs) was the Lodge of his great Chief who had Set out 3 days previous with all the Warriers of the nation to war on a South West derection… they gave us a Small piece of Buffalow meat, Some dried Salmon beries & roots in different States… I find myself verry unwell all the evening from eateing the fish & roots too freely…