Since our time on the ground on the West Coast was so limited, I was glad to explore from the airplane.
Although my immediate interest regarded volcanoes, in the back of my mind I was thinking about the Lewis and Clark Trail, which my kids and I had greatly enjoyed studying in homeschool.
In his sixth grade year, my son created a nature journal as if he was on the expedition, focusing on animals that were on the trail.
Later in tenth grade, he chose to portray Meriwether Lewis, who led the expedition, so we carefully researched and recreated a historical regimental for him, like the one Lewis wore.
Despite most imagery portrays the expedition members in buckskin, they were part of the US Army, so they wore regimentals.
And yes, the hat properly collapses to be carried under the arm.
“OF COURAGE UNDAUNTED”
After purchasing the massive territory of Louisiana from Napoleon in 1803, President Thomas Jefferson organized an expedition, led by Meriwether Lewis, to discover the new land which more than doubled the size of the young country.
The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river, & such principal stream[s] of it, as, by it’s course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean…may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purposes of commerce… -Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, June 20, 1803
Meanwhile the expedition documented the people, weather, geology, flora, and fauna of the new lands with journals, sketches, and cartography.
They also collected specimens to send to President Jefferson.
MERIWETHER LEWIS
Born in the Virginia Piedmont in 1774, about 10 miles from Monticello, Lewis knew Jefferson from his youth.
Joining the army in 1795, Lewis served under William Clark, until 1801.
At that time, the newly elected Thomas Jefferson appointed Lewis as Secretary to the President, a position that came to be known in 1946 as the White House Chief of Staff.
Two years later, Jefferson commissioned Meriweather Lewis to lead the Army Corps of Discovery to the Louisiana Purchase, due to his knowledge of the Western country, of the army & it’s situation. –Monticello
In later years, Jefferson described Meriwether Lewis, thusly: I had now had opportunities of knowing him intimately. of courage undaunted, possessing a firmness & perseverance of purpose which nothing but impossibilities could divert from its direction… –Monticello
PREPARATIONS
To join him in leading the expedition, Lewis chose his former commanding officer, William Clark.
In preparation for being totally “off the early-19th century grid” and describing a new land, Lewis studied astronomy, botany, mathematics, medicine, anatomy, and surveying. –National Park Service
After two trips to the US Armory and Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry to procure supplies, Lewis journeyed to Missouri to begin the expedition.
From here on, all references to the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition, officially called the Corps of Discovery Expedition, involved 40 members, some civilian and some from the US Army, led by Lewis and Clark.
SIGHTS FROM THE JOURNEY
The bald Eagle are more abundant here than I ever observed them in any part of the country. -Lewis, Yellowstone, April 1805
Like an eagle which soars high to expansive views, I saw the variations of land features through which Lewis and Clark trekked.
Leaving Idaho, we entered Oregon with massive views of Washington to the north, where the rugged landscape of the semi-arid Great Plains transitioned to the tall green forests of the Pacific Northwest… explored by Lewis and Clark.
This view of the Columbia Plateau, which also extends south, into Oregon, contains more lava than anywhere else in the world, comprised of basalt rock.
FOLLOWING THE COLUMBIA RIVER
Eventually we began to follow the Columbia River as it came south from Washington, to turn west, at that point forming the Washington/Oregon border.
While we entered Oregon directly from Idaho into Oregon, Lewis and Clark journeyed on the Snake River to the Columbia River in Washington, which then flows south to the Washington/Oregon border. A great map of this route is here.
Thus, by the time we came to the Columbia River, I could imagine having caught up to Lewis and Clark in the autumn of 1805.
VOLCANOES GALORE
Soon I saw two volcanoes come into view: Mount Adams in the front and Mount Ranier in the back.
Soon a third volcano came into view…now Mount Saint Helens on the far left, Mount Adams on the right front, Mount Ranier right back.
Lewis and Clark were quite impressed with these volcanic mountains in Washington and Oregon.
The first they saw was Mount Hood, (50 miles east of Portland, stands 11,249′ high) which was immediately outside the left side of the plane, looming through those windows, while I took this snap, above.
When the Columbia River turned northward into Washington, Lewis and Clark saw more volcanoes: like Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams, and Mount Ranier.
Of Mount Saint Helens, they wrote: the most noble looking-object of its kind in nature
When they found the mouth of the Willamette on their return trip, they explored the tributary, where they saw all 5 volcanoes.
Viewing another volcanic mountain, about 50 miles south of Mount Hood, standing at 10,502′ tall, they named it after President Thomas Jefferson.
William Clark recorded in March 30, 1806: we made 22 Miles only to day the wind and a Strong current being against us all day, with rain. discovered a high mountain S E. Covered with Snow which we call Mt. Jefferson …
In the 1839, Hall J. Kelly desired to name the Cascade volcanoes after presidents.
Although he wanted to name today’s Mount Hood after President John Adams, someone mixed up the paperwork, and gave that name to one of the volcanic mountains in Washington.
COLUMBIA RIVER DISCOVERIES
We continued to follow the Columbia into Portland, while we watched all the boaters enjoying the serene waters, calm due to the many dams.
Seeking a significant water route west, Lewis and Clark were certainly thrilled at the prospects this wide, full river would provide.
However, Lewis and Clark portaged their canoes around the numerous rapids and waterfalls.
Meanwhile William Clark described the vast amount of salmon swimming and hurling themselves upstream to spawn: The multitudes of this fish are almost inconceivable. -Clark, autumn 1805
Although salmon continue to pawn on the Columbia River, they aren’t quite as numerous as in the early 19th century because due to the dams.
Adventures galore kept the expedition busy including rapids, waterfalls, and fleas galore they couldn’t escape unless they dunked under the water…reminiscent of Humphry Bogart and Katherine Hepburn on The African Queen.
ON TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN
As we prepared to land at the Portland airport, the Columbia River turns north into Washington, where it soon empties into the Pacific the greatest amount of water of any other tributary.
And that is where we said goodby to Lewis and Clark, who continued on the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean…their ultimate destination.
Great joy in camp we are in view of the Ocian, this great Pacific Octean which we have been So long anxious to See. -Clark, November 7, 1805
SEEKING THE WILLAMETTE RIVER
After collecting our bags, we headed to Lake Oswego, for a memorial service for my husband’s brother the next day.
As we drove through the tattered and torn town of, the one beauty winding through was another massively gorgeous river, the Willamette which led us to the gorgeous area of Lake Oswego, 7 miles to the south.
And thus we continued our Lewis and Clark journey!
As they were the first to travel from one end of our country to the other, William Clark created the first map from the mouth of the Missouri River to where the Columbia River reaches the Pacific Ocean.
Having since learned of a large river which falls into the Columbia on its south side, he pondered its precise location to place on the map.
Seeking the mouth of the river upon their return trip in March 1806 to no avail, they encamped on the Washington side of the Columbia.
Later, several canoes arrived with Indians stating that they came from the Multnomah, south of the Columbia, 500 yards wide at the mouth and continuing on at that width.
Determined to find the mouth of the Willamette (today located just northwest of Portland), Clark enlisted six of his soldiers to seek this tributary, along with an Indian guide who helpfully pointed out the island hiding the mouth.
CLARK SEES FIVE VOLCANOES AT ONCE
From the entrance to this largest river in the valley, Clark and his team saw 5 volcanoes, all of which I’ve described, above! (The high-humped mountain described below is the yet, unnamed Mount Adams.)
…from the Columbia at the entrance of the Multonomah river Mount Jefferson bears S. E. this is a noble mountain. I think equally as high as Mount St. Helines but it’s distance being much greater than that of the latter, so great a portion of it dose not appear above the range of mountains which lie betwen boath those stupendious mountains and this point of view. like M. St. Heleans from the same point boar N , Mount Hood
due East, and Mount Ranier nearly North. there is also a very high humped mountain a little to the East of Mount St. Heleans which appears to lie in the same chain with those conic pointed mountains before mentioned…-Lewis, April 6, 1806
Because of those volcanoes, the Willamette flows through the southern portion of the Columbia Plateau, full of lava comprised of basalt rock.
Culminating their exploration of the Multnomah at Willamette Falls in today’s Oregon City on April 2, the expedition found a favored area for the local Indians, due to the massive amount of salmon for fishing.
LAKE OSWEGO NEAR THE WILLAMETTE
Understandably, my husband wasn’t optimistic I’d see any of Mount Hood while driving about due to tall buildings and trees.
He was mostly correct, but on one road in Portland, I espied the towering glistening giant rock of ice and snow! Impressive against the azure blue sky.
Again, the next day, as we drove in Lake Oswego to the venue for the memorial service, one road we took yielded impressive views of the snowcapped volcano looming over the charming town.
One of the locals explained that the lake, itself, is lower in elevation than the surrounding area, which explains why I can’t see it on the horizon.
I stood on the deck with google maps to help me orient myself, so I *think* Mount Hood is behind the cabins and trees directly across from us.
This lovely lake runs east to west, with a tiny tributary, Oswego Creek, spilling from the lake into the Willamette River, which is quite nearby.
JEFFERSON SHOWCASES LEWIS AND CLARK ARTIFACTS
When specimens from the expedition began to arrive in the summer of 1805, Jefferson wrote: The barrel, boxes, & cases from Baltimore mentioned in your letter contain skins, furs, horns, bones, seeds, vases & some other articles. Being apprehensive that the skins & furs may be suffering I would wish you to take them out, have them well dried & brushed, and then done up close in strong linen to keep the worm-fly out. As I do not know in what packages they ate, it will be necessary for you to open them all & take out the skins & furs, leaving everything else in their cases . . . -Jefferson to Etienne Lemaire, August 17, 1805
PLANNING VIRTUAL AND IRL TRIPS
Sites for planning a real life trip to explore the Lewis and Clark Trail: Exploring the Lewis and Clark Trail
Sites to learn more about the Lewis and Clark Trail include: United States Geological Service-Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark
